The Race Is On.  Don’t Be One Of Arizona’s Students Who Falls Behind.

A great job, your own place and the freedom to do what you enjoy.  A good education that goes beyond high school is the best step you can take to make your personal goals come true.  In fact, what you do today and how well you perform in school will have a significant impact on the opportunities available to you in the future.  

As a student in Arizona, you need to know you’re not alone.  There are many resources out there to help you be successful regardless of your age or grade level.  In fact, Expect More Arizona is about supporting the success of students like you across our state.  The first step is to understand what you’re up against, and why our students are falling behind.  

Did you know?
 

• American students are consistently outperformed by their peers in the top industrialized countries around the world.
• The math currently taught to American 8th graders is two grade levels below the math taught in other leading countries.
• Out of the top 30 industrialized countries, American 15 year olds rank 25th in math and 21st in science compared to their global peers.
• Two-thirds of the jobs of the future will require a college degree or advanced training such as career technical education.  
• America was the only country out of 23 who did not show an increase in degree attainment between 2000 and 2005.

It’s never too early to map your way to success!  Here are some steps you can take:

Expect More - Now is the time to push yourself to do well in school.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Sign up for tough courses, especially math and science.  Seize every opportunity to learn more.  If you’re not being challenged or don’t see the relevance of what you’re learning to your personal and professional aspirations, talk to your family, teacher or counselor.    

Explore Your Options - The world is truly wide open to you at this stage of your life.  Explore the pathways you can take now that will lead you to the life you want down the road.  Continuing your education beyond high school is an important key to your success.  Plus, an advanced degree or training opens the door to more opportunities and the chance to earn more money.   

Plan For Success - Think about the kinds of jobs you might want after you graduate. Make sure you understand what kind of postsecondary education you will need to get there—community college, university or career technical training.  Talk to your family, school counselors and friends so they can help you plan your path to success.  They can be the ongoing support you need.  

Tap Every Resource - Don’t let financial limitations keep you from pursuing your postsecondary dreams.  There are both local and national student resources available to help you plan your way to graduation, postsecondary education, and career.