INVESTING IN EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT

Officially launched with the endorsement of Gov. Doug Ducey, Achieve60AZ is an ambitious plan to increase educational attainment in Arizona.

The message is clear – education past high school is imperative for our state and our workforce to thrive. Last year, under ABOR’s leadership, a broad, grassroots alliance worked together to set a statewide educational attainment goal for the state. Achieve60AZ establishes a goal that aims for 60 percent of Arizonans to achieve a college degree or certificate by 2030.

Today, the drive is on to increase awareness about Achieve60AZ and meet this ambitious goal. Fiduciary directors named for Achieve60AZ, including ABOR President Eileen I. Klein, are working to expand community outreach and engage in long-term planning for the alliance to boost attainment and workforce training among Arizonans.

Long-time Arizona education advocate Christine Thompson has been hired as project manager for the alliance, providing day-to-day direction. Grants of $100,000 each from the Helios Education Foundation and the Lumina Foundation’s Attainment Challenge finance attainment efforts such as developing capacity, fundraising and business plans.

Achieve60AZ has identified four main strategies to reach its goal:

  • Strengthening the K-12 Pipeline – Increase college readiness and high-school graduation rates.
  • Completing Credentials – Implement policies to make it easier for Arizonans to finish their certificates or college degrees.
  • Increasing Access – Raise awareness about options beyond high school and make them more affordable.
  • Aligning Workforce Needs – Engage businesses, governments and educators to identify and close the skills gap.