Raising Expectations – May 2010

A Message from Our Executive Director

EXPECT MORE ARIZONA’S FIRST 12 MONTHS JUST THE BEGINNING…

A year ago this week, Expect More Arizona publicly launched our statewide effort to make education the top priority in Arizona.  We partnered with high school students across the state to elevate their concerns about the quality of education in Arizona and their views on how to make it better.  Over the course of the year we have worked to reach out to local communities, build partnerships and encourage Arizonans to expect more and do more for education.

Although the launch of Arizona’s first statewide multimedia campaign focused on the importance of improving education was significant for our partnership, it was just the beginning of what is to be a far reaching movement of Arizonans who are committed to making education in our state the best it can be – from birth through career.

As we have carefully built limited capacity within our organization, we are ramping up our communications to keep Arizonans informed and engaged about key issues and opportunities affecting education. ExpectMoreArizona.org has been enhanced and will continue to evolve to truly become that portal to the latest education-related information and resources for parents, students, educators, business leaders and all Arizonans concerned about education. In addition, we now have an outreach and mobilization coordinator, Donna Davis, to help increase our presence at local events and meetings across the state.

The launch of our Vote 4 Education campaign this week adds a whole new element of engagement for Arizonans in improving education across the state.  The 2010 elections clearly present an opportunity to do what’s good and right for education in Arizona.  From ballot initiatives such as Prop 100 to identifying candidates who are true advocates for education, we will focus significantly on rallying Arizonans as well as their friends, family and neighbors to vote with education as their “hot button issue.”

Expect More Arizona has also just closed a statewide poll of Arizona voters specific to education.  The poll was conducted by Lake Research and American Viewpoint, highly reputable national polling firms.  We will be releasing the more comprehensive results within the next few weeks, but some of the highlights include:  A plurality of Arizonans are “concerned” about education in our state.  In fact, 70% rate our education system as fair or poor.  And 44% of voters believe education in our state is getting worse, not better.

Needless to say, we have work to do Arizona!  It’s more important than ever before to make sure we are doing more for education.  So, please take time to share Expect More Arizona (link to tell your friends) with your personal and professional networks, and become a Vote 4 Education champion yourself.  It will truly take a movement to create the change we need in Arizona education, and that movement starts with you.

Sincerely,

Nicole Magnuson

ARIZONA BUSINESS LEADERS RALLY TO SUPPORT EDUCATION DURING 2010 ELECTIONS

Business and community leaders from across the state are joining together to support Expect More Arizona and its Vote 4 Education campaign. The newly created voter-targeted campaign is intended to rally Arizonans to make education their “hot button issue” on key initiatives such as Prop 100 and when selecting candidates during the 2010 election season.

Vote 4 Education was first launched in Maricopa County on April 27 to a group of more than 100 executives, educators and concerned Arizonans.  Business leaders including Phil Francis, Executive Chairman of PetSmart, Michael Bidwill President of the Arizona Cardinals and Cathleen Barton SW/US Education Manager for Intel all participated in event, championing the need to make education a top priority in Arizona.

“Arizona’s economic future is directly linked to the quality of our education system,” said Michael Bidwill. “We must elect leaders who view education as the key to our long-term success and are willing to invest in making it better.”

The Maricopa County event also hosted a panel discussion, facilitated by Rich Dozer, President of GenSpring Family Offices, including education-advocate Don Budinger, Don Smith of SCF Arizona and Steve Seleznow, the Arizona Community Foundation’s new President and CEO and former Gates Foundation executive.

The Tucson launch on Wednesday, April 29 featured an impressive slate of Tucson business leaders as well: Steve Lynn, Vice President and Chief Customer Officer of Tucson Electric Power, Colleen Niccum, Director of Community and Government Relations at Raytheon and Roger Vogel, President and CEO of Sebra Medical Technologies.

“Raytheon has an interesting challenge in only being able to hire U.S. talent,” communicated Colleen Niccum. “That means we have a vested interest in ensuring that we have the highest quality education system to grow our business and attract new industry to our state.”

Flagstaff business leaders were passionate about the need for a model education system that fully prepares our students to succeed, urging Arizonans that the clock is ticking and we can’t wait for better economic times.

“We cannot afford to be short-sighted in our decision-making around education,” said JR Murray, General Manager of Arizona Snowbowl and Chairman of Flagstaff Forty, a local business leadership group. “Education must be viewed as an investment in our future and it is critical that we commit to make it a priority at every level of our state.”

Murray was joined at the event by prominent Flagstaff leaders, John Sininger, Division Leader at W.L. Gore and Associates, Jean Richmond-Bowman, President of Toltec Strategies and LaVelle McCoy of McCoy Motors.

The final roll out event was held at the Yuma Public Library on Tuesday, May 4th. The featured business and community leaders included John Morales, Executive Director of Yuma Private Industry Council, Pat Walz, Interim President and CEO of Yuma Regional Medical and Andrea Bereznak, Community Development Consultant at APS.

According to Bereznak, “It is critical that the business community become highly visible champions for education during this election season.  Arizona’s economy and job growth opportunites tie directly to the quality of our education system.  We can no longer afford to wait to make education our priority.”

The Vote 4 Education campaign will be rolling out in full force throughout May and carrying on through the November elections. Businesses, community groups, and individuals are encouraged to access all the Vote 4 Education resources available through Expect MoreArizona.org to help spread the word.

Click here to view more photos of the four launch events.

APRIL EDUCATION-RELATED LEGISLATIVE UPDATE

Here is an update of some of the education-related bills that were considered by the state legislature prior to the end of their session on April 29.  Expect More Arizona does not take a position on pending legislation, but provides this update for your information only. To voice your opinion about any of the items list, you can contact your local representative by clicking here.

Move On When Ready Bill Passed by Lawmakers

SB 2731, also known as “Move On When Ready,” was signed by lawmakers at the end of April and now awaits the Governor’s signature. The measure would enable high school students to progress to the next grade level once they’ve mastered required concepts, rather than stay for the prescribed four-year timeframe.  The bill is sponsored by Rep. Rich Crandall (R-Mesa) and a bipartisan group of representatives.

Once a law, “Move On” would allow high school students to choose a rigorous high school curriculum through a Grand Canyon diploma pathway.  Those who pass the required assessment tests to graduate early would then be able to enroll in university, trade, technical or community college courses at the next opportunity, often on their high school campuses.  The earliest students could graduate would be sophomore year.

Board of Education Standards and Teacher-Principal Evaluations

If signed into law by the Governor, SB 1040 would require the State Board of Education to establish and maintain a model framework for a teacher and principal evaluation instrument that uses student success as one of the factors. The bill would require the Board to develop this process by December 15, 2011, and would mandate that school districts and charter schools use it to annually evaluate teachers and principals beginning in academic year 2012-13.

SB 1040, which was approved by the legislature this week, allows the Board to include fine arts and physical education achievement as part of the formula.   The proposal has been transmitted to the Governor, who will either sign it, allow it to become law on its own, or veto the measure.

Move On When Reading Bill Passed by Lawmakers

HB 2732, also known as “Move on When Reading,” would require the State Board of Education to consider a child’s ability to read by third grade as a factor when promoting them to the fourth grade.   Additionally, the measure provides for the Board to adopt specific competency requirements for the promotion of third grade pupils and establishes the Task Force on Reading Assessment.

A variety of studies have found children who are not reading proficiently by third grade are more at risk of failing academically or dropping out of school later on.  HB 2732 is awaiting final action from the Governor.

SB 1404 Calls for Civics Test for Middle School Students

A measure that would require eighth-grade students to take and pass a basic test on American history and civics is the aim of SB 1404, which is making its way through the legislative process. The test – which would be made up of at least 20 questions – would quiz students on the same subjects as immigrants taking their U. S. citizenship oaths, such as “Who was the first President of the United States?” “What are the two major political parties?” and so forth.

If the bill becomes law, public and charter schools would administer the test to all eighth graders; those who fail will be required to take it until they pass.

Proposition 100: Good for Education, Critical to Arizona’s Future

As Arizona continues to struggle to recover from one of the worst recessions in recent history, state budget allocations for vital public services, including education, have been slashed. Teachers and staff have been laid off and funds for basic supplies, such as paper and pencils, have been cut to the bone, leaving many teachers to reach into their own pockets to pay for materials that were once supplied by the schools.

Fortunately, on May 18, 2010, Arizonans have the opportunity to do what’s good for education and what’s critical to Arizona’s future. Proposition 100, a referendum that seeks to instate a temporary one-cent sales tax statewide in support of education, public safety and health services, will go before voters.

If passed, Proposition 100 would raise an estimated $1 billion per year, two-thirds of which would go to primary and secondary education. Over the life of the tax, which will be automatically repealed in May 2013, the increase is forecasted to raise $3 billion. Although it is not the long-term solution, Prop 100 could help save critical school programs, maintain teachers in classrooms with a manageable student ratio, and keep police and fire personnel on the street. Because Arizona’s budget crisis is so dire, education will still have to be trimmed even if Proposition 100 succeeds, but the impact will be far less severe.

If Proposition 100 fails, however, the cuts to education and other services would be devastating. Vital programs would be slashed by more than $860 million in fiscal year 2011 alone, forcing layoffs of thousands of teachers, more programmatic cuts and further reductions in fundamental classroom supplies.

Early balloting on this measure has already begun. Expect More Arizona encourages all voters to get signed up on the permanent early voting list and to support Prop 100 as they cast their votes at the polls and in their homes. The passage of Prop 100 is an investment in Arizona’s children and our future, not to mention the safety of our communities.  For more information on Proposition 100, please visit Yes on100.

Make A Difference in Local Schools, Run for School Board

This is the second article in a three-part series about school boards in Arizona.

Improving education in Arizona will take the time, commitment and resources of individuals all across our state. One of the most significant ways you can get involved in strengthening education is by running for local school board.

School boards are an important part of Arizona’s K-12 system. A strong board has the ability to make a powerful impact on the lives of thousands of children as well as the community in which their district resides.   Serving on a local school board is both a challenging and rewarding experience.

School board members often have to make difficult decisions involving budgets, salaries, policies, curriculum and performance. As a school board member, the decisions you make will affect children and their families, school district employees and the broader community. In addition to public school boards, charter schools in Arizona also have governing boards which oversee the operations and performance of the charter school. The composition of charter school governing boards vary depending on the type of school.

In order to explore running for school board, a candidate must be a registered voter and reside within the legal boundaries of the school. In addition, they must have lived in the district for at least one year immediately preceding the day of election. Board members cannot be, or have a spouse who is, an employee of the district when assuming office or during the term of office. Board members cannot serve simultaneously on more than one school district governing board. The position is unpaid, though some expenses may be reimbursed.

According to the Arizona School Boards Association, in order to be the most effective school board member, a candidate should possess the following qualities:

• Have a conviction that public education is important.
• Be committed to improving public education for all children in Arizona.
• Possess a sincere desire to serve the community, rather than a desire for personal glory or to achieve a personal goal.
• Have the ability to understand the forces of change in our society and foresee, to some extent, the shape of the future in order to plan wisely.
• Have loyalty to the democratic process.
• Have the courage to make difficult decisions, defend the philosophy and goals of the organization, and withstand criticism from people who hold opposing views.
• Are able to accept the will of the majority and support a decision when it is made by the board.
• Respect the diversity of perspectives and cultural backgrounds on the board and in the community, enabling them to serve with tolerance and without prejudice.
• Have a cooperative spirit, recognizing that success in achieving board goals and implementing ideas requires a team approach.
• Be able to communicate well.
• Be willing to invest the significant time and energy required by board service.
• Be available to attend all board meetings and related board work.
• Strive to be knowledgeable about policies and programs.
• Have professional respect for district staff.
• Be respected and involved in their communities.
• Bring a broad base of knowledge and experience to the job, enabling them to vote with intelligence and confidence on complex issues such as finance, curriculum and student-employee-community relationships.
• Know that the reputation of the entire school district is reflected in their behavior and attitude.
• Understand the board’s roles and responsibilities.

School board elections are typically for a four-year term. School board elections are part of the general election in even-numbered years.   The next school board elections will be held this coming November.   In order to run for school board, a candidate must do the following:

• Obtain nominating petition forms from the county superintendent of schools.
• Obtain the necessary signatures
• File the petitions with the county superintendent of schools no later than 90 days prior to the election.
• Pick up an information packet from the county superintendent of schools.
• File the $500 exemption or campaign committee organization statement with the county elections office before collecting signatures.
• Collect appropriate number of signatures
• File signatures pages and forms with the county superintendent of schools.
• Start Campaigning!

Making education Arizona’s top priority will take the commitment of individuals throughout our state who are willing to give of their time, talent and expertise. School Board members are a cornerstone of the educational system and their commitment to excellence on behalf of our students will help move education forward and ensure our kids are being prepared to succeed in the future. For more information about running for school board or getting involved in a charter school governing board, please visit www.azsba.org or www.azcharters.org.

Click here to read the first article in the series, “The Purpose and Importance of School Boards.”