BACK TO SCHOOL FOR THE LEGISLATURE
Officials must keep promises for children in public schools
The endless cycle of political television, radio and social media ads have, mercifully, stopped.
We may be lulled into believing our civic duty has been accomplished now that the votes were cast, exceeding modern-day midterm turnout records. Not so fast.
The data on the state of education in Arizona shows that, come January, the hard work truly begins – that of governing. And, for those of us who voted, holding our elected officials accountable.
Education was a prominent and recurring theme in Arizona’s newly decided midterm elections. And for good reason.
The 2018 College Enrollment and Completion Report released a few weeks ago by the Arizona Board of Regents shows the gravity of the K-12 public education system in Arizona.
According to the report, “Current enrollment data indicates that in 2017, nearly half – 47.4 percent − of Arizona’s high school graduating class did not enroll in a two- or four-year college after graduation, a rate that has remained static over the past two years.
“Among 2011 high school graduates, just 27.3 percent had completed a twoor four-year degree six years after high school graduation.”
Key findings from the report are even more sobering. If current trends hold, a mere 17.2 percent of today’s current ninth graders will graduate from a four-year college by 2028. And “among 71,337 total high school graduates in 2017, nearly half – 33,812 – did not enroll in a two- or four-year institution.”
If you are one of nearly 25 percent of Arizona’s children living in poverty, the