Leaders and advocates of education in three organizations are pooling their resources to improve the quality of life for all Arizonans, the groups said.
The new organization, Education Forward Arizona, combines College Success Arizona, Expect More Arizona and Achieve60AZ and will “work to improve education outcomes and close achievement gaps, from early learning through K-12 and postsecondary attainment,” the organization said.
As individual organizations, College Success Arizona, formerly known as the Arizona College Scholarship Foundation, has helped nearly 2,000 students with more than $20 million in scholarships and mentoring services since expanding its mission in helping first-generation and low-income students obtain postsecondary degrees in 2014.
Expect More Arizona is a public charity led by a staff of 12 individuals from across Arizona “who are committed to improving education because we believe education unlocks the potential of communities and individuals — regardless of ethnicity, income level or ZIP code,” the organization’s website said.
Achieve60AZ staff are working to advance postsecondary attainment of Arizonans to 60% by 2030.
“A group of 60 community, business, philanthropic and education organizations throughout Arizona have formed an alliance to make Arizona more competitive through the power of education by supporting a goal of 60% of adults, ages 25-64, with a professional certificate or college degree by 2030,” a news release from Gov. Doug Ducey said.
Now the trio will be guided by one mission: “Education Forward Arizona advocates for and acts on education improvements that advance the quality of life for all Arizonans,” the organization said.
The organizations used the past 15 months during the pandemic to outline the direction Education Forward Arizona would take, which included a community planning process.
With their pooled resources, the organization says it will be better set up to: create a cohesive case for education and how it benefits all Arizonans; align knowledge and interests to create more effective approaches and increase accountability; and build public and political will for dramatic education improvement.
“The launch of Education Forward Arizona is a turning point for education in our state,” said Vince Roig, chair of Education Forward Arizona’s board of directors. “Education and the economy are inextricably linked. To get where we want to go, we need every student to thrive. As a state, we must prioritize supporting our underserved students.”
