Arizona Board of Regents – Planning for Future Success
Higher education has never been more important to individual success, economic growth and global competitiveness than it is today. In fact, it is estimated that 2/3 of the jobs of the future will require some form of college or other postsecondary education. However, Arizona faces many challenges when it comes to ensuring that postsecondary education is a priority for all students. Currently, only 52 percent of Arizona’s high school graduates pursue any form of higher education after graduating high school. And of those who do pursue higher education, only 17 percent receive a bachelor’s degree within six years of graduating high school.
Throughout the past year, the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) has been working on an innovative and aggressive strategic plan for Arizona’s educational and economic future. The goal of the plan is to produce enough high-quality university degrees for our state to be nationally competitive by the year 2020. The Enterprise Plan calls for reforms in both the instructional delivery model and the financing model of Arizona’s higher education system. According to ABOR, the plan works to support and stimulate a growing, vibrant economy and a high quality of life for Arizonans through a top-performing university system that is nationally recognized for excellence in academic and research pursuits.
“The Board of Regents recognizes that in order to increase the number of bachelor’s degrees we produce by 50 percent by 2020, we must come up with innovative ways to make college accessible to students throughout our state,” said Fred DuVal, Chair, Arizona Board of Regents. “We know this will not only help with individual student success, but will ultimately help strengthen Arizona’s economy as well.”
The enterprise model also focuses on student access and affordability. The plan recognizes that today’s students need options for postsecondary education, and the Board of Regents is working on innovative ways to ensure that increased options are available.
In addition, in order to meet graduation goals and provide Arizona with the educated workforce it needs, the university system needs an increase in enrollment capacity and must provide more ways for students across the state to access higher education.
The Board of Regents has directed each university to create new and innovative pathways for students to obtain a degree. Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona are focused on developing and expanding partnerships with Arizona’s public community colleges to ease credit transfer, increase online programs, and develop new university/community college hybrid campuses and teaching-only campuses that offer high-demand degrees.
Through this Enterprise Plan, the Arizona Board of Regents has also developed specific metrics that will help measure the success of the Enterprise Plan.
Examples of those categories of metrics include:
• Number of bachelor’s degrees awarded
• Number of master’s degrees awarded
• Number of Arizona community college students who transfer to a university
• Number of Arizona community college transfer students awarded bachelor’s degrees
• Educational quality as reported in the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) or the Educational Testing Service (ETS) Proficiency Profile
• Cost of attendance as a percentage of Arizona median family income
• Six-year graduation rate
• Freshman retention rate
• Undergraduate enrollment
• Total enrollment
• Four-year graduation rate of Arizona community college transfers
• College-going rate (from K – 12)
Click here to view a video from the Arizona Board of Regents.
Arizona Students’ Increase Achievement in Math
The “Nation’s Report Card” was released by the U.S. Department of Education earlier this
month and finds that although Arizona still trails the U.S. average in math and reading, our students did make gains in math which is a positive indication of student achievement in our state.
Currently 26% of Arizona fourth graders and 28% of Arizona eighth graders are proficient in reading. Our performance in mathematics is better with 34% of fourth graders and 31% of eighth graders testing proficient in math.
The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) is one of the most widely accepted measures of students’ academic achievement throughout the nation. It offers the opportunity to compare states as well as get an overall picture of how students in the U.S. are performing. The math test is based on a nationally representative sample of 209,000 fourth-graders and 175,200 eighth-graders. The reading test is based on a representative sample of 213,100 fourth-graders and 168,200 eighth graders.
Nationally, the NAEP scores are not progressing at the rate necessary to ensure student academic success. “The modest increases in NAEP scores are reason for concern as much as optimism,” said Education Secretary Arne Duncan in a statement. “It’s clear that achievement is not accelerating fast enough for our nation’s children to compete in the knowledge economy of the 21st Century.”
The results of these recent assessments are reason for Arizona to be proud as well as continue to highlight the opportunities for continued improvement.
Celebrating Arizona’s Teachers
The one common theme among discussions about improving education in our community is the importance of effective teachers. Teachers are one of the most critical components in the success and academic achievement of our students.
Teachers throughout Arizona have a huge impact on the lives of their students. Whether inspiring a love of learning through play in the early years or preparing students to enter the workforce after they graduate, teachers make a lasting impact on Arizona’s education system every single day. However, teachers are often unsung heroes in our community, facing challenging circumstances in order to provide quality learning environments to students. It is critical our community takes the time to acknowledge the importance of educators and recognize those who raise the bar and expectations for themselves and their students.
There are several programs in Arizona that highlight outstanding teachers. Just last month, Chicanos Por La Causa recognized four teachers from around the state for their commitment to underserved populations and the Latino community.
Richard Alvarez, Payson High School- Payson
Juan Carbajal, Rosemarie Rivera Elementary School- Tucson
Sofía P. Gámez, Francisco Vasquez de Coronado Elementary School-Nogales
Irma Regalado, Peoria High School- Peoria
In addition, the Arizona Educational Foundation has selected Kristie Martorelli as the 2012 Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Martorelli is a kindergarten-to-third-grade reading interventionist at Thompson Ranch Elementary School in El Mirage. She has taught for 22 years in the Dysart Unified School District. Mrs. Martorelli will be a spokeswoman for Arizona education both in the state and nationally for 2012.
Another example of a high expectations teacher is Rita Martinez, a Sunnyside High School math teacher, was recently named a “Math Hero” by Raytheon Missile Systems. Martinez is among 32 educators in the nation who received this honor, given to teachers who have a passion for teaching math and inspire and motivate students in mathematics.
These are just some examples of organizations and programs in our state that recognize excellent teachers. All of these teachers have a high bar of excellence that earned them recognition. They inspire students in their classrooms to achieve at the highest levels. While these excelling teachers have been recognized for the great work they do in classrooms, there are countless other teachers across Arizona who work every day to ensure students are getting the education they need to compete, contribute and succeed. Thank you to all teachers who are helping to ensure Arizona’s future by educating students today.
Expect More Arizona would like to invite you to recognize an exceptional teacher in our state. Visit our blog to tell us about a teacher who encourages his/her students to meet high expectations.
Expecting More: Your Student’s Academic Success Begins with You and High Expectations
As a parent, you are your child’s first teacher and most important champion as he or she advances from preschool through postsecondary education. Your continued involvement and encouragement are critical to your student’s academic success. In fact, research shows that students with more actively engaged parents are more likely to attend school regularly, have better social skills, earn higher grades, graduate from high school and go on to college or other postsecondary program. In fact, according to a recent study released by the OECD Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), students whose parents regularly read books to them when they were in the first year of school score 14 points higher, on average, than students whose parents did not.
Watch the video below to hear from Expect More Arizona’s President and CEO, Pearl Chang Esau, about the importance of creating high expectations in your home.
Finding a high quality early care environment for your child
In Arizona, more than half of all of the children under six years of age live in families where
the parents work, making childcare an economic necessity. Quality childcare settings include: safe, healthy environments, highly educated teachers, classrooms and materials that stimulate kids at different stages of learning. In addition, low staff to child ratios are important to ensure that children get the attention and support they need.
“High Quality early learning environments are critical to ensure a strong foundation for a child’s development. Finding quality child care is one of the most important decisions a parent can make for their young child,” said Susan Wilkins, Executive Director, Association for Supportive Child Care. “We encourage all parents to ask significant questions and evaluate a variety of child care environments to ensure their child is in the most appropriate setting for their growth and development.”
Finding the right setting for your child also helps provides stability for your family. Children and parents who are satisfied with their child care arrangements are less likely to feel stress in other parts of their lives. In fact, according to a study done at the University of Michigan, unstable child care contributed to parents work instability.
According to Arizona Child Care Resource and Referral (ACCRR), it is important for parents to understand what your child needs to help him grow and learn. By understanding your child’s specific needs, you can make good decisions about the type of child care environment that is best for your family.
According to ACCRR, part of understanding your child is understanding his natural temperament. Temperament is something every baby is born with, which forms a key component of his personality, and is as individual as his fingerprints. Some child care environments work better for children with certain temperaments. For example, if your child seems to react negatively to a lot of stimulation, a large child care center with many children may not be the place for him.
Here are some things to consider about your child when choosing the right early care environment for him or her:
Your child’s activity level:
- Does your child require a lot of physical activity during the day?
- Is he restless?
- Is he always fidgeting or in constant motion?
Your child’s attention span:
- Can your child sit and focus on an age-appropriate activity?
- Do you find that she is so focused that she cannot break away?
Your child’s reaction to stimuli:
- Does your child react strongly to the least amount of stimulation?
- Is your child able to focus on a task in a stimulating environment?
Your child’s ability to adapt to new situations:
- Is your child put off by new situations or transitions during the day?
- Does he enjoy meeting new people?
Your child’s moods:
- Does your child usually have a more positive or negative outlook?
- Does he show intense happiness or sadness ?
The schedule your child keeps:
- Does your child have regular nap and bedtime routines?
- Does he eat at regularly scheduled times during the day, or does he get hungry at unpredictable times?
Once you have this basic information about your child, you can use it to evaluate the kind of center that will be best for your child. You can then use a guide or checklist to evaluate each center that you visit based on high quality criteria. The National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies suggests asking the following questions about each center that you are considering for your child:
- Will my child be supervised, including when asleep?
- Are the caregiver/teacher-to-child ratios appropriate and follow the recommended guidelines?
- Are the adults educated and trained in caring for young children?
- Have they had specific training on children’s development and creating a learning environment?
- Will my child be able to grow and learn?
- Is this a safe and healthy place for my child?
- Is the program well managed?
- Does the program work with parents?
Click here for a detailed checklist on how to choose the right early care environment for your child.
In addition, First Things First has created Quality First to ensure that all Arizona kids have access to the quality early learning opportunities that will help them arrive at kindergarten ready to succeed. The Quality Improvement and Rating System will provide parents with more information about the best environment for their child.
For more information about how to find a quality early learning environment for your child, visit Child Care Resource and Referral.
Vote 4 Education: Election Recap
November 8th was an important day for school districts throughout our state as many
Arizona communities were asked to vote on bond and overrides for their local schools.
The results of these elections were mixed, with some bonds and overrides passing, while others were not approved by voters. In some cases, a bond passed while an override failed. For example, in the Sunnyside Unified School District, a bond measure was passed to support technology upgrades, new buses, a new K-8 fine-arts magnet school and upgrades to athletic fields and other buildings throughout the district. However, Sunnyside’s override failed, which may cause program cuts and layoffs.
Bonds in both the Glendale Union High School District and Glendale Elementary School District were passed which will allow for building improvements, furniture, equipment and technology. Voters also approved a $230 million bond for Phoenix Union High School District which serves more than 26,000 students in the greater Phoenix area. A budget override was also passed in the Kyrene School District.
In general, bonds are used to repair facilities and build schools while overrides are used to allow districts to exceed their state-approved budget and are used for programs, positions and utilities.
These additional resources, utilized wisely, will enable more students to have the necessary resources to succeed. Expect More Arizona will continue to rally the message that Voting 4 Education is critical to help strengthen our education system and make it the best in the nation.
Click here to find more information about a specific election in Maricopa County.
Click here to find more information about a specific election in Southern Arizona.
Learn More
Each year, GreatSchools awards the Golden Apple to the best learning toys of the holiday shopping season. This year, they added a STEM focused category to highlight the toys and activities that can help children learn in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math. Click here to learn more about some of these toys and ways that you can help make learning fun in your home.
Do More
It’s the time of year when school districts across Arizona reach out to families and neighbors to encourage them to take advantage of Arizona’s dollar-for-dollar tax credit for education, particularly now that budgets are tight and more schools are being forced to make difficult decisions to cut or eliminate programs. The tax credit funds pay for critical extracurricular activities, such as field trips and other programs that have been eliminated from school budgets. The tax credit is available to all Arizona taxpayers, who may individually contribute up to $200 (married couples, $400) to any public school of their choice. To qualify for the credit, taxpayers must make cash or payroll withholding contributions or pay fees to a public school in support of extracurricular activities or character education programs. The contributions must be made by December 31, 2011. For more information on the School Tax Credit, visit the Arizona Department of Revenue and consult your tax advisor for details.
Expect More
Family and parent engagement is a critical component in student academic success. However, in order for parents to truly be able to support their child’s academic development, they need data and information to understand how their child is performing and how best to support the learning at home. Maria Paredes, Sr. Program Associate at WestEd developed an innovative program through the Creighton School District called “Academic Parent-Teacher Teams” to help encourage parents and teachers to work together to ensure student success. Click here to learn more about this strategy and how it relates to creating a high expectations culture for students.
