Center For The Future Of Arizona

BRINGING ARIZONANS TOGETHER TO CREATE A STRONGER AND BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR OUR STATE.

ARIZONA PATHWAYS TO PROSPERITY- 55,000+ STUDENTS ENGAGED IN EARLY COLLEGE PATHWAYS, LEADING TO INCREASED HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RATES, POST-SECONDARY GOING, AND COMPLETION OF POST-SECONDARY DEGREES/CREDENTIALS. - 1,200+ MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS EXPERIENCED HIGH-QUALITY CAREER LITERACY AND GUIDANCE THROUGH IMPLEMENTATION OF RELEVANT CURRICULUM AND RESOURCES ENABLING STUDENTS TO MAKE BETTER EDUCATIONAL AND CAREER PATHWAYS CHOICES. - 290+ STUDENTS ENROLLED IN THE PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE MANUFACTURING PATHWAY DIRECTLY IMPACTED BY THE INDUSTRY ALIGNMENT WORK SUPPORTED BY CFA (CENTER FOR THE FUTURE OF ARIZONA). (CONTINUED ON SCH O) AS A RESULT OF THE STRONGER INDUSTRY ALIGNMENT, CFA PARTNERED WITH PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN A NEWLY FORMED APPRENTICESHIP AGREEMENT WITH LEONARDO ELECTRONICS. CFA WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT TUITION FOR THE FIRST COURSES AND ENSURE THE STUDENTS HAD THE NEEDED SUPPLIES AND TEXTBOOKS FOR THE COURSES. - 160+ TEACHERS ENGAGED IN A NEW MODEL FOR VIRTUAL EDUCATOR EXTERNSHIPS TO MAXIMIZE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN INDUSTRY AND EDUCATORS TO BETTER MEET WORKFORCE NEEDS. - LAUNCHED YEAR 1 ACTIVITIES FOR CFA'S FIVE-YEAR GRANT FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION'S EDUCATION AND INNOVATION RESEARCH (EIR) PROGRAM, AWARDED IN 2020. FOUR COMMUNITY COLLEGES AND 15 HIGH SCHOOLS ACROSS NINE DISTRICTS HAVE JOINED THE EIR PROJECT TO DEVELOP CAREER CONNECTED PATHWAYS (CCP) IN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND CYBERSECURITY. - LAUNCHED MY FUTURE AZ IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, PIPELINE AZ, AND THE ARIZONA BUSINESS EDUCATION COALITION (ABEC), CREATING A NEW CAREER LITERACY AND PLANNING PLATFORM FOR STUDENTS ACROSS THE STATE. MY FUTURE AZ UTILIZES PROVEN TECHNOLOGY AND INFRASTRUCTURE TO OFFER STUDENTS COMPREHENSIVE RESOURCES AND SUPPORT TO PLAN FOR THEIR FUTURE CAREERS. ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED JUST FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, SUPPORT FROM CFA AND ABEC EXTENDED THE REACH OF THIS NEW TOOL TO MIDDLE SCHOOLERS. - DEVELOPED AND LAUNCHED THE POSSIBLE FUTURES 2.0 CAREER EXPLORATION DIGITAL CURRICULUM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS, FREELY AVAILABLE TO ALL ARIZONA SCHOOLS. THE CURRICULUM INCLUDES 72 TOTAL LESSONS - 12 DIGITIZED LESSONS IN EACH OF 6 MODULES: SKILLS FOR SUCCESS, LENSES ON THE FUTURE, CYBERSECURITY, HEALTHCARE, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY, AND ENGINEERING AND DESIGN. - COLLABORATED WITH THE THREE LARGEST COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEMS IN THE STATE - CENTRAL ARIZONA COLLEGE, MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGES, AND PIMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE - IN A COALITION IMPLEMENTING AN ADVANCED MANUFACTURING CURRICULUM.

RETAILWORKS AZ- 75,000+ RETAIL WORKERS OR 32% OF THE RETAIL WORKFORCE IN MARICOPA COUNTY EMPLOYED BY MEMBERS OF THE RETAILWORKS AZ EMPLOYER NETWORK.- 500+ JOB SEEKERS AND INCUMBENT WORKERS UPSKILLED ON THE NATIONAL RETAIL FEDERATION (NRF) RISE UP CREDENTIAL RETAIL INDUSTRY FUNDAMENTALS CURRICULUM, RECEIVING AN INDUSTRY-RECOGNIZED CREDENTIAL. - LAUNCHED THE GREATER PHOENIX WORKFORCE LEADERSHIP ACADEMY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ASPEN INSTITUTE, WITH AN INAUGURAL CLASS OF 24 FELLOWS REPRESENTING A RANGE OF NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS, BUSINESS ASSOCIATIONS, INSTITUTES OF HIGHER EDUCATION, TRAINING ORGANIZATIONS, AND PUBLIC AGENCIES. (CONTINUED ON SCH O) FELLOWS ARE PARTICIPATING IN A NEW PROGRAM DESIGNED TO IMPROVE LOCAL ECONOMIC MOBILITY AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS AND CREATE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO THE CHALLENGES FACED BY WORKERS AND BUSINESSES. FELLOWS COMPLETED THE MAJORITY OF A 10-MONTH PROGRAM DESIGNED TO STRENGTHEN THE LOCAL NETWORK OF NON-PROFIT, GOVERNMENT, ACADEMIC, AND BUSINESS LEADERS THROUGH A SERIES OF RETREATS AND WORKSHOPS THAT ENABLE COLLABORATION ON SOLUTIONS TO COMMON CHALLENGES.

BEAT THE ODDS SCHOOL LEADERSHIP ACADEMY (BTO)- 370+ SCHOOL LEADERS FROM OVER 40 PUBLIC SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND CHARTER NETWORKS IN MARICOPA, PINAL, COCONINO, MOHAVE, AND YAVAPAI COUNTIES TRAINED THROUGH THE BTO ACADEMY USING THE BEST-IN-CLASS NISL EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP CURRICULUM IN ORDER TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT ACROSS THE STATE. - SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND COUNTY EDUCATION SERVICE AGENCIES ACROSS SEVEN COUNTIES HAVE INVESTED IN THE EXECUTIVE DEVELOPMENT OF THEIR SCHOOL LEADERS; MANY HAVE INCORPORATED THE BTO ACADEMY INTO THEIR STRATEGIC PLANS. (CONTINUED ON SCH O)- IN KINGMAN IN MOHAVE COUNTY, THE BTO ACADEMY IS SUPPORTING KINGMAN UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT (KUSD) IN TRAINING ALL 25 OF THEIR SCHOOL PRINCIPALS AND DISTRICT LEADERS IN THE RESEARCH-BASED NISL CURRICULUM AS PART OF A DISTRICTWIDE STRATEGIC EFFORT TO IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT FOR ALL 7,000 STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT. KUSD'S DISTRICT-WIDE ENGAGEMENT IN THE BTO LEADERSHIP ACADEMY REFLECTED THEIR LONGSTANDING COMMITMENT TO CREATING A COLLEGE GOING CULTURE IN RURAL ARIZONA.

ARIZONA PROGRESS METERS - 60+ ARIZONA CITIES AND TOWNS ADOPTED THE ARIZONA EDUCATION PROGRESS METER AS A GUIDEPOST OF ACHIEVEMENT AND TO DEMONSTRATE COMMITMENT TO IMPROVING CONDITIONS FOR ARIZONA STUDENTS. - 1,000+ ARIZONANS HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO THE ARIZONA PROGRESS METERS SINCE THEY WERE LAUNCHED IN 2019 THROUGH OVER 40 COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS IN 12 OF OUR 15 COUNTIES. - DEVELOPED NEW GALLUP ARIZONA SURVEY DASHBOARD AND ARIZONA PROGRESS METERS DATA TOOLS TO ALLOW CUSTOMIZABLE ANALYSIS OF EACH INDICATOR THROUGH DRILL-DOWNS BY REGION AND DEMOGRAPHIC GROUPS. - LEAD PARTNER WITH STATE OF BLACK ARIZONA (SBAZ) ON THE PUBLICATION OF THEIR VOLUME V: DRIVING LOCAL INVESTMENT IN BLACK ARIZONANS REPORT. CFA WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN PROVIDING DATA AND COLLABORATING WITH SBAZ ON THE COMMUNITY OUTREACH ACTIVITIES THAT INFORMED THE REPORT DEVELOPMENT. THE REPORT PROVIDED A HOLISTIC VIEW OF ECONOMICS, HEALTHCARE, AND EMPLOYMENT AMONG THE ARIZONAN BLACK COMMUNITY. CIVIC HEALTH- 40+ ARIZONA COMMUNITIES ENGAGED IN COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS, INCLUDING 4 CITIES AND TOWNS IN MARICOPA COUNTY. - LAUNCHED THE ARIZONA CIVIC LIFE PARTNERSHIP IN COLLABORATION WITH THE ARIZONA CENTER FOR CIVIC LEADERSHIP AT THE FLINN FOUNDATION TO STRENGTHEN CIVIC LIFE IN ARIZONA. DRAWING UPON CFA'S CIVIC HEALTH PROGRESS METERS, THE PARTNERSHIP INCLUDES A NEW CIVIC HEALTH STEERING COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF 15 LEADING CIVIC ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE. - 50,000+ STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN SCHOOL PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING (SPB) VOTE DAYS, DEVELOPING STUDENT AGENCY AND PREPARING YOUNG PEOPLE WHO ARE INFORMED, EQUIPPED, AND EMPOWERED TO PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC LIFE. - 5000+ STUDENTS REGISTERED TO VOTE THROUGH SPB VOTE DAY PARTNERSHIPS WITH COUNTY RECORDERS. - 750+ STUDENTS ENGAGED IN SPB STEERING COMMITTEES GAINED PUBLIC SPEAKING, TEAMWORK, FINANCIAL LITERACY, CRITICAL THINKING, AND PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS, AS WELL AS A COMMITMENT TO CONTINUE WORKING IN THEIR COMMUNITIES TO CREATE CHANGE. - 65+ TEACHER ADVISORS ENGAGED WITH STUDENTS IN A NEW WAY, TAPPING INTO THE CREATIVITY AND COMMITMENT THAT STUDENTS BRING TO THE SPB PROCESS. - COORDINATED THE INVESTMENTS OF $590,000 (OR NEARLY $600,000) OF PUBLIC DOLLARS IN 84 STUDENT-DEVELOPED PROJECTS, INCLUDING SHADE STRUCTURES, WATER SYSTEMS, BATHROOM IMPROVEMENTS, REDESIGNED COMMON SPACES (LOUNGES, SEATING, ETC.), AND SCHOOL PRIDE PROJECTS LIKE MURALS.- IN 2020-2021, INITIAL SPB PILOT PARTNER PHOENIX UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT FULLY EMBODIED SPB AS A DECISION-MAKING TOOL TO REDEFINE SCHOOL SAFETY ON ALL 20 HIGH SCHOOL CAMPUSES. PHOENIX UNION ALLOCATED $1.2 MILLION EACH YEAR FOR THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS TO THIS EXPANDED SPB MODEL. - DEVELOPED AN INNOVATIVE STUDENT PARTICIPATORY BUDGETING (SPB)PROJECTS WITHMESA PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE ASU PARTICIPATORY GOVERNANCE INITIATIVE AND ARIZONA DEVELOPMENTAL DISABILITIES PLANNING COUNCIL TO PILOT A FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND EFFORT TO MEANINGFULLY AND INTENTIONALLY ENGAGE STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES IN EVERY ASPECT OF SPB. THE PROJECT INCREASED SELF-ADVOCACY OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES WHILE ALSO BUILDING A MORE INCLUSIVE AND CONNECTED SCHOOL COMMUNITY, AND REVEALED SIGNIFICANT GAINS IN STUDENT CONFIDENCE, AGENCY, AND COMMUNITY THROUGH PARTICIPATION. EDUCATION INNOVATION- 85,000+ STUDENTS ENGAGED IN APLN DISTRICTS IMPLEMENTING PERSONALIZED, COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING APPROACHES DESIGNED TO MEET STUDENTS WHERE THEY ARE, GROW ALL STUDENTS TO HIGH LEVELS OF MASTERY, AND FOSTER STUDENT AGENCY AND OWNERSHIP IN LEARNING AND FUTURE PATHWAYS. - 150+ SCHOOL LEADERS AND TEACHERS ENGAGED IN A STATEWIDE NETWORK SUPPORTING DISTRICTS AND EDUCATORS TO REDESIGN SCHOOL SYSTEMS AND BUILDING THE CAPACITY WITHIN ARIZONA TO EXPAND AND SUSTAIN PERSONALIZED, COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING. - CREATING A POLICY ENVIRONMENT IN ARIZONA SUPPORTIVE OF PERSONALIZED, COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING APPROACHES THAT SERVE AS NEXT-GENERATION EDUCATION MODELS THAT BETTER PREPARE ALL STUDENTS FOR THE DEMANDS OF THE 21ST CENTURY. - BUILT UPON A TEN-YEAR PARTNERSHIP WITH SANTA CRUZ VALLEY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT IN SANTA CRUZ COUNTY AS THEY EMERGED AS A LEADER IN PERSONALIZED, COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING THROUGH DISTRICTWIDE PARTICIPATION IN THE ARIZONA PERSONALIZED LEARNING NETWORK, WHICH IMPACTS ALL 3,200 STUDENTS IN THE DISTRICT. SANTA CRUZ VALLEY USD LED THE WAY FOR COMPETENCY-BASED LEARNING TO IMPROVE ACADEMIC OUTCOMES IN A DISTRICT THAT IS NEARLY 100% LATINO AND WHERE MORE THAN HALF OF FAMILIES QUALIFY FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH. - 55,000+ STUDENTS IMMERSED IN OF INTERNATIONALLY-BENCHMARKED,MASTERY-BASED CAMBRIDGE INTERNATIONAL INSTRUCTIONAL SYSTEM AND ENGAGED IN PERSONALIZED PATHWAYSTO HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION. GALLUP ARIZONA SURVEY - 3,586 ADULTS, AGES 18 AND OLDER, LIVING IN ARIZONA RESPONDED TO 2020 GALLUP ARIZONA SURVEY, A ROBUST DECENNIAL SURVEY TO IDENTIFY ARIZONANS' PRIORITIES ON ISSUES THAT IMPACT THE STATE'S FUTURE AND SERVE AS A CATALYST FOR REGIONAL AND STATEWIDE ACTION. THE SURVEY WAS CONDUCTED BY GALLUP, BUILDING UPON THE FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND GALLUP SURVEY SPONSORED BY CFA IN 2009. - PUBLISHED THE ARIZONA WE WANT: THE DECADE AHEAD REPORT, A DETAILED 85-PAGE ANALYSIS OF THE 2020 GALLUP ARIZONA SURVEY RESPONSES, WITH INSIGHTS FROM A DIVERSE PROFILE OF ARIZONA LEADERS FROM COMMUNITIES ACROSS THE STATE. - 1200+ ARIZONA LEADERS ATTENDED THE 2020 GALLUP ARIZONA SURVEY VIRTUAL RELEASE EVENT IN APRIL 2021 VIRTUAL EVENT FEATURING CEO SYBIL FRANCIS, JOE DALY, SENIOR PARTNER WITH GALLUP, GOVERNOR DOUG DUCEY AND OTHER ARIZONA LEADERS TO SHARE THE FINDINGS AND REFLECT ON HOW TO CREATE A STRONGER AND BRIGHTER FUTURE FOR ARIZONA. - 50+ GALLUP REPORT PRESENTATIONS AND COMMUNITY CONVERSATIONS HOSTED AT VIRTUAL AND IN-PERSON EVENTS AROUND THE STATE TO SHARE THE SURVEY RESULTS, AS WELL AS CUSTOMIZED DATA PROFILES BY REGION, ISSUE AREA, AND DEMOGRAPHIC GROUP.