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Education Headlines

Candidates Allen, Konopnicki explain views

Wednesday July 28th

Rim Country’s two Republican state senate candidates agreed on most issues Thursday during ... LEARN MORE »

18 States and District of Columbia Are Finalists for Education Grants

Wednesday July 28th

Eighteen states and the District of Columbia were named as finalists on Tuesday in the second ... LEARN MORE »

Judge: No rewording of measure needed to sweep funds from First Things First

Wednesday July 28th

A judge refused Monday to order lawmakers to reword how they are describing a controversial ... LEARN MORE »

UA ranks nationally in graduating diverse students

Wednesday July 28th

The University of Arizona ranked 2nd highest in the nation for producing the most graduate ... LEARN MORE »

Superintendent hopefuls talk AIMS, ethnic studies

Sunday July 25th

Early voting begins Thursday for Arizona's primaries. Two Democrats and three Republicans are ... LEARN MORE »

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About the Blog:

Welcome to the Expect More Blog. You are a part of the movement to make education a top priority in Arizona. This is your movement and your blog; we encourage you to stay involved by posting comments and letting us know what you'd like to see here.

Thank you for joining us. Please share Expect More Arizona with all of your family and friends. Together, we will make Arizona a model for excellence in education.

Expect More Blog

28 Jul
Moving Arizona Ahead Demands Degrees
By Dr. Rufus Glasper & Regent Fred DuVal, Co-Chairmen of “Getting AHEAD”

According to a prominent new study, Arizona is winning a race, not to the top but to the bottom: we are about to lead the nation in jobs for high school dropouts. To reverse this dangerous trend, the state must reshape its higher education system to attract, serve and graduate more college students.

The study by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce tells us that Arizonans are at-risk of being locked out of the middle class. It predicts that Arizona will have enough jobs for high school dropouts, but soon we will be woefully deficient in the number of college graduates needed to fill the high-wage, modern jobs that businesses demand.

What may be most concerning about this report is that it speaks to a persistent mediocrity in our state. Already, 45 percent of Arizona’s high school students do not pursue any form of higher education after high school – the lowest rate among 50 states. Only 25 percent of Arizonans hold bachelor’s degrees.

While it may be easy to find a job in Arizona with just a high school diploma, the new middle class is being defined by college degree holders who are in a better position to sustain a family and grow their income.

Arizona’s residents can aspire to a higher quality of life and the state’s public higher education system is improving how it helps students achieve that dream.

Under way right now is a collaborative effort called “Getting AHEAD – Access to Higher Education And Degrees,” which will improve access to higher education for students across the state.  We are developing new and progressive partnerships between the state’s community colleges and the three public universities to allow more residents to complete a bachelor’s degree at a lower cost without ever leaving their home county.

We’re enhancing a student-centered, online advising portal – AZTransfer.com – to help plan academic careers from high school to community college to university. We’re also improving the credit transfer process so students can reliably carry their community college credits and/or an associate’s degree program into a bachelor’s degree program.

Finally, we’re exploring new ways to manage funding and governance among Arizona’s public community colleges and universities so that college is more accessible and affordable no matter what your age or circumstance.

As leaders of Arizona’s higher education system, we believe education is the agent that delivers a better quality of life. The mix and quality of workforce skills of our state residents are directly linked to our ability to move out of this economic recession. While our economy requires all types of workers and skill sets, more Arizonans must complete college degrees in order for business and our economy to grow. Only then can Arizona can move ahead.

Dr. Rufus Glasper is chancellor of the Maricopa County Community Colleges District.
Regent Fred DuVal is Vice Chair of the Arizona Board of Regents.
Both serve as co-chairman of “Getting AHEAD – Access to Higher Education And Degrees,” a comprehensive initiative to reshape Arizona’s post-secondary education system and encourage more residents to complete college degrees.

26 Jul
Take Education Out for Coffee
By Expect More Arizona

Many of you often ask how you can help spread the word about Expect More Arizona and the “Vote 4 Education” campaign. We have a simple idea that you can do during your regular visit to your local coffee shop. Most Starbucks and other coffee shops have a community bulletin board where you can post news and information about what’s happening in your community. Today, before you head out for coffee, download and print this flyer to post on the bulletin board, so folks in coffee shops across the state can learn how to “Vote 4 Education”.

(Click image to download PDF)

Download other campaign materials and more at our  “Vote 4 Education” Resource Center.

Paid for by Expect More Arizona – Vote 4 Education Yes on 100 & Protect Early Childhood Health/Development Funds.  Major funding by Expect More Arizona, a fund of the Arizona Community Foundation.

22 Jul
Important Information to Vote 4 Education
By Expect More Arizona

Register to Vote and Vote Early!

The primary election is right around the corner.  Early voting starts on July 29.  The last day to register to vote, change your party affiliation or update your personal information such as change of address, for the primary is July 26th.

  • Register to Vote – Click here to register to vote, change your party affiliation or update your personal information.
  • Permanent Early Balloting -Click here to sign up for the permanent early voting list and receive your ballot by mail.  After you walk through the registration process, even if you have already registered, you will have the option to be placed on the permanent early voting list (PEVL).
  • Independents Request a Party Aligned Ballot – Independents can vote in the primary elections, simply contact your county elections office and request either a Republican or Democratic ballot.  Click here for a complete list of county contacts.

This election season is critical to the future of Arizona education.  We will make decisions on education-related propositions as well as electing a Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction, Arizona Legislators and School Board Members, all of whom make critical decisions affecting Arizona’s education system.

And Don’t Forget to Finish out the Last Three of our 4 Actions:

  1. Vote Yes on 100 ✔(Passed!)
  2. Vote No on 302 – Protect the Voter-Approved Early Childhood Health and Development Funds
  3. Make Sure Your Candidates are Unwavering Advocates for Education
  4. Rally 10 Friends to Vote with Education as their “Hot Button” Issue

Remember these key dates:

Early Balloting Begins (Primary)- July 29
Primary Election – August 24
Early Balloting Begins (General) – October 7
General Election – November 2

Paid for by Expect More Arizona – Vote 4 Education Yes on 100 & Protect Early Childhood Health/Development Funds.  Major funding by Expect More Arizona, a fund of the Arizona Community Foundation.

21 Jul
Watch Arizona Superintendent of Schools Candidates Debate
By Expect More Arizona

To “Vote 4 Education,” it is important to understand where your candidates stand on the biggest issues affecting education in Arizona. Watch below as candidates for State Superintendent of Public Instruction debate the issues on Horizon.

Paid for by Expect More Arizona – Vote 4 Education Yes on 100 & Protect Early Childhood Health/Development Funds.  Major funding by Expect More Arizona, a fund of the Arizona Community Foundation.

14 Jul
Let’s Get Greedy
By Randy Murray

As a small business owner I believe we, the taxpayers of Arizona, should invest heavily in our public education system.  In fact, I am willing to step up and pay more in personal and business taxes so that we can hire the best teachers, build modern infrastructure and attract the most innovative and brilliant leaders in education.  I advocate this taxation and spending plan not because I am altruistic, but because I’m greedy.  That’s right, I make this case based on simple old-fashioned personal greed.  I believe very few public investments could benefit my business and my personal wealth more than a world-leading public education system here in Arizona.

I am not advocating we invest in an education band-aid, I am advocating spending a great deal more money and getting exponentially more in return.  Now is the time to build a world-leading system.  In a few short years we can have a system that is holistic and aggressive, one that demands the highest level of performance from all involved, ingrains accountability, and provides the resources to achieve those goals.  The return on our investment depends on building the highest quality education system, and nothing short.

Here is the math.  Quality schools will attract quality businesses and if there is more business in our state, I for one, will earn my fair share of it.  If Arizona becomes more successful, it is fair to assume that my business will reap proportional rewards.  I also weigh the loss of opportunity into these calculations.  If we continue on the same path and Arizona becomes widely known as the “new Appalachia” as it is being referred to in education circles, my business will suffer and my profits will go down. It was a clear message Google sent when they pulled out of Arizona; quality companies demand an educated employee pool and quality schools for their families.

There are too many other benefits to list in full, but at the top of the list is a well-educated employee pool and customer base.  Any business owner will testify to the nightmare of uneducated employees and customers.  There is also a direct relationship between our investment – or lack of it – in education and what we spend on incarceration.  And on a personal level, why pay taxes and pay for private school for the children in my family?

Of course I am not the first to make a dollars and senses argument for our investment in public education.  Our nation, and each of us, has prospered because of the commitment of those who came before us; the commitment that every person was created equal and every child will have the opportunity to succeed.  This commitment sounds lofty and noble, but it is actually a very smart manifestation of personal gain, or even greed.  In the eight-grade, at a well-funded public school, I was taught that our founding fathers referred to this as “Enlightened Self Interest”.  I simply call it smart business.  So, let’s get greedy and invest in our schools.

Randy Murray is a small business owner in Phoenix. You may recognize some of his work from Expect More Arizona’s television spots.

9 Jul
The Case of the Disappearing “Vote 4 Education” Signs
By Expect More Arizona

We need your help. We’ve been receiving word that some of our “Vote 4 Education” and “Are They 4 Education Signs?” are missing from locations they were previously posted. Many of the comments we’ve been getting are regarding signs around the Tucson area and on Camelback Road in Phoenix. Since none of the signs were removed at our request, we don’t know what has become of them. They might have  blown down or maybe they melted in the Arizona heat. Or maybe someone who doesn’t want us to “Vote 4 Education” has decided to remove them for us. We just don’t know.

It is against Arizona law to remove, tamper with, or cover a political sign, and as we are registered with the Arizona Secretary of State’s office, that law applies to the “Vote 4 Education” campaign signs too.

So, we are asking you – our Expect More Arizona network – to be our eyes and ears across the state. Please let us know if you notice when one of our signs disappears. Post in the comments section below the location of the missing sign and approximately when you first noticed it missing. Thank you in advance for your help.

Paid for by Expect More Arizona – Vote 4 Education Yes on 100 & Protect Early Childhood Health/Development Funds.  Major funding by Expect More Arizona, a fund of the Arizona Community Foundation.
1 Jul
Collaborative Culture: An Overlooked Element of School Reform
By Larry McBiles

As someone who has invested much of my career in improving the instructional quality of schools for the benefit of students and educators, I believe most education reform will be stuck in second gear without fundamental changes in the culture of our schools.

Through the Center for Teacher Success, my colleagues and I work to improve the instructional quality of schools by focusing on the educator. We provide training and support to superintendents, district staff, principals and teachers. Our engagements often focus on helping school personnel improve their organizational culture. With so many other professional demands on teachers, some might question the importance we place on the quality of adult relationships on a campus.

I visit too many schools in Arizona where the daily routine of teachers is to close their classroom doors and teach with little or no interaction with their peers. Of course, this is not a new pattern for teachers. But it is clearly at odds with what we expect from our teachers in the 21st century. Simply stated, we expect teachers to work together so that students are prepared when they move on to their next teacher. This means teachers must be in sync with their grade-level peers and with the teachers in grades before and after them. The emphasis must be on true collaboration rather than isolation. And this collaboration must reflect a shared responsibility and accountability for high levels of student learning.

Progressive corporations have long understood the value of creating and sustaining collaborative cultures. For a number of years The Harvard Business Review has documented numerous examples of how companies have used collaboration as the cornerstone of high organizational performance. School leaders would do well to follow the lead and counsel from their corporate counterparts.

A growing body of research makes a compelling case for a collaborative culture in schools. Moreover, the research underscores positive changes for both teachers and students. Teachers develop a shared ownership for the direction of their school as well as greater responsibility for student achievement, increase their understanding of content and pedagogy, and adapt more quickly to the inevitable changes that must occur for schools to improve. Students’ academic gains are larger and there are lower rates of dropping out, absenteeism and truancy.

Building a collaborative culture takes more than a change in teacher attitudes and professional habits. District and school leaders must commit the time, training, and support required for meaningful collaboration to occur.   And with patience and persistence, collaborative cultures are an example of how raised expectations deliver a remarkable payoff in the form of stellar teachers and students.

Dr. Larry McBiles is Executive Director of the Center for Teacher Success.

28 Jun
The Arizona Board of Regents: Providing Governance and Vision for Arizona’s Public Universities
By Ernest Calderón

The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) has a long tradition of ensuring excellence in higher education for Arizona. As the governing body of our state’s public universities – Arizona State University (ASU), Northern Arizona University (NAU) and the University of Arizona (UA), it was first established in 1864 by the Arizona Territorial Legislature.

At that time, the Board of Regents was comprised of three members and governed the University of Arizona. In 1945, Governor Sidney Preston Osborn signed House Bill 136, which expanded the board to include the Arizona State Teachers College at Tempe and Flagstaff (now known as Arizona State University and Northern Arizona University).

Today, the Board consists of 12 members who govern Arizona’s three public universities through policymaking, coordination and oversight. The Board’s mission is to ensure access for qualified residents of Arizona to undergraduate and graduate instruction; promote the discovery, application, and dissemination of new knowledge; extend the benefits of university activities to Arizona’s citizens outside the university; and maximize the benefits derived from the state’s investment in education.

Eight of the Board’s 12 members are citizen volunteers appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Arizona State Senate to serve staggered eight-year terms. The Governor, Superintendent of Public Instruction and two university students, who are appointed by the Governor, comprise the remaining four members.

As stewards of the university system, the Board has developed an innovative and aggressive strategic plan for Arizona’s educational and economic future–producing enough high-quality university degrees for the state to be nationally competitive by the year 2020. The strategic plan, known as 2020 Vision, calls for reform in both the instructional delivery model and the financing of the system. Its goals 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.

Arizonans will benefit as more residents become educated. Numerous studies support the link between education level and personal income, increased tax revenues, greater civic participation and community strength. In order to increase access to higher education so that a greater number of residents can obtain a bachelor’s degree, the Board has instructed the universities to reshape programs and develop more low-cost options for students to earn a bachelor’s degree.

Developing new programs and reshaping the instructional system during times of fiscal uncertainty can be a challenge, which is why the system is leveraging available resources toward partnerships and programs that can help us get there. The Board has implemented several “two plus two” and “three plus one” programs where students spend their initial years at the community college and complete the remaining one or two years at a university. These programs provide seamless pathways from the community college to the university and reduce the overall cost of obtaining a bachelor’s degree.   Students across Arizona have responded positively to these opportunities.

Partnership campuses such as NAU-Yavapai and UA South are also reforming educational opportunities for Arizonans. For example, NAU-Yavapai, a new and innovative partnership between NAU, Yavapai College and the Town of Prescott Valley, will offer students affordable and accessible bachelor’s degrees beginning in the fall of 2010. Degree programs are designed for students who want a structured plan to complete a bachelor’s degree at their own pace, in some cases as little as three years. Resident undergraduate tuition is also set at a lower cost than at any other NAU campus.

UA South provides high-quality, accessible educational opportunities throughout southeastern Arizona, operating sites in Sierra Vista, the Cochise College Douglas campus, Pima Community College (East and Desert Vista campuses), the UA Science and Technology Park in Tucson, Fort Huachuca, and at UA Santa Cruz in Nogales. Students typically transfer to UA South from local community colleges and pursue their last two years of one of 14 undergraduate degrees through a “two plus two” arrangement. These campuses create learning communities that support regional growth and economic development opportunities and provide expertise for generating solutions to community problems through the education and public service activities of their faculty, staff, and students.

ASU is currently working on establishing the “Colleges@ASU,” which will be instruction-intensive colleges that provide a three-year path to a bachelor’s degree at a lower cost than at ASU’s four university campuses. The Colleges@ASU will offer a limited number of high-demand ASU undergraduate programs to students living in various communities across the state. The Colleges@ASU will be free-standing colleges and will potentially be operated in conjunction with local community colleges.

As the Board moves forward, we will continue to work on these reforms and provide the proper governance of the system that the citizens of Arizona deserve. We will ensure Arizona’s public universities have a statewide focus, value and impact as they administer the policies set forth by the Board. Additionally, the Board will continue to exercise broad oversight of the institutions and pledge the delivery of a high-quality education, the efficient use of resources, public accountability, and a positive benefit to all Arizonans.

Find out more about 2020 Vision and the overarching mission and vision of the Board of Regents by visiting www.abor.asu.edu.

Ernest Calderόn is President of the Arizona Board of Regents.

25 Jun
The Poll Results Are In: Arizonans Expect More for Education
By Expect More Arizona

We’ve always known that education is an important issue for Arizonans, and now we can prove it. In late April, we conducted a survey that shows Arizona voters are concerned about the current state of education, disappointed in elected leaders and worried that the quality of the entire system costs Arizona economic and growth opportunities.

The bipartisan, statewide voter survey was conducted by national polling firms, Lake Research Partners and American Viewpoint, Inc. When questioned about the quality of the state’s education offerings, most Arizona voters expressed pessimistic feelings, with a plurality saying they are “concerned” (43%), followed by “frustrated” (15%) and “unhappy” (12%). Only 13 percent chose positive words, such as “satisfied,” “optimistic” or “happy.”

Lake Research pollster, Joshua Ulibarri, says the Expect More Arizona survey also found a notable trend in voters ‟sentiments about how the quality of education has changed over the past five years.” In similar polls in other states, when people want to express frustration, they generally say the education system is “staying the same.” In Arizona, voters have tipped all the way to the more critical description of viewing Arizona education as getting worse.

Specifically, the Arizona poll found: Forty-four percent believe the quality of education is “declining” and 38 percent say they believe education has not changed. Along the same line of questioning, a majority – 70 percent – described the quality of the statewide system as just fair or poor, but believe their regions are doing marginally better, with 43 percent ranking their local education system as excellent/good, and half rating it just fair/poor.

Respondents are also fully aware of the link between a solid education system and the success of the state’s economic future: Forty-three percent ranked the economy and education as the most important issues facing Arizona. In fact, nine-tenths indicate they agree economic development and job growth rely heavily on improving education across the entire continuum, and especially at the K-12 and higher education levels. Further, fewer than half (48%) said they believe Arizona is a good place for young people to start a career, a troubling statistic, given that Arizona’s college graduates are the critical workforce pipeline for a variety of the state’s current and future knowledge-based industries.

“Arizonans have for years said they want a high-quality education system, even before it became as critical as it is now to compete in the 21st century economy,” said Paul J. Luna, Chairman of the Board of Expect More Arizona. “We are finding that across the board, people are ready to take action; they realize the quality of education impacts their quality of life.”

When asked to rate elected officials on the job they have done in improving education, respondents overwhelmingly expressed dissatisfaction with their state (85%) and local (79%) elected leaders, saying they have done “just fair” or “poor.” Nearly three-quarters saying they don’t believe their elected officials are held accountable for their actions on education. However, there is an indication that voters are willing to make education a priority when casting ballots: Some 62% of those questioned say education will be one of their most or very important issue this election year.

When it comes to taking responsibility for improving education, more than three-quarters of those questioned (79%) said teachers have a great deal of responsibility, followed by parents (72%). Additionally, voters say others in government play a significant role: the Arizona Department of Education (73%), the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (70%), state lawmakers (62%) as a whole, the governor (56%) and their own state legislative representatives (55%). Nearly all of the survey’s participants (92%) said they believe they, too, assume at least some responsibility for improving education in the state.

The collective findings indicate that Arizonans are not satisfied with the state’s failure to prioritize education and may be more easily mobilized to demand more of themselves and their leaders.

“Arizonans are telling us they want a higher bar, and we are urging them to help effect change, get involved and be a voice for education – through community action and at the ballot box,” said Nicole Magnuson, Expect More Arizona Executive Director. “Arizonans have made it clear they know education is everyone’s business, and they are ready to make a change for the better.”

For a summary of the poll findings, please see click here to download a PDF.

Expect More Arizona 2010 Voter Poll Results
23 Jun
Arizona Education Network in The News
By Expect More Arizona

Check out this news video about Tucson pro-education parents organization the Arizona Education Network. We especially love Board President Ann-Eve Pedersen’s “Vote 4 Education” t-shirt. Read the accompanying article here and learn more about the Arizona Education Network.


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