College Success Arizona

TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE COLLEGE ATTAINMENT RATE IN ARIZONA, PARTICULARLY FOR STUDENTS WHO... TO SIGNIFICANTLY INCREASE THE COLLEGE ATTAINMENT RATE IN ARIZONA, PARTICULARLY FOR STUDENTS WHO OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ATTEND OR GRADUATE FROM A HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION.

IN 2021, THE COLLEGE SUCCESS PROGRAM AWARDED SCHOLARSHIPS TO APPROXIMATELY 203 STUDENTS TOTALING $1,280,000. EACH EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA SCHOLAR IS ASSIGNED A SUCCESS ADVISER WHO IS A FULL-TIME MEMBER OF THE STAFF. THE MISSION OF THE SUCCESS SERVICES PROGRAM IS TO NOT ONLY HELP STUDENTS GRADUATE COLLEGE, BUT TO ALSO PREPARE THEM FOR LIFE AFTER GRADUATION. SUCCESS ADVISERS MEET WITH EACH SCHOLAR AT LEAST TWICE PER SEMESTER IN-PERSON ON THEIR RESPECTIVE CAMPUS AS WELL AS BY PHONE AND VIRTUALLY, HELPING THEM TO IDENTIFY OBSTACLES TO COMPLETING THEIR COLLEGE EDUCATION AND ASSISTING THEM IN CREATING A PLAN TO OVERCOME THOSE OBSTACLES. THESE BARRIERS OR OBSTACLES COULD BE FINANCIAL, FAMILY SUPPORT, STUDY HABITS, HOUSING, EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, ETC. (CONTINUED ON SCHEDULE O)SUCCESS ADVISERS PROVIDE SUPPORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT TO THEIR SCHOLARS, OFTEN REMINDING THEM THAT THEY WERE CHOSEN FOR THIS SCHOLARSHIP BECAUSE EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA BELIEVES IN THEM AND THEIR FUTURE. SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 2005, THE SUCCESS SERVICES PROGRAM HAS PRODUCED OVER 800 GRADUATES. WE CURRENTLY HAVE A CUMULATIVE 6-YEAR GRADUATION RATE OF 74% AND A FRESHMAN RETENTION RATE OF 91%. APPROXIMATELY 70% OF OUR STUDENTS ARE FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS. THESE OUTCOMES COMPARE FAVORABLY WITH ALL STATE UNIVERSITIES IN ARIZONA. THE SUCCESS SERVICES PROGRAM ALSO HOSTS AN ANNUAL LEADERSHIP SYMPOSIUM FOR OUR SCHOLARS EACH JANUARY. THIS ALL-DAY EVENT IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOLARS TO MEET AND NETWORK WITH FELLOW STUDENTS FROM OTHER COLLEGE CAMPUSES, HEAR FROM INSPIRATIONAL SPEAKERS, PARTICIPATE IN TEAMBUILDING ACTIVITIES, AND ATTEND VARIOUS WORKSHOPS FOCUSED ON PREPARING FOR LIFE AFTER COLLEGE. THE COLLEGE ACCESS PROFESSIONAL COMPONENT OF AZCAN (ARIZONA COLLEGE ACCESS NETWORK), CURRENTLY HAS 958 MEMBERS. DURING 2021, WE DELIVERED 17 PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT MODULES TO 415 PROFESSIONALS WITH 100 EARNING CERTIFICATES AS ARIZONA COLLEGE ACCESS PROFESSIONALS. 174 OF OUR AZCAN MEMBERS REPRESENT COLLEGE ACCESS PROGRAMS, 27 REPRESENT COMMUNITY COLLEGES, 24 REPRESENT UNIVERSITIES, 313 REPRESENT K-12, 61 REPRESENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS, 6 REPRESENT STATE AGENCIES, 3 REPRESENT TECHNICAL/TRADE SCHOOLS, AND 350 REPRESENT VARIOUS NONPROFITS, BUSINESSES, AND CORPORATIONS. AZCAN EXPANDED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEW COMMUNITY-BASED COLLEGE READINESS TEAMS IN 2021 AS PART OF THE HELIOS EDUCATION FOUNDATION'S COLLEGE KNOWING & GOING INITIATIVE (CKG). THESE TEAMS - MADE UP OF HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION, COUNSELORS, TEACHERS, AMERICORPS MEMBERS, POSTSECONDARY PARTNERS, COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND CKG COORDINATORS - COLLABORATE TO IDENTIFY EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR INCREASING COLLEGE READINESS AND ACCESS AND STRENGTHENING THE COLLEGE-GOING CULTURE IN WAYS THAT ARE SPECIFIC TO THE NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITIES.AZCAN LAUNCHED YEAR 3 OF THE ADVISEAZ AMERICORPS PROGRAM TO SUPPORT 50 ADVISEAZ MEMBERS IN THEIR WORK TO HELP MORE THAN 2,500 STUDENTS WHO ARE LOW-INCOME, FIRST-GENERATION AND/OR STUDENTS OF COLOR. THE ADVISERS ARE PLACED IN LOW-INCOME, TITLE I DESIGNATED HIGH SCHOOLS AND IN COMMUNITY SITES WHERE THEY WILL WORK TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WHO ENTER AND COMPLETE A POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. THESE SITES ARE LOCATED ACROSS ARIZONA IN CITIES LIKE TUCSON, PHOENIX AND FLAGSTAFF AS WELL AS RURAL AREAS SUCH AS YUMA, PINAL, COCHISE, GILA, MOHAVE AND GRAHAM COUNTIES.ANOTHER COMPONENT OF OUR PROGRAM IS PROJECT BENJAMIN NICKNAMED "ASK BENJI". ASK BENJI IS THE FIRST ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI) POWERED FAFSA CHATBOT, FOCUSED ON SUPPORTING HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS' PATH TO A POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. ASK BENJI IS A CHATBOT TOOL THAT ASSIST STUDENTS IN COMPLETING THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA). IN THE THIRD YEAR OF PROJECT BENJAMIN, ASK BENJI SERVED 47 SCHOOL DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT ARIZONA, IN 159 HIGH SCHOOLS, SERVING 24,688 STUDENTS. BENJI HAS A 34% FAFSA COMPLETION RATE, 153 TOTAL CAMPAIGNS, 1,193,299 TOTAL OUTGOING CAMPAIGN MESSAGES, 24,764 TOTAL INCOMING CAMPAIGN MESSAGES WITH A 1.8% OPT-OUT RATE. BENJI DELIVERS TIMELY, PERSONALIZED NUDGES, PROMPTS, AND INFORMATION TO STUDENTS ACROSS ARIZONA, INCLUDING NEXT STEPS FOR FAFSA COMPLETION, INVITATIONS TO COLLEGE READINESS EVENTS BY SCHOOL, DISTRICT, OR REGION, AND GENERAL COLLEGE-GOING INFORMATION. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT TEXT-BASED OUTREACH INCREASED TIMELY ENROLLMENT FOR NON-FAFSA COMPLETERS BY A STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT MARGIN OF 20 PERCENTAGE POINTS.EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA CONTINUED WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TO ADVANCE THE ACHIEVE60AZ POSTSECONDARY ATTAINMENT GOAL. THIS STATEWIDE ATTAINMENT GOAL OF 60 PERCENT OF ADULTS AGE 25 TO 64 HOLDING A PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE OR COLLEGE DEGREE BY 2030 IS SO IMPORTANT TO THE FUTURE PROSPERITY OF THE STATE. WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE CATALYST FOR COLLABORATION, PUBLIC AWARENESS, PUBLIC POLICY, AND DATA-INFORMED PLANNING AND MEASUREMENT. IN MAY 2021, EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA LAUNCHED THE EDUCATION EXPLAINER IN RESPONSE TO ARIZONANS HAVING TOLD US THEY ARE LOOKING FOR A NONPARTISAN SOURCE OF INFORMATION ABOUT IMPORTANT P-20 EDUCATION ISSUES. THEY HAVE SHARED WITH US THAT THEY WANT FACTUAL INFORMATION TO UNDERSTAND HOW THESE ISSUES IMPACT SCHOOLS, STUDENTS, EDUCATORS, AND FAMILIES FROM A NONPARTISAN PERSPECTIVE.IN RESPONSE TO THIS FEEDBACK, EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA WILL SHARE INFORMATION TO HELP INDIVIDUALS UNDERSTAND KEY EDUCATION ISSUES. WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO SHARE FACTUAL INFORMATION THAT PUTS OUR STUDENTS AND EDUCATORS AT THE CENTER OF THE CONVERSATION. WE WILL ALSO SHARE OUR PERSPECTIVE AND HOW THE ISSUES CAN HELP US INCREASE EDUCATION ATTAINMENT AND DRIVE PROGRESS TOWARDS THE EDUCATION PROGRESS METER GOALS.BELOW ARE THE EDUCATION EXPLAINER TOPICS SHARED IN 2021. -UNDERSTANDING ARIZONA'S FEDERAL COVID RELIEF FUNDING FOR K-12 EDUCATION-HOW TO BE INVOLVED IN HOW YOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT OR CHARTER SCHOOL IS USING COVID RELIEF FUNDING-2021 LEGISLATIVE SESSION WRAP UP-SPENDING LIMIT PUTS MORE THAN $1.1 BILLION AT RISK FOR ARIZONA SCHOOLSEDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA IS DEDICATED TO USING OUR VOICE AND EXPERTISE TO FIND COMMON GROUND AND ADVOCATE FOR POLICIES AND FUNDING THAT SUPPORT STUDENT SUCCESS. DURING THIS YEAR, EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA WAS A PART OF A NUMBER OF SUCCESSFUL EFFORTS WITH OUR PARTNERS TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF PELL GRANTS, CREATE THE ARIZONA PROMISE PROGRAM (A SCHOLARSHIP FOR LOW-INCOME STUDENTS), OFFER A PAUSE IN SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, PROVIDE FUNDING FOR EARLY LITERACY COACHES, AND SECURE FUNDING TO HELP MORE STUDENTS ACCESS ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES WHICH GIVE MANY STUDENTS A PATH TO COLLEGE.EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA LED A JOINT LETTER TO THE GOVERNOR AND SUPERINTENDENT OF PUBLIC INSTRUCTION WITH 17 PARTNERS WITH RECOMMENDATIONS TO USE FEDERAL COVID RELIEF FUNDING. EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA ALSO SHAPED THE MEDIA REACTION TO THE 2021 STATEWIDE TEST SCORES, CHANGING THE COLLECTIVE LANGUAGE AMONG PARTNERS AND THE MEDIA FROM "LEARNING LOSS" TO "DISRUPTED LEARNING," WHICH CAME AS A RESULT OF HOSTING FOUR FOCUS GROUPS IN AUGUST.EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA WAS FEATURED IN THE CAPITOL TIMES MORNING SCOOP AND THE LED A DISCUSSION CALLED "MOVING FORWARD: EDUCATION AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT" WITH STATE LEADERS FROM EARLY EDUCATION, K-12 EDUCATION, AND POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION. THIS OPPORTUNITY SHAPED THINKING ABOUT THE NEXT STEPS FOR EDUCATION IN ARIZONA.THE ORGANIZATION ALSO PROVIDED THOUGHT LEADERSHIP IN WRITING AN ISSUE BRIEF, "ARIZONA'S PUBLIC SERVICE PROMISE," HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF ENGAGING AND SUPPORTING ADULTS OVER AGE 24 TO EARN POSTSECONDARY CREDENTIALSADDITIONALLY, AS THE NEW ORGANIZATION WAS LAUNCHED, WE CONDUCTED A ROADSHOW ACROSS THE STATE TO HEAR FROM LEADERS ABOUT EDUCATION IN ARIZONA AND TO DISCUSS THE ROLE OF THE NEW ORGANIZATION IN YUMA, FLAGSTAFF, TUCSON, DOUGLAS, AND IN MOHAVE AND LA PAZ COUNTIES. TO COMPLEMENT THIS, WE DELIVERED PRESENTATIONS TO MORE THAN 1,000 LEADERS AND STAKEHOLDERS ON THE NEW ORGANIZATION.ALTHOUGH EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA SUPPORTS ACCESS, SCHOLARSHIPS, SUCCESS SERVICES AND ATTAINMENT TO OUR SCHOLARS AND OTHERS, WE STRIVE TO MAINTAIN A LOW OVERHEAD. AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL EXPENSES, PROGRAM SERVICES AND SCHOLARSHIPS ARE 84.2%, ADMIN IS 11.9% AND FUNDRAISING IS 3.9%.