News Center

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

The Governor’s Proposed FY 2027 Budget – What you need to know On Friday, January 16th, 2026, Governor Katie Hobbs released her proposed FY 2027 budget.  The Governor’s priorities align with Arizona voters’ values and Education Forward Arizona’s advocacy agenda, including ESA accountability, Proposition 123 renewal, K-12 investments and postsecondary education funding. The proposed budget […]

Arizona Literacy Plan 2030: Building Strong Readers and a Stronger Arizona Literacy is the foundation of student achievement. When children read with fluency and comprehension, they can fully engage across subjects, including math, science, and social studies.  Research consistently shows that students who do not reach reading proficiency by the end of third grade face […]