Early learning key to keeping Arizona competitive
By Dr. Robert Shelton, President, University of Arizona; Dr. Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University; and Dr. John Haeger, President, Northern Arizona University
Look no further than the daily news and it is clear Arizona’s economy remains slow to recover. Not unlike most places in the nation, Arizona is faced with tough decisions about how to sustain vital public services while balancing an already strained budget—yet still move the state forward.
It is no surprise that as the leaders of our state’s three public universities, we would build a case for education as the greatest investment in Arizona’s future. By ensuring children and adults have access to the highest quality education system we increase their opportunities as individuals as well as those available to our state.
There is currently so much positive momentum around education. The passage of Proposition 100 was a clear message that education is important to our citizens. The work done around Arizona’s Race to the Top application has resulted in solid plans for advancing education at all levels, and the collaboration between K-12, community colleges and universities is unprecedented. All of which are better for our students.
What may surprise many is that our case for a high quality education system is a comprehensive one that begins with the earliest years of life and continues through entry into the workforce. Studies show that children exposed to high quality early learning programs are more likely to read at grade level, graduate from high school and go on to postsecondary education. They are more likely to be contributing members of our society and less likely to need public support services or end up in the criminal justice system.
It’s clear, early learning lays the foundation for long-term academic success and is a solid investment with proven economic and societal rewards.
Arizona’s current and prospective employers express great concern about the availability of a skilled and knowledgeable workforce pipeline within our state. In order to keep Arizona competitive we must be educating people with 21st century skills, such as the ability to think critically, solve complex problems, communicate, collaborate and adapt to ever-changing environments. These are the skills that will set our students apart from their national and international peers.
So many of the challenges we encounter tied to students being unprepared for college and requiring remediation could be reduced significantly, and possibly eliminated over time, by preserving our investments in early childhood health and development programs and in our K-12 system. The better prepared our youngest children enter the system, achieve key K-12 academic milestones and transition to our community colleges and universities prepared to succeed, the more likely it will be for Arizona to thrive culturally, socially and economically.
At a time when the urge is to “protect our own,” we must rise above and advocate for the whole. As educators and citizens of this great state we must champion not only protecting, but also strengthening, the entire education continuum – from our earliest learners through entry to the workforce.
Check out the University Presidents’ Early Learning article as it appeared on September 25, 2010 in The Arizona Republic.
The power of high expectations in the classroom
by Pearl Chang Esau, Executive Director, Teach for America Phoenix
When Brittany Gable began teaching at Discovery School in the Glendale Elementary School District, her top priority was to create a culture of high expectations and high achievement in her English/Language Arts class. Like many children growing up in low-income communities, Gable’s seventh graders were, on average, two grade levels behind their higher-income peers.
The goal she set was ambitious: All of her students would average at least an 80 percent mastery of grade level learning objectives. But, what would it take to reach that goal? “We will take risks, challenge ourselves, and expect nothing less than our very best every day,” she told her students. Gable also knew that she would have to invest in her students and their families. So, she held after-school tutoring sessions, coached sports teams, and attended community events.
“When students know you care about them and their success, they respond. They want to meet the expectations you set for them,” said Gable, a 2008 Teach For America corps member.
Jason, for example, entered Gable’s class as a seventh grader reading at a second-grade level. For two years (Gable had him for seventh and eighth grade), the two met after school nearly every day. By the end of the eighth grade, Jason had made almost 6 years of growth in just two years and was nearly on grade level; he even started volunteering to read aloud in class. Jason’s success mirrored that of his classmates. Last year, 91 percent of Gable’s students scored at “Meets” or “Exceeds” on the AIMS writing test and 86 percent scored at “Meets” or “Exceeds” on the AIMS reading test – significantly higher than the state average of 76 percent for writing and 75 percent for reading.
Gable is just one of many Teach For America corps members in Arizona who are having a positive impact on their students’ academic trajectories. Through their work and success, we see that there is nothing elusive about great teaching and what it takes to lead students to these kinds of outcomes.
Teach For America has learned that highly effective teachers, like Gable, set big goals, invest students and their families in working toward these goals, plan purposefully, execute those plans effectively, continually increase their own effectiveness, and work relentlessly to overcome challenges. These principles make up what the organization calls its Teaching As Leadership framework, which drives the way they train and support teachers.
Teachers like Gable know that they are preparing today’s kids to become tomorrow’s leaders. “I recently read that Fortune 500 companies are looking to hire bilingual people who have overcome obstacles,” Gable said. “Those are my students! It is my responsibility to set them up for success, so that they will be ready for jobs at Fortune 500 companies in the future.”
Gable’s students’ academic success shows us what is possible when we set high expectations for students. By setting the bar high and providing the support necessary to help the students reach that bar, we know all students can receive the excellent education they deserve.
The November 2 general election is right around the corner and we need to make sure education is the top priority for all Arizonans. Join Expect More Arizona for a pre-election push to get education top of mind as Arizona voters complete their ballots and go to the polls.
On October 23 and 24, we need 1,000 volunteers across Arizona to reach out to their local communities, distributing “Vote 4 Education” door hangers to 50,000 households. If you can recruit 20 volunteers from your office, church, synagogue, friends, family, club (or anywhere else you can gather 20 Arizonans who expect more for education), and every volunteer can deliver 50 door hangers, we will reach 50,000 households and will really make a difference this election season.
If you are willing to take the challenge, we’ll send you a simple three step process to get you going. We’ll even give you some “I Vote 4 Education” t-shirts for your volunteers (while supplies last!) For more information and to sign up, contact Donna Davis at Donna@ExpectMoreArizona.org.
In addition, we are also encouraging you to “Throw a Party 4 Education.” By hosting a house party, you can help your friends, neighbors and colleagues understand how important it is to make education their hot button issue this election season. We have tools and resources available on our Web site.
By working together, we can help make a different this election season!
Expect More Arizona, partners host Valley debut of film Waiting for “Superman”
Described by critics and viewers as a powerful documentary about the “crisis in public education in America,” Waiting for “Superman” premiered at an exclusive event sponsored by Helios Education Foundation and the Arizona Community Foundation on Monday, September 27th.
The theater, Harkins Camelview in Scottsdale, was filled with nearly 400 attendees – community leaders, policymakers and education advocates from across the state – who came to see Davis Guggenheim’s emotional and though-provoking presentation of the problems and solutions affecting the success of our students across the country. Guggenheim is the award-winning creator of the documentary, “An Inconvenient Truth.”
Following the film, the partners held a panel discussion about the issues surrounding education and the need for immediate action. The panel featured Andrew Morrill from the Arizona Education Association, Tom Franz of Greater Phoenix Leadership, Jim Rice of Rodel Foundation
and Rachel Yanof of the Phoenix Collegiate Academy.
Yuma resident Chris Weigel, who made the three-hour drive to attend the Phoenix-area premiere of the film, said the documentary gave him a lot to think about, as well as ideas that should be considered to strengthen education. 
“For example, the idea of rewarding highly performing teachers is something that should happen – how it happens is really the rub,” he said. “Everybody has a responsibility improve education – nobody can point a finger. We all have to look at it and say we CAN do it better.”
The film follows American school children and their families in their struggle to get a high-quality education and chronicles the efforts of administrators and others making strides to raise the bar for academic achievement and affect true reform for the good of our students.
“Waiting for Superman provides an opportunity for us to discuss what is happening around education in Arizona,” said Nicole Magnuson, executive director of Expect More Arizona. “We hope that people will be inspired and motivated to get engaged in strengthening education throughout our state”
“All is not lost in our state – we can get to where we want to be,” said Phoenix resident Jill Hicks. “We need to focus on the people who are doing it right and replicate what they’re doing.”
Expect More Arizona, Stand for Children and Valley of the Sun United Way are the local community social action partners and will be facilitating conversation around some of the issues and opportunities in the film. “Waiting for Superman” opens in select Arizona theaters on October 8th. For more information about the film and how to engage in local conversation and activities around the film please visit www.waitingforsuperman.com/action/city/phoenix.
Special thanks to Helios Education Foundation and the Arizona Community Foundation for sponsoring the premiere event.
Is Arizona Waiting for Superman? Dr. Deb DuVall and Matt Ladner provide two local viewpoints about education as it relates to this provocative documentary.
“Arizona Isn’t Waiting for Superman”
By Dr. Deb Duvall, Executive Director, Arizona School Administrators Association
“Film Reveals Inconvenient Truths about Education”
By Matt Ladner, Vice President Research, Goldwater Institute
High school students across Arizona will soon receive a roadmap to postsecondary success thanks to a new “College and Career Planning Guide” developed by Expect More Arizona, Northern Arizona University (NAU) and Arizona GEARUP. The goal is to increase the number of Arizona students planning and preparing for postsecondary educaiton success including career and technical education, and 2-year and 4-year degree programs.
The Guide, which features an inspirational letter from former Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Kurt Warner, is being made available to every 8th, 9th and 10th grader in the state through schools and school districts who have requested them from Expect More Arizona.
“Every kid in Arizona has the potential to go on to succeed in postsecondary education,” Warner says. “Like an athlete, they just need encouragement, a willingness to work hard, and the right playbook to help them get there.”
The Guide encourages students to challenge themselves by taking rigorous courses and engaging in activities that will help them prepare for life after high school. There is also a simple lesson plan available for educators and leaders to incorporate the Guide into classroom conversations about the importance of postsecondary education. The College and Career Planning Guide is available online for use by students, parents, educators, community groups and human resource professionals by clicking here.
“It is never too early for young people to start planning for their future,” said Teena Olszewski, director of Arizona GEAR UP. “They don’t have to decide their career at this early of an age, but it is important for them to know the critical steps they need to be taking to increase their success in postsecondary education and beyond.”
Statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau find that people with a college degree earn substantially more than those without a postsecondary education. Over their lifetimes, people with high school diplomas earn on average $1.2 million; those with a bachelor’s degree earn $2.1 million. Individuals who pursue a master’s degree earn twice as much as those with a diploma only, on average, $2.5 million over the course of their working lives.
The Census also found that in 2006, workers 18 and older with a bachelor’s degree earned far more than those who did not go to college or pursue postsecondary studies, earning an average of $56,788, while those with a high school diploma only earned $31,071.
To request the College and Career Planning Guide for your school or school district, please contact Donna Davis at Donna@ExpectMoreArizona.org.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of Work-Life Earnings, 2002; U.S. Census Bureau, Census in Schools, Educational Attainment, 2009.
