Mesquite Elementary School

Schools That Work

Mesquite Elementary School

Public, Suburban

Grades 3-5

Tucson, AZ

OUTCOMES

When test scores came in showing results as low as the 39th percentile in math in Mesquite’s first few years, they spearheaded a teaching program called Reteach and Enrich (R&E). After implementing this program, the school achieved the following:

Just six months later, the school had jumped to the state’s the highest rating, “excelling.” They have continued to receive Arizona’s excelling rating for eight years and have twice won the prestigious A+ School of Excellence Award from the Arizona Educational Foundation.

In addition, the school has seen a more than 30 percent growth in math achievement.

Assessment
Differentiated Instruction: Helping Every Child Succeed
Mix teacher collaboration and innovative leadership with a big dose of differentiated instruction and you get Mesquite Elementary’s winning recipe.
Assessment
Reteach and Enrich: How to Make Time for Every Student
See step-by-step how this Arizona elementary school gives its students the additional time they need to master core concepts and elevate their learning to the next level.
Administration & Leadership
Saving Money, Sustaining Excellence
Budget cuts — you can’t get around them, but you can find ways to reduce the pain. Here's how to teach lean, make supplies last, and not shortchange your kids.
Teacher Collaboration
How Teachers Collaborate Online and in School
The Vail School District in southern Arizona developed a wiki for teachers to share lesson plans and resources. Today, the wiki is a smash hit, and textbooks are a thing of the past.
Professional Learning
Why We Celebrate School Successes When Education Seems to Be Going to Hell
With hard work and plenty of district support, Mesquite Elementary School has proven that budget cuts don’t have to mean the end of excellence.
David Markus
Assessment
Student Achievement Skyrockets at a Tucson Elementary School
An effective classroom-based program of differentiated instruction, called Reteach and Enrich, kicked off eight straight years of success at Mesquite Elementary.
Differentiated Instruction
Resources and Downloads for Differentiated Instruction
Educators from Mesquite Elementary School, in Tucson, Arizona, have provided these resources for you to use in your own school.
Administration & Leadership
Quick Tips for Succeeding On a Low Budget
Arizona's Mesquite Elementary is one of the top-performing schools in the state but has one of the lowest per pupil budgets. Here’s how the school makes more out of less.
Mariko Nobori
Assessment
5 Strategies to Ensure Student Learning
After Arizona's Mesquite Elementary School developed a program to provide additional instruction time for students struggling with math, test scores shot to the top.
Mariko Nobori
Differentiated Instruction
Sustaining Success Despite Budget Cuts
How a resource-strapped elementary school became a top-performing school with a homegrown, easy-to-implement program of differentiated instruction.
Mariko Nobori

Schools That Work

Mesquite Elementary School

OUTCOMES

.css-1sk4066:hover{background:#d1ecfa;}Differentiated Instruction: Helping Every Child Succeed

Differentiated Instruction: Helping Every Child Succeed