Report finds Arizona making slow progress toward education goals
Aug 21, 2018, 3:15 PM | Updated: 9:04 pm
(Pexels photo)
(Pexels photo)
PHOENIX — Arizona is making a slow progress toward its education goals — but a recent report found that there is still a long way to go before the state reaches all of them by 2030.
The Arizona Progress Meter, a project of Expect More Arizona, found that Arizona has not yet reached any of its seven goals when it comes to education.
Christine Thompson, president of Expect More Arizona, said it’s a start.
“We’ve seen incremental success in each of the goals – depending on the goal – by 1 percent or a little bit more,” she said. “But, there’s still a long way to go.”
For example, right now 80 percent of Arizona’s high schoolers are graduating within 4 years. The goal by 2030 is 90 percent.
On the other hand, just 24 percent of 3- and 4-year-olds are in quality early-learning programs. The goal by 2030 is 45 percent.
Thompson said all the goals are interconnected.
“Success in one (area) really begets success in the next,” she said.
“If you have a quality early-learning program, you’re going to have children who are more likely to successfully read in third grade.”
Expect More Arizona said the data came from a variety of sources, including 2017 AZMerit results and the U.S. Census Bureau.
The report was unveiled Monday during an education presentation at The Phoenician resort in Phoenix. To see the entire report, click here.
