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Lawmakers want to dip into tobacco-tax stream

Thursday March 11th

State lawmakers want voters to let them raid a fund that is supposed to provide special programs ... LEARN MORE »

Governors, educators push uniform teaching standards 19 comments

Thursday March 11th

Governors and education leaders on Wednesday proposed sweeping new school standards that could ... LEARN MORE »

Governor to proceed with proposed education reforms without Race to the Top funding

Thursday March 11th

Gov. Jan Brewer today announced that with or without the federal government, Arizona will ... LEARN MORE »

8 of 12 Valley school districts eyeing budget overrides

Wednesday March 10th

Most school districts can breathe a sigh of relief after the majority of voters throughout ... LEARN MORE »

FUSD override OK'd

Wednesday March 10th

This time, it passed. Flagstaff Unified School District's second budget override attempt in four ... LEARN MORE »

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The Facts

Arizona's Students Are Falling Behind In The Global Race.  It's Time For All Of Us To Expect More.

There is a competitive shift occurring around the globe and in local communities that highlights an increasing need to strengthen education in our state.  Arizona's students are falling behind their national and international peers in academic achievement, high school graduation rates and postsecondary degree attainment.  And our students who do graduate on time are increasingly unprepared to succeed in college, work or life.

In a world where the best jobs will go to the most knowledgeable and skilled workers regardless of where they live around the world, we cannot afford to let another day go without making education our state's top priority.  It's up to all of us to raise the bar, expecting more from ourselves, from our students and from each other.  Join the movement>>

Arizona Reality Check

  • Only 24% of Arizona 4th and 8th graders demonstrate proficiency in reading.
  • Arizona is ranked 38th in the nation for 8th graders proficient in math.
  • For every 100 9th graders in Arizona, only 17 will graduate from college on time.
  • Arizona is frequently cited as having one of the highest high school dropout rates in the nation.
  • Arizona is ranked 43rd in the nation for high school graduates who go directly to college.
  • Less than half of our public high school graduates qualify academically to enroll in public universities.
  • Arizona is ranked 49th in the nation for per student investment in K-12 education.
  • Only a quarter of Arizonans age 25 or older hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Sources