A new poll shows Arizonans overwhelmingly say increasing the number of adults with college degrees, certificates and credentials will help more people achieve a better quality of life and prevent financial hardship. It turns out that it is believed to be useful.
Rich Nickell is president and CEO of Education Forward Arizona, the organization that commissioned the poll.
He said most Arizonans support the Achieve60AZ goal of having at least 60% of working-age adults complete their education beyond high school by 2030.
“That means the state will need to issue about 500,000 new degrees, certificates and credentials over the next six years or so to reach that goal,” Nickel said.
Nickel said the state is currently heading toward what he called an “achievement cliff,” with fewer than half of Arizona students continuing their education beyond high school.
But he noted that it's notable that 86% of Arizona voters support the Achieve60AZ goal, and encouraged policymakers to think of education as a solution, not a problem, in their funding decisions.
Nickel said more than 90% of Arizona voters support what he called “realistic policy proposals.”
These include expanding access to technical training and higher education during high school that can lead to certifications, and expanding dual enrollment options that allow teens to earn college credits.
“Because, number one, it gives students the belief that they can do a post-secondary job,” Nickel said. It's affordable because it takes less time to complete your degree. ”
Nickel added there are also benefits for Arizona's economy.
His group found that increasing the number of people continuing their education beyond high school by 20% would add $5 billion a year to the state's economy.
Nickel said his group created the Arizona Education Progress Meter. This is a tool that shows you what it takes to achieve your Achieve60AZ goals based on eight metrics.
“In terms of goals, we set out where we need to be if we want to be competitive nationally,” Nickel said. “And we track year after year how we're actually doing. When we look at those metrics, we know we're not where we need to be.”
This report was supported by the Lumina Foundation.
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Time management is an essential skill for academic success, but school counselors say it can also help students cope with increased depression and anxiety.
Educators report that mental health issues are occurring at alarming rates among teenagers post-pandemic while juggling schoolwork, sports, social obligations, and even work. .
West Springfield High School's Colin Mogge, the 2024 Massachusetts School Counselor of the Year, said it's a daily struggle for students.
“It’s really difficult to balance all of this,” Moge said. “I think sometimes we're so far removed from that that we tend to look at it as if we could do it, but it's really difficult.”
Research shows that most teens consider anxiety and depression to be a major problem among their peers.
Moge said he strives to be a “sounding board” to strengthen students' time management habits and encourage them to reflect on the demands placed on them.
School counselors do it all: academic, career, and college counseling, social-emotional development, and a lot of listening.
Massachusetts schools have a very high ratio of counselors to students, with one counselor for every 364 students. Moge said the job is unpredictable every day, but important.
“It's hard to imagine school systems across the state operating as fluidly as possible without school counselors,” Moge said.
Ms. Moge was recognized for helping develop the school's “terrier closet.” This is a service project that provides clothing, food, and personal hygiene items to students in need.
He also established the Renaissance Program, which recognized students for their grades, attendance, and behavior.
He said school counselors could benefit from increased collaboration with community agencies, which could help train counselors to provide improved comprehensive services to students and their families.
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Texas public schools rank 41st in per-pupil funding, a situation that may not improve soon.
A major education funding measure was defeated in Congress last year, and Gov. Greg Abbott said he would not participate in the plan unless lawmakers also agreed to a voucher program that could be used to subsidize private education for students. .
As a result, Eli Melendrez, Texas government affairs representative for the American Federation of Teachers, said improvements in public school districts and increases in teacher pay have stalled.
“I see it on the ground, I see it when I look at my salary as a teacher, I see it as a parent of a public school student. There's not enough funding,” Melendrez said.
The state provides school districts with a base level of just over $6,000 per student per year, but this funding level has not increased since 2019.
A recent study of all 50 states and Washington, D.C., found that Texas public schools are severely underfunded, with more than 91% of students attending underfunded schools during the 2020-2021 school year. There was found.
Public school superintendents, teachers, and parents spent hours listening to Texas lawmakers debate the voucher issue during last year's legislative session (one regular session and four special sessions), but the push was final. It ended in failure.
Melendrez said stakeholders gathered from across the state at the Capitol in Austin to advocate for better working conditions, good pay and general respect for educators. Many went home feeling like no one was listening.
“We have people coming from here in Austin, but we also have people coming from Amarillo, Abilene, Beaumont, Houston, The Valley, and they’re coming to tell us what their schools need,” Melendrez said. I mean, it's very frustrating. ”
School vouchers would use public funds to pay for children's private education, but public schools oppose them.
When lawmakers failed to pass the program during their regular legislative session last spring, Gov. Abbott, who has supported vouchers, called them back to the Capitol for multiple debates, but Democrats and some local Republicans I was unable to convince the members.
Disclosure: The American Federation of Teachers donates to our foundation for reporting on education, health issues, livable wages/working families, and social justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro announced a new budget plan that includes significant increases in public school spending, aiming to address inequitable education funding across the state.
The proposal would direct an additional $1 billion to K-12 education, impacting more than 1.7 million students.
Jeff Ney, vice president of the Pennsylvania Education Association, said this is a historic investment aimed at leveling the playing field for school districts that have been underfunded for years.
“This is a great step,” Ney asserted. “We need to see how these funds are allocated and how they are spent in our district, but we are very happy with these numbers.”
The budget includes $50 million for school safety and security improvements. Ney noted that the budget incorporates recommendations from the Basic Education Funding Committee to develop a comprehensive solution for K-12 education funding.
Ney explained that the proposal calls for $300 million in environmental remediation projects and infrastructure improvements. He said the money could be used to replace lead pipes in schools, upgrade heating and cooling systems and other upgrades that could benefit students and teachers.
“This could help keep students' classrooms at a manageable level,” Ney stressed. “Currently, we are seeing some class sizes that are too large because we cannot bring in enough staff to do so. Some of the buildings that currently exist are not large enough to accommodate the students. there is no. “
Ney emphasized that while the governor's budget also includes an increase in the minimum wage to $15 an hour, his organization is calling for a $20 hourly wage for school support staff. Starting salaries currently lag behind neighboring states, so the union hopes the district can raise the minimum salary for teachers to $60,000.
Disclosure: The Pennsylvania Education Association contributes to our foundation for reporting on budget policies and priorities, early childhood education, education, and living wage/working families. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.
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