EDUCATION IN ARIZONA
national averages on Arizona’s Measure- ment of Education Readiness, marking a consistently upward trend. Arizona students have scored well above average in Reading, Writing, Mathematics and Science. Addi- tionally, Arizona continually ranks above the national average on SAT scores. COMMITTED TO EDUCATION No matter where you’re moving – and whether or not you have children – educa- tion is an important consideration for anyone considering relocation. The quality of education in a community affects every- thing from resale value to the schools in your neighborhood. With the area’s tremendous growth over the last several years, school districts have increased accordingly to accommodate more students, and the city has adopted several initiatives to foster educational excel- lence. One is the city’s Youth and Education Commission, which, in partnership with the Human Relations Commission, offers grants to Phoenix schools through its Focus on Results grants initiative. Each year, the mayor and Phoenix city council support the Phoenix Youth and Teen Services to fund the programs and activi- ties that provide constructive activities for teens. The city has also created The Dropout Prevention Program working with national, state and local organizations to encourage kids to stay in school, pursue post-secondary education or careers, and provide after- school activities. Phoenix is also known for its higher education opportunities. Area colleges and universities include the Arizona State University (in nearby Tempe), University of Phoenix, Argosy University, Maricopa Community Colleges/Phoenix College (plus several other major campuses), Grand Canyon University, Western International University, and the internationally renowned Thunderbird – The Garvin School of Inter- national Management. In particular, the Arizona State Univer- sity has over 310 undergraduate and more than 355 masters and graduate degree programs in 18 colleges and schools. One of the largest research-heavy institutions in HIGHER EDUCATION OPPORTUNITIES
“ Like many growing cities, education is a central component when it comes to attracting residents, and Phoenix is no exception. ”
the U.S., Arizona State University annually devotes over $390 million in research and development expenditures. And, the huge Maricopa Community Colleges network features 10 colleges that specialize in university transfer, continuing education, career and job training programs. Phoenix College, the system’s main campus, is nationally known for its programs in gerontology, dental hygiene, fire science, emergency medical technology, mathe- matics, art, graphic design, creative writing, and administration of justice. Recent research comparing Arizona to states of similar size found that Arizona ranked second for average Arizona student test scores on the ACT college entrance exam, and that Arizona is also ranked second among states of similar size for the number of bachelor’s degrees in natural sciences and engineering.
TESTING OUR STUDENTS Tests are part of school life anywhere you live, and it’s no different in Arizona, where standardized testing to gauge student progress is taken seriously to encourage student success. According to the Arizona Department of Education, the statewide educational assessment program includes the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS)test and the AzMERIT test, which are broken out into several tests, depending on grade level, and is designed to measure each student’s progress in learning the Arizona Academic Standards. These particular standards define what students should know and be able to do in reading, writing and mathematics through the course of a student’s K-12 education, and are grouped into Readiness (Kindergarten), Foundations (grades 1-3), Essentials (grades 4-8), Proficiency (grades 9-12), and Distinction (9-12). For more information about the AIMS test, include a description of content, guidelines and sample tests, visit www.ade.state.az.us/standards/aims. For information on the AzMERIT test, including content, guidelines and sample tests, visit www.azed.gov/assessment/azmerit.
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