News/Commentary Links

Arizona High School Graduation Rate Drops 7 Percentage Points
Until recently, Arizona was on track to achieve its 2012 statewide graduation goal of 86 percent. Data on the Arizona Department of Education state report cards was recently revised to show a seven percentage point drop — from its high of 77 percent in 2004 to 70 percent in 2006 (the most current data available).
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Teacher ID Bill
Dr. Sybil Francis describes the merits of HB 2787 in a commentary in the Arizona Capitol Times
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Executive Director Dr. Sybil Francis Testifies in Support of HB 2787, the Teacher and Classroom Data (Teacher ID) Bill
The addition of a teacher identification tracking function to the state education data system will enhance education policy decision-making and ultimately improve student outcomes.
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Sybil Francis Works for “Seamless” Education System
Dr. Sybil Francis’ efforts to better Arizona and create “the Arizona we want” are profiled in the February 22, 2008 issue of the Arizona Capitol Times.
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Latino Children Can Beat the Odds … but District Leadership and Support is Required
In a guest-authored article in the winter 2008 issue of the ASBA Journal, Dr. Lattie Coor shares “lessons learned” regarding moving schools toward greater student achievement.
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Esteemed Educator to Lead Institute, Help Arizona Students Beat the Odds
The Center for the Future of Arizona is pleased to announce that Dr. Marjorie Kaplan has been named the Director of its newly created Beat the Odds Institute.
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Aligning Arizona Student Performance Standards With
National And Global Standards
Arizona must set its student achievement standards to national and global standards if its future workforce is to be truly competitive. Currently state academic standards do not require students to meet national standards, much less world standards.
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Beat the Odds Initiative
The center has launched a collaborative education initiative with 27 Phoenix-area K-12 schools. It is expected to show that demography is not destiny and that all students, regardless of race and economic status, can learn and achieve in school.
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Envisioning the Future
In a recent article from NxT Horizon magazine, Dr. Lattie Coor discusses a vision for Arizona’s future that rests on three interrelated goals.
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Bridging the Grad Gap: Measuring the Economic Benefits of Educational Attainment in Arizona
New research by the Center for the Future of Arizona finds that Arizona high school dropouts are almost twice as likely as "high school only" graduates to be living in poverty. Further, individuals with an associate degree or occupational certification earn nearly twice the wages earned by employed dropouts
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Beat the Odds Leadership Seminars Begin
In June, 26 Arizona school principals explored how to apply Beat the Odds concepts and maximize student achievement in their schools.
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Do We Have the Courage to Tackle the New Global Agenda?
In a keynote address to the 2007 Conference of the Arizona Business and Education Coalition (ABEC), Dr. Lattie Coor identified two great challenges for Arizona in the 21st century.
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Executive Director Dr. Sybil Francis recently submitted a written statement of the center’s support for the Early Graduation Scholarship Program (H.B. 2238) to the Arizona House Committee on Education (K-12). (February 14, 2007)
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“Arizona must address resource gaps” Business Journal, 6/10/05
http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2005/06/13/focus1.html

“Opinion by Richard Ducote: State must start solving problems” Richard Ducote 3/20/05. Reprinted with permission by Arizona Daily Star
http://www.dailystar.com/dailystar/printDS/66352.php

“Bidding adieu…motoring home…creating action” 4/8/04
Reprinted with permission by The Arizona Republic

“Discount tire owner, wife fund dropout study” Pat Kossan (PDF) 10/3/03
Reprinted with permission by The Arizona Republic

“Foundation offers $1M to study dropout rates” Blake Herzog (PDF) 10/3/03
Reprinted with permission by East Valley Tribune

“His causes include TGen, arts, trade” Yvette Armendariz (PDF) 4/13/03
Reprinted with permission by The Arizona Republic

“Youthful advantage depends on proper education” Lattie Coor 3/21/03
Reprinted with permission by The Phoenix Business Journal
http://phoenix.bizjournals.com/phoenix/stories/2003/03/24/editorial3.html

“‘Do-tank’ targets future of Arizona” Lattie Coor (PDF) 2/23/03
Reprinted with permission by The Phoenix Business Journal

“Solving Arizona’s big problems” Dr. Sybil Francis (PDF) 2/23/03
Reprinted with permission by The Arizona Republic

“Ex-ASU president looks to mold state’s future” Blake Herzog (PDF) 2/18/03
Reprinted with permission by The Phoenix Business Journal

“Think and ‘do’ tank” (PDF) 2/18/03
Reprinted with permission by The Arizona Republic

“Coor unveils center for state’s future” Eileen Brill Wagner (PDF) 2/14/03
Reprinted with permission by The Phoenix Business Journal

“Other views” Lattie Coor (PDF) 2/14/03
Reprinted with permission by The Arizona Republic

“Retired ASU President to work on dropout rate” Pat Kossan (PDF) 2/13/03
Reprinted with permission by The Arizona Republic