Author: Isabel Esquivel
Arizona Marks Increase in Postsecondary Attainment, More Progress Needed to Meet Future Workforce Demand
Arizona Reaches Postsecondary Attainment Milestone, More Progress Needed to Meet Future Workforce Demand July 9, 2026 – Education Forward Arizona and Center for the Future of Arizona today released the latest Arizona Education Progress Meter update, showing postsecondary attainment at 50% of working-age adults...
We Are Getting the Outcomes We Invest In
Arizona’s FY2027 budget is delivering exactly the education outcomes we are investing in. At a time when the state says it wants stronger schools, higher attainment, and a more competitive workforce, this budget falls short of what those goals require...
Protecting Opportunity: Why the Federal Pell Grant Shortfall Matters for Students, Arizona, and Our Economy
For millions of students across the country and tens of thousands in Arizona, the federal Pell Grant is the foundation that makes accessing education and training after high school possible. As policymakers debate the future of federal funding for budget year 2027 (FY27), a growing budget shortfall in the Pell Grant program has raised serious […]
Arizona Education Progress Meter 2026 Updates
The latest Arizona Education Progress Meter data shows meaningful progress and important work ahead across our state’s education continuum. Most notably, Arizona’s postsecondary attainment rate has reached 50% (up 1 percent from the previous year), marking continued positive movement toward the state’s Achieve60AZ goal, where at least 60% of Arizonans will hold a postsecondary degree […]
Advancing Arizona’s Education–to-Workforce Ecosystem: ABEC to Transfer Assets to Education Forward Arizona
Intentional asset transfer positions Education Forward Arizona as an aligned successor to ABEC’s mission, expanding the partnership between business and education communities in the state and fueling statewide efforts to develop a seamless education-to-workforce continuum...
Understanding the 2026 Proposed ESA Ballot Measures in Arizona
Every student deserves access to a high-quality education that prepares them for success in postsecondary education, training, and the workforce. As Arizona voters prepare for the 2026 election, two different ballot measures are working to gather the approximately 255,000 signatures required to bring accountability to the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA or voucher) program...
What’s the Holdup on Renewing Prop 123?
Originally approved by voters in 2016, Proposition 123 was designed as a pragmatic, bipartisan solution to resolve a longstanding school funding dispute and ensure Arizona students and educators received the money they were owed under state law. For a decade, Prop 123 played a critical role in supporting Arizona’s public education system by providing a stable, voter-approved […]
SB1798 – Strengthening FAFSA Support in Arizona High Schools
On Tuesday, March 24, the Arizona House Education Committee will hear SB1798, which could improve postsecondary enrollment rates for high school graduates. If passed, the bill would encourage every Arizona public high school to designate a trained FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) lead and implement a comprehensive, schoolwide FAFSA awareness and completion support […]
EDUCATION FORWARD ARIZONA ANNOUNCES NEW BOARD OFFICERS
Education Forward Arizona announced new leadership roles for its board of directors, reflecting the continued commitment and experience of long-serving board members who help guide the organization’s work advancing education and workforce opportunity across Arizona...
Voter-Backed Priorities for Arizona’s Education and Workforce Future
At the start of the 2026 legislative session, Education Forward Arizona called Arizona legislators to action by sending the letter below to every member of the Arizona Legislature. The purpose was to clearly and publicly define our priorities for the 2026 session...