E-NEWSLETTER | OCTOBER 2022
Earlier this month, we launched EdVotersArizona.org, a neutral and nonpartisan website that gives candidates running for Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction the opportunity to share their plans and ideas for addressing the education issues that Arizona voters care about most.

On the site, you can watch student-led interviews asking each candidate about his/her plans for teacher recruitment and retention, education funding, improving student outcomes, helping more students go to college and increasing access to early education opportunities.
Proposition 308 will allow all Arizona high school graduates to qualify for in-state tuition, including DACA recipients and undocumented students.

When more students go to college and earn a degree or credential, we all win. Increasing Arizona's education attainment benefits our overall economy and quality of life. Learn more about Prop 308 and what it means for Arizona students.

Please join us in congratulating Dr. Richard Daniel for recently being named the next President of South Mountain Community College (SMCC).
 
In his most recent position as Executive Vice President and COO of Education Forward Arizona, he has been instrumental to our growth and success.
His passion for helping students is unmatched and during his five years at Education Forward Arizona and College Success Arizona, he has helped provide support to thousands of students and community partners.

As he enters this new role, he will be carrying with him a list of accomplishments that are too long to list. While he will be missed tremendously, we know he will accomplish great things at SMCC.

Arizona’s teachers are the foundation of our education system. However, for the last seven years, the state has struggled with a teacher shortage.

Recent data from the Arizona Personnel Administrators Association (ASPAA) shows that Arizona’s teacher shortage continues and is worsening. Learn more about the impact of the teacher shortage and hear from Arizona teachers about the impact the shortage has had on them in our most recent Education Explainer.

Education Forward Arizona recently recognized Arizona’s innovative education leaders and programs at our inaugural event, An InspirED Evening.

Edmundo Hidalgo and Gema Duarte Luna co-chaired the event, which brought together individuals from across the state to celebrate innovation and collaboration in education.
The event honored Benito Almanza, Arizona Market President of Bank of America with the Luminary Award and four North Star Awardees: Tempe PRE, Read Better Be Better, the Arizona Student Opportunity Collaborative (AzSOC) and the Freeport-McMoRan Native American Scholarship program

In addition to hearing stories from each deserving award recipient, guests heard from Ezequias Fuentes, an Education Forward Arizona scholar and senior at Arizona State University, and Steve Seleznow, President and CEO of the Arizona Community Foundation, about the importance of supporting education in Arizona.

When students participate in sports and other extracurriculars, it is a win no matter what. They win, our schools win and our community wins.
 
The teamwork, discipline, problem solving and dedication that extracurriculars require are skills that benefit students throughout their lives.

In fact, students who participate in sports and other extracurricular activities are more likely to attend and graduate from college as well as reach success in their careers.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) and Education Forward Arizona have launched a new statewide campaign, Everybody Wins AZ, to help coaches, educators, administrators and district leaders to encourage all students to participate in sports and extracurricular activities.
 
Check out EverybodyWinsAZ.org to find a sharable fact sheet and videos showcasing Arizona high school athletes turned community leaders and other resources.
Do you or someone you know want to be part of making significant changes in Arizona education that benefit all students? We are hiring!

EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA
Our mission is to advocate for and act on education improvements that advance the quality of life for all Arizonans.