2015-2026

As the District’s Executive Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Dr. Coberly led a number of initiatives, including the District’s efforts to expand its Advanced Placement course offerings. The District’s AP program is the recognized leader in the state of Idaho and annually gives over a third of the state’s AP exams. The number of exams taken by District students has grown from just under 500 in 1994 to over 3,600 in 2014-15.  As the number of students taking exams has substantially increased, the “passing” percentage for the Boise District has dropped, from 78% in 2009 to 67% in 2015. This was expected, as more an more students are accessing the rigorous curriculum of Advanced Placement.
 
During Dr. Coberly’s service as Director of Curriculum and Instruction, District students regularly scored above state averages on the Idaho Standards Achievement Tests, Idaho Reading Indicator, and Direct Writing and Math Assessments, even as District demographics changed substantially.
 
Dr. Coberly’s focus on data-driven decision-making continues to position the District well to perform at a high level of academic achievement and continues to help the District receive recognition as one of the academic performance leaders in the State of Idaho.

During Dr. Coberly's tenure as Superintendent of Schools the District has renewed and strengthened its:   

• commitment to college and career readiness;
• dedication to preparing students for an increasingly global society, through the development of creativity and thinking skills with an emphasis on integration of technology;
• commitment to a safe and secure learning environment;
• support for a caring and compassionate staff committed to providing the best education for each and every child;
• commitment to providing opportunities for meaningful parental involvement; and
• dedication to the District's core values of respect, dignity, honesty, responsibility and teamwork.

In addition, under the leadership of Dr. Coberly, Boise School District continued to receive notable recognition for the following:  

• Nationally ranked high schools – All four of Boise’s comprehensive high schools, Boise, Borah, Capital and Timberline have been consistently ranked among the top 10% in the country by the Washington Post  for providing rigor through Advanced Placement coursework.
• An Advanced Placement program with at least 23 AP offerings in each comprehensive high school. Advanced Placement classes are rigorous, college-level classes taught by certified high school teachers and audited by the College Board.  The vast majority of colleges and universities offer credit and/or waivers for particular scores on Advanced Placement exams, and the College Board maintains a site where students and parents can see AP credit policies of each college/university.  The District is committed to providing a rigorous curriculum for all students. 
• Commitment to the arts, including band, orchestra, and choir programs beginning in elementary grades. In 2011, The National Association of Music Manufacturers recognized Boise as one of the top U.S. communities for music education. The district’s outstanding art program offers coursework including ceramics, painting and drawing.
• The AVID Program, a college-preparatory program for junior and senior high school students who are performing in the academic middle;
• International Program emphasis at Longfellow Elementary School, with study of world cultures and exposure to the Spanish language;
• Public Harbor School at Owyhee Elementary School serving grades K-6 with a focus on a core knowledge curriculum and direct instruction methods;
• Liberty Elementary School Montessori program where students become actively involved in the education process through hands-on experimentation and discovery;
• All-day kindergarten program offered in several schools;
• Classical Education program at Pierce Park Elementary School which includes instruction in Latin;
• Dual Immersion Language programs at Whitney and Whittier elementary schools that provide an opportunity for fluency in both English and Spanish;
• Gifted and Talented Education programs for qualifying students;
• English Language Learner programs for Limited English Proficiency students; and
• Extensive Special Education programs, including Madison Early Childhood Center, which provides services to developmentally disabled preschool children between the ages of 3 and 5 and support to their families. 

In addition, Boise School District students continue to outperform the state of Idaho on standardized achievement tests in every subject. The percentage of students reading at grade level on the Idaho Reading Indicator and scoring proficient on the Idaho Standards Achievement Test continue to surpass Idaho results at each of the grades in which the assessments are given. In 2013, on the second statewide administration of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT), Boise District juniors outperformed students in every other large district in the state of Idaho.

The Boise District also continues to be the leader in the statewide awards to students selected as Finalists in the National Merit® Scholarship Program. Boise District students regularly receive millions of dollars in annual academic scholarships, and take home award after award in local, state and national competitions. District staff also regularly receive local, state and national recognition and are some of the most experienced and educationally advanced staff members in Idaho.

On March 14, 2017 Boise voters by an 86% yes vote approved a large number of bond projects to modernize educational facilities to better serve the needs of our students, staff members and our school communities. 

On December 5, 2018, Dr. Coberly announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2018-19 school year.   On December 13, 2018, the Boise School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to approve the appointment of Deputy Superintendent Coby Dennis, Boise School District, to serve as Superintendent of the Boise School District, effective July 1, 2019. 

Mr. Dennis has worked in the Boise School District since 1991. During that time, he has successfully led a number of efforts to improve instruction, overall academic achievement and school facilities in the District while serving as Deputy Superintendent, Area Director (Timberline High and Capital High), junior high principal (Les Bois), assistant principal (Capital, Borah, and North) and secondary teacher (Borah and North).