The Arizona Department of Transportation and the Maricopa Association of Governments are cooperating in the designation of a specific route for the CANAMEX Corridor in the Maricopa Region. Kimley-Horn and Associates, under contract to ADOT, provided technical assistance to ADOT and MAG in support of the high-level evaluation of route alternatives. The purpose of this study is to provide technical assistance, not to evaluate or select a preferred route alternative.

In fiscal year 2011, Chino Valley Unified School District’s student achievement was similar to peer district and state averages, and its operational efficiencies were mixed with some costs higher and some costs lower than peer districts’ averages. The District’s per-pupil administrative costs were slightly higher than peer districts’ because the District employed more administrative positions per pupil. The District’s plant operations, food service, and transportation programs operated reasonably efficiently, with cost measures such as cost per square foot, cost per meal, and cost per mile that were similar to or lower than peer districts’ averages. However, the District needs to improve controls over access to critical information systems and strengthen controls over its fuel purchase cards.

In fiscal year 2011, Patagonia ESD’s student AIMS scores in math and reading were lower than peer districts’ averages, and its writing scores were higher. Patagonia UHSD’s scores were higher in all three subject areas than peer districts’, on average. Because the two districts operate essentially as one district, auditors considered their operations combined when determining operational efficiency. The districts saved money by operating together but could do more to further reduce costs. The combined District’s cost-efficiency in noninstructional areas was mixed, with some costs higher and some costs lower than peer districts’, on average. However, the District needs to strengthen controls over multiple operational areas, including payroll and accounts payable processing and computer system access and security. The District also needs to improve bus preventative maintenance, ensure bus driver certification requirements are met, and better control fuel inventory.

In fiscal year 2011, Double Adobe Elementary School District’s student AIMS scores for math and reading were lower than the peer districts’ averages and no writing scores were reported. These scores do not include 5th and 6th grade students’ scores, which were invalidated because a teacher violated test security requirements. The District operated relatively efficiently overall. Double Adobe ESD’s administration, plant operations, and transportation program operated with lower per pupil costs and other costs, such as cost per square foot and cost per mile, than peer district averages. The District did not have any food-service related costs because it has not operated a food service program for at least the past 30 years. Although relatively efficient, the District needs to strengthen its accounting and computer controls as well as controls over its fuel inventory. Further, the District misreported its transportation route mileage and was overfunded by a combined $263,705 for fiscal years 2011 and 2012.

In fiscal year 2011, Pearce Elementary School District’s student AIMS scores were similar to peer districts’ averages. Although per pupil costs were high in some operational areas, the District was reasonably efficient overall. Pearce ESD’s per pupil administration costs were similar to the peer districts’ average, and although its plant operations, food service, and transportation program operated with higher per pupil costs than peer districts, these areas operated in a reasonably efficient manner considering factors such as the age of the District’s buildings, number of meals served, and transportation miles driven. Although relatively efficient, the District should strengthen some of its accounting controls, including ensuring proper separation of duties for its payroll and purchasing processes and ensuring purchases are properly approved before they are made. The District should also strengthen some of its computer controls, such as the requirements for network passwords.

In fiscal year 2011, Kingman Unified School District’s student achievement was similar to peer district averages, and it operated efficiently with lower costs than peer districts’, on average. The District operated its administration with lower per pupil costs because it employed fewer administrative staff per pupil than peer districts, on average. In addition, the District’s plant operations cost per square foot and food service cost per meal were lower than peer districts’ averages. The District’s transportation program cost per pupil was higher than the peer districts’ average, but the program was efficient, with lower per mile costs. However, the District should improve some of its administrative practices. In particular, the District should strengthen controls over its cash handling, culinary arts program, and computer network and systems.

Arizona public school districts' dollars spent in the classroom. In November 2000, voters approved Proposition 301, which increased the State’s sales tax from 5 percent to 5.6 percent to provide additional money for educational programs. The enabling legislation for Proposition 301 requires the Auditor General to “. . . monitor school districts to determine the percentage of every dollar spent in the classroom by a school district.” This report presents our analysis of the percentage of dollars spent in the classroom for the most recently completed school year.

The purpose of this report is to provide a proof of concept for a different, alternative method for evaluating police agencies. Our method is couched in a comparative approach, which will allow agencies to compare their performance to other police agencies. This report assesses police performance through the perceptions and experiences of recently booked arrestees. By comparing the perceptions and experiences of recently booked arrestees from different jurisdictions we can begin to contextualize results and observe differences that might serve as an early warning of a problem or serve as an indicator of success.

The analysis plan and the format of this report are derived from numerous meetings held over more than an eighteen month span with the AARIN project advisory board, Maricopa County leadership, and representatives from MCSO. Following the guidance of the advisory board, the dissemination strategy for the AARIN project shifted from a single, broadly scoped annual summary report supplemented by smaller topic-specific reports into shorter, individual reports tailored to the specific needs and wants of six key county criminal justice agencies. Meetings with MCSO representatives regarding their individualized report indicated they would be most interested in a broad analysis akin to the old annual reports. Given the MCSO’s need for the broadly scoped analysis as opposed to a topically-focused and interpretive report, the report here primarily provides analyses across most of the core instrument elements, presented in tabular form, with a list of key findings and highlights.