[MUSIC] >> Welcome to inside the issues.

Education solutions for Arizona.

I'm Olivia Fierro.

>> And Steve Goldstein bringing together experts, community leaders and you for a statewide conversation about education and the solutions to move Arizona forward.

>> This town hall is airing across Arizona on TV, radio online and with local newspapers were building this event because education affects all of us, our economy, our communities, and our future.

>> Research shows better.

Education is a top priority for Arizona.

It's you're about to hear what's working, what data shows needs improvement and where we can go from here in a neutral solutions, focused conversation.

>> We'll look at the whole picture from early childhood and k through 12 to hire Ed trade schools and the changing workforce.

And we really hope that what we cover sparks conversation at your own kitchen table.

>> We couldn't do this without our partners, including the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission.

So you better off to kick off our time here than the commission's director.

>> Tom Cole, it's so good to see you.

Thank you for that suspect.

>> Thanks a lot, Steve.

Olivia, you know, there's no doubt that this is going to be a lively discussion about education in our state, clean elections as mandated by the voters to promote participation in the political process.

And that's why we're proud to partner with local media to increase voter access to today's discussion.

Important step in voting is understanding the impact of issues, the issues in our state and the issues that voters care about.

So it's an honor to help you start this conversation that we hope creates awareness and leads to new ideas.

And most partly gives voters confidence when it comes time to fill out their ballots.

So let's get started.

[MUSIC] >> Early childhood education is the launch pad for lifelong learning.

These are the years from birth through the age of 5 when the brain is evolving at its fastest pace and children form the skills for everything that follows in life.

So here's a little map to consider.

There are currently about 171,000 kids in Arizona who are of preschool age data from the center for the future of Arizona tells us that only about a 3rd of our 3, 4, year-olds are enrolled in an early learning program.

Only one out of 3.

That's notably below other states across the country.

So why is this important and what solutions can help to support early childhood and to education such a critical issue.

So let's welcome our panelists today.

We have even Delhi out from the head starts and we have doctor Chantal make from the Children's Equity Project.

Barbie Prince Ter from Arizona Early-childhood Education Association and Angela Robado from first things first.

So I get to easily say, ladies, thank you so much for sharing your expertise today.

I'm very excited to dig into our conversation.

Sean, Tell I want to start just with you and talking about some of the research that you've been able to do.

So you kind of set a foundation for this discussion for those of us who are not working in this field who don't realize how critically important this time period in children's lives are.

How many of our kids are not getting the preparation that they need before they're hitting kindergarten too many.

>> And so to reiterate some we said, right, we have decades of research to find that access to high-quality.

Early education is associated with a whole range of outcomes, education outcomes, health outcome, employment, earning and so on and so forth.

But those wonderful outcomes depend on 2 things.

>> Access to high quality access and quality.

>> Basically, right.

And in Arizona, we know we're lacking in both of those places, right?

We see that were pretty low on the state rankings in terms of access to high-quality early education.

And we also have some more to do with respect to improving the quality of care because you can't get those amazing outcomes.

>> We don't have that.

Let me bring in either from head start to talk about your presence across the state of Arizona.

And you know what you have learned over the years Arizona voters created this program, obviously realizing that we needed to have access to early childhood education as the program has evolved here in the state.

What lessons have we learned?

What direction do we need to go?

>> You know, I want to start by celebrating that had certain general is celebrating 60 years of service nationally here in the state of Arizona.

We serve 17,000 children.

And for those of you who don't know, head start provides high-quality early education and family services for those most vulnerable in the state of Arizona, the services that we provide our comprehensive, which means that not only do we provide high-quality early education, but we have social services that are integrated mental health wellness, nutrition services.

When you put all of that together, it creates this amazing environment for children and families to thrive in this option.

And what we've seen is that in historically and I notion talking speaks to that scene, there's tons of evidence that demonstrates that children and families that participate and head start programs have way higher outcomes.

We know that children have higher rates of high school graduation, higher educational attainment.

Our families are also able to sustain themselves and their sus lower reliance on social service programs as they're going to the program.

But I think that even the opportunity for a family to participate and just dream big of what they could do with their family during a time when they are experiencing some severe adversity.

>> The program is there to serve Barbie.

You just got home from an important trips to tell us a little bit about your advocacy and what you were wanting our elected representatives to know about the state of education and early childhood education that development here.

>> Yeah, I just got back from Washington, D.C., yesterday.

I had 9 congressional visit on Thursday was a big day.

But we talked with both Democrats and Republicans on the issue of early childhood education and funding and it is agreed on both sides of the aisle.

This is really important.

It's really important for families to have access to affordable, high-quality urge early education.

And the big kicker right now is it this is really important for the economy and for the workforce, especially in Arizona, where bringing in so many companies worldwide companies to Arizona and these families have to have access to high quality education.

>> Let me bring in Angela now out from first things first and explain.

Also what first things first funds and you're touching on the oval quality of life for our children and families in a variety of ways.

Not just in terms of education.

>> Yes, first things first is our state's early childhood agency.

So we find we partnered with over 80 organizations across the state in all of our communities to fund programs and services for children birth to age 5 and their families.

One of the most important piece of the work that we do is partnering with many of our child care providers across the state over 1000 to help them improve the quality of care in their centers and homes.

We know that momentum has been growing.

We feel like this is a topic that has gained momentum as people begin to understand the impact that those first 5 years have on a child's trajectory in later life in their school education and then going on into the workforce.

We know as you mentioned, that bring growth is amazing during these first 5 years, about 90% of Green Bay bring girls happens in those first 5 years.

So it really is a key opportunity to set that foundation for young children so that they can be successful later on learning doesn't begin when the child enters the kindergarten classroom begins at birth.

And it really happens in the everyday moments that families have with children, whether it's with their child care provider with their parents and and other relatives at home.

Those everyday moments of the back and forth interaction.

We call it serving return in our field where a child is really learning the foundational pieces of language and early literacy development that's happening just talking through your day.

So when a parent is at home with their young child, you know, talking about we're going to be pulling the laundry out and now I'm going to take out the Sox and these we're matching these colors and these are red and these are blue.

Those are all opportunities to really develop a child's brain in positive ways.

What >> steps should people be taking as they're looking for affordable options and also to make safe smart options community that it's a it's a huge burden.

It's a big, big decision where you're going to place your most precious.

>> Little one while you're at work.

Exactly.

You want.

I want to looking into high quality first things.

First hazards to our signature quality improvement rating system.

It's a it's called Quality.

First.

It's based on a five-star scale.

They have tons of information on the Web site for families to look at to what you're going to look at it as a hike.

What a high-quality center would look like in homes can participate in this as well.

So we know that parents want options, right?

So they should be able to place their children, whether it's a head start facility are home provider or a child licensed Child Care Center, a faith based provider, a nonprofit wherever they choose.

We want accessibility for that child to be in a high quality environment and for those experiences to happen.

>> So what are some of the impacts that you see long term?

I know there's been a lot of research on the impact of head start in terms of who these young children will become, whether its how they're able to stay in school later on or, you know, it's become contributing members of our society or what happens when they don't have this access in this early time period.

>> I mean, because they do have the access the achieve all those things.

And I think that's part of the concern that we collectively have is that of children T DOT or the family have access to this resource, the cycles of poverty or adversity continue.

And this is definitely a conduit that can help break that cycle of poverty.

But then it can also advance achievement because now the child has been exposed and so has the family to multiple resources that we know that lead to wellness and stability and socio economic self-reliance, because the family has opportunities to connect to workforce development.

And what that does, generationally we know is phenomenal.

We see that in the research and I think for us as a collective, the opportunity for the family and the child to both participate and higher educational attainment is one that has huge economic benefit at a state level for those who are able to seek out.

>> Child Care Center preschool program that they want to give us some insight into what people should be looking for or what have we learned?

Maybe, you know, over the last few decades, it make things different.

I mean, it's do you just think of them as all just playing?

You know what, what a real learning is so important.

And if you're having be, if you have access to and the option to select a spot for your child.

>> What are you looking for in early childhood, especially this?

This is the case across all kids of all ages early childhood, especially having feeling safe and emotionally secure.

Yes, like enables you to learn because that's like a precursor.

So you have to feel like you're in a trusting positive relationship.

You have to trust the provider.

You have to feel safe in the setting as a child to even want to explore your environment to even engage in any back and forth interaction that's positive and that builds a brain for learning.

>> We are going to bring in an audience question now.

So I have made to standing by that.

>> I I meet are causing I'm a governing board member with the Madison Elementary School district.

I'm curious, what can we learn from the different early-childhood education miles across our state that could group guide Arizona's approach, especially in terms of preparing our K 12 students.

>> We don't have to reinvent the wheel.

You we there's been a model that was established which is a 6 years ago.

It's 60 right?

That has lots of research behind it.

Right?

And we've been talking a lot on the emphasis on kids with higher needs, right?

Because living in poverty, let kids in child welfare kids experiencing homelessness.

But the actual classroom quality indicators of head start are applicable to all kids.

Right?

Head start standards have better ratios than, for example, state licensing standards training for the teachers is embedded within them.

Dollars funding embedded for that.

There is funding embedded for screenings, right and screening like hearing and vision screening.

That's not and income thing, right.

That that that's something that we want for all of our kids and then the specialization night.

So like identifying and individualize in rate based on what kids needs right is applicable across.

I would I would say that the headstone.

>> Ladies, this has been fantastic conversation.

And I just really appreciate the work that you do on a daily basis and your insight.

So thank you so much to even Chantel Barbie and to thank you.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] K through 12 education is the cornerstone of our system.

These are the years that shapes futures from kindergarten, 2 high school where students build the knowledge and the confidence to succeed in college careers and in life.

But our schools face, of course, real challenge is teacher shortages funding pressures equity gaps.

Plus a divide over school choice and access to education savings accounts or the essays.

It Arizona INS agree on the core K through 12 goals.

Data from the Center for the Future of Arizona shows that 89% believe every student deserves an excellent education.

At this stage of life, 92% say strong teachers and principals are essential and 79% support increasing funding for our public schools and transparency for dollars that go elsewhere.

So how do we make sure every child in Arizona has the opportunity to thrive?

Let's welcome our panelists today.

And we're going to be able to indulge in their expertise very much looking forward to it.

So we have Catherine Healy from the Arizona State Board of Education, Steve Keim from the Yavapai County School District Superintendents and see you here.

And Jake Logan from the Arizona Charter School Association along with Carla Phillips critic S from champions for kids.

So thank you all so much for being here.

So give us a glimpse into the state of public education and what some of the biggest challenges are that you're facing.

>> You hit upon a teacher shortage, which is a huge challenge that we're seeing with the goals I have.

I think, Bill, for this entire state should be having a highly qualified teacher, effective teacher for every kid in the county or across the entire state for that matter.

And that's easier said than done for we're seeing is a lot of teachers leaving the profession and not as many coming in the pipeline allowed leaving the state for for pay issues.

You look at the price of housing and we're on from the Park County, the average price of a home and of stick Wilhelm.

The APAC county median price is right around $700,000.

And I was the superintendent, the school district, the highest paid person in that school district and had I not move Dfi County.

25 years ago, I would not find a place to live.

So how do we expect to recruit teachers coming Livia Pike County and teacher or school?

So my 2 favorite words as anyone on this work for me for any of my time will be so what we have a challenge.

But so what what do you want to do about it?

So a lot of different things bringing working.

The college is working with universities, work and school districts to grow your own teacher programs to help facilitate brief, putting those the goal of having your how it will affect teacher for every kid.

>> Catherine, let me bring you in and have you give sort of a rating you're on the inside and I imagine dealing with and much of what she was talking about, that it seems like they're easy solutions when you're not looking at the complexity of all of this.

But give us a picture of how many students are in the system and and and what our resources are.

Maybe what you would focus on as our biggest challenge may be our biggest win.

>> The great.

Thank you so much, Olivia.

And thank you for the opportunity to be here with clean elections in Arizona media.

I should note that, yes, I serve as president of the state Board of Education, but my views are my own.

I'm also the founder and a partner of Oakers Group, a strategy consulting firm.

But it's a real joy to be here and our role at the State Board of Education.

We have over 1.1 million students in our public education system and about 20 some percent.

And Jake and correct me if I'm a little off of my statistics, more than 20% are attending charter schools.

We also have a rising population about 5% in our home education and more than 5%.

We actually don't know the exact number of students participating in our private schools.

But what's really intersting since 2011?

That was our peak time of student enrollment in our K 12 due to sort of declining and burst.

We've seen a decline and a student participation in our our K 12 schools.

But we also over the last 35 year, 30 years.

We also have a lot of choice and opportunity.

We'll probably talk later today about the power and scholarship accounts that we have.

It's very interesting funding for K 12 education has certainly gone up.

We used to be quite low and we looked at Arizona nationally amongst the 50 states District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

>> But we are moving up well, and it's Catherine speaking, we talk about all of our students, you, including the those who are choosing to charter schools, private schools, home schooling, other programs, and also those who have special needs that are in also in all of those same >> opportunities.

So, Kyle, let me bring you and have you give us sort of a snapshot of where we are about your organization, what your perspective is and the resources that are needed and currently available.

>> Great.

Thank you.

And thank you for having me.

Some co-founder champions for change and we are a coalition of parents, attorneys and advocates bringing a voice for students with disabilities and all of these forms.

So we're really grateful to be able to be here.

So contrary to what I think would shock a lot of people's about 14% of students in Arizona have a disability, meaning it's diagnose and they have an individualized education plan.

It's about 140,000 plus students.

So it's a lot of kids.

But what I find so interesting is that often the preconceived notions of students with disabilities is that they think of kids like with autism with Down Syndrome.

Kids was very significant disabilities.

But 80% of kids with disabilities have what I call invisible disabilities.

So you think a TD think dislike, say think the speech, language impairment and these kids are in regular classrooms with regular teachers all day.

And those are the kids that we find there go undiagnosed identified in underserved.

And so when I think of those 12th graders who are not reading, I think how many have we missed along the way?

So I think of my one big takeaway is parents.

If you're if you know something, if you're getting that sense, that mommy instinct that something's wrong, don't be afraid to push in asking and evaluate and get the services and support you get because oftentimes parents are told.

>> He's fine.

He's fine, everything's fine until it's not.

So, Jake, let me bring you in here.

We're talking about all of the options that parents, families, students have now educators as well.

I mean, of the jobs can maybe feel different.

Fundamentally, it is the same.

But but there are different environments that work better for some, both from a professional perspective and and and learning perspective.

So tell me about the options that are presented in the state.

We always have people moving to Arizona and they may.

>> Get here and just be baffled by the system.

So break it down.

No question.

Thank you again for me.

It can be a bit overwhelming when you're a new parent, you're trying to sort out where it's going to write that might be for your student or your child.

So in Maricopa County, about 50% of the families use school choice.

If you define that as going to a school other than the district's school they're assigned to locate.

So that could be as what was the percentage.

It's about 50% of their Copa County.

Yeah, it could be a different districts.

That's probably the most popular option is I'm going to go to a different school with in my district or in a different district.

Could be a charter school in Arizona.

As captor noted, we have a little over 20% of students in public education are enrolled in a charter school which as a state is higher than anywhere in the country.

And then you have the option of you seen any a say in choosing the path that that works for me and say so it can be overwhelming.

My advice is always visit a school.

You get a vibe.

You can kind of tell if that's the right fit for my student and we're charter schools, obviously a homer for charter schools.

But I think a lot of districts have done great work to is really trying to customize and figure out what is their thing.

Is it music is its sports.

Is it a dual language is its stem?

And there's so many good choices in Arizona.

We've got a lot of work to do in their lot of challenges.

But there are some really good schools doing really great things, district and charter schools.

And I really feel like its hard work.

But when you sort out you find that right fit, it's like magic.

And so, Catherine, what is your take away of the most recent test scores and what >> is going to be implemented as we are trying to make even incremental improvements?

>> Gosh, those are big questions.

I would say.

Looking at the recent Nate scores for 12th grade reading and math entered the dip.

When you look at Arizona scores, we had really sort of crescendo to up to 2019 and you look at our 4th grade reading just after the pandemic in the middle of the pandemic around 2022. weast we've held strong.

We didn't really see much change, Mike, much of the other parts of the country.

And then we've sort of seen a more dramatic death.

But I would say is it's getting back to the basics.

I think Carla said it really well of how many students have been surpassed along and within our existing system that if not had the specific instruction or the support for educators or other members of the education team to come alongside to help ensure that that child has a foundation that he or she needs to thrive.

What do you see about the retention rates?

And also, you know what?

What can be done?

Where are the issues happening?

>> We're losing quite a few cuts.

Yeah, it's it's kind of in a phenomena post-covid where there's a lot of kids and never came back and absenteeism chronic.

Yeah, absenteeism is real challenge in my hats off to a lot of educators because they will literally go and knock on the door and say, hey, you were in school today.

Come on.

Let's go, you know, and calling.

And I feel like there's been an increased emphasis since COVID from school leaders on how do we make sure those kids are in school and showing up and it's hard.

Work is challenging.

We know that.

>> Not everybody has at parents at home who is going to be invested in student's success and understanding the value of being bottom in this chair, ready to learn on a daily basis.

But for those parents who are very invested do understand that this is this is the open door.

You know that on that first generation college graduate mean the the priority was there all along.

If if you're coming from this perspective, at what stage do you do you step in when you see some struggle and at what stage is it best to be hands off?

I imagine if schools are very challenging because there are some parents who probably there all the time and really do need to be in good to let people do do their thing.

So maybe it's made from the 2 of you.

I think it definitely depends per child.

Yes, you have children.

You know, they're very different.

I probably been accused of being a helicopter mom.

So I have that perspective.

I think right away.

It's part just going with that.

You you're in stinks.

I think parents know right away when something is off and they may be seeing things at home that are being seen.

School were vice versa.

So I say do not be afraid.

Even the best performing schools, kids can struggle and it's nobody's fault.

But kids are struggling.

So you have to step up right away and say think something's going on.

So maybe you should give the advice of how to bring an issue to the table while still being supportive of your educators and right now.

>> Young kids can you're in for second 3rd rate.

We're seeing upwards of 50, 60, 70 absences year and that's devastating for their education, not only for their education, but think about other additional resources you have to put into educating that child that's taking away from every other year.

And oftentimes if a kid doesn't know what's going on in school, what's he gonna do or she going to do?

They're going to act out and that creates challenges learning challenges for everyone.

>> We have an audience question for you today.

So let me bring in General Hyten out.

>> Hello, my name is Reverend John Elwood.

And I'm with black mothers for him.

And I appreciate the conversation.

My question for you all is how our schools partnering with families and respective communities to create safe and supportive learning environments beyond academics.

And I guess I want to share the concern if you have a child, especially with the significant disability, safety is paramount.

That is the first new looking for and I will double down with Jake said touring in visiting, is it because, unfortunately, tell that the school culture and something that you can't really measure and is something really hard to replicate its great leadership.

That's also something you know, and you feel when you tour school.

But if kids are not feeling safe and supportive, a lot of learning SA could happen to you.

A fan of extracurricular opportunities, I think helps with absenteeism, but also making sure that all those opportunities are accessible, inclusive of all kids.

So on definitely echo that concern because that's really what it comes down to.

Thank you for raising this.

Thank you so much work rather.

Thank you.

>> Jake, thank you.

And Steve and Katherine, we appreciate are in sight so much and you can take it back to the Green Room, continue current conversations.

I know that there's a lot more to say.

So we really appreciate your insight.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

[MUSIC] [MUSIC] >> Post-secondary education, whether university community college or technical training is increasingly part of the conversation about what is needed for career success.

But today, fewer than half of Arizona high school graduates enrolling any for post-secondary education and even fewer complete their degrees or credentials.

The good news, Arizona see solutions data from the center for the future of Arizona.

Just 87% support reducing financial barriers to college of all types.

93% support giving students access.

A dual enrollment early college credit while still in high school.

There is.

It's also agree our public universities, community colleges and career training programs are essential.

So talk to our panelists to talk about access to this type of education.

Susan, better Smithson, the Maricopa County Community College District, James Fisher, student Regent on the Arizona Board of Regents.

Well, Carol for Pima J Ted and Rich Nickel from education forward, Arizona.

Thank you all for being are so much.

Thank you.

I want to go back to that statistic that I mention as we're starting senators who shares our shows fewer that have high school graduates enrolled in a post-secondary program.

It seems like an incredibly low number.

How do we get there and how do we somehow try to success?

>> Super complicated question.

Education forward, Arizona.

He's a statewide 5, 1, C, 3 nonprofit we really focus on advocating for and also helping create a model programs that increase our payment rate in the state because we know that's good for Arizona's economy in Arizona as a whole.

We talk about that.

What is now?

47 1% rate.

It's simply unsustainable for business for second, especially.

And that's going down a full 6 percentage points since before COVID.

So has something to do with it.

But if you look at the ecosystem were in number one post secondary to a lot of people, the reception of affordability is a big issue.

So we did a poll a couple years ago and as people that had gone to college but hadn't retired post-secondary, we talk about that Don not completed or those who decided not to go.

And we said, OK, what was the barrier here?

And a lot of things we see on the political signs in it not being the barrier and their mind, right.

So I didn't think I'd fit in there had you know, they want to go because some gender issues, those type of things didn't poll.

Here's what poll it costs a lot.

And all the costs associated with the cost.

We're also keeping people as a barrier.

So we're working on affordability here in the state.

I think post-secondary the Arizona Promise program this year.

The community colleges also have a promise program that was legislated.

But there's also things happening in the preparation stages of that that I think people are starting to look at like more counselors, more dual enrollment.

Things of that nature says your member of the Maricopa County Community College District Board.

>> Give us a quick explanation of people know have massive.

It is.

But it's the biggest one of the country.

>> My role that we are the largest community college district in the country, 10 individual campuses.

We service about 140,000 students any given time and a variety of products.

And which is one, I think one of the ongoing solutions potentially to this because we certainly are more affordable opportunity for post that you can secondary education.

We offer the traditional associate degrees.

We have now fastrak certification programs that takes you right into employment with a lot of special programs that have been funded for very specific industries with corporate participation and we now actually can offer bachelor's degrees.

We have 11 accredited a bachelor's degrees program ranging from education to AI to nursing to business administration.

Those programs will provide a couple of the four-year degree, but for a much less up.

>> Expensive costs.

Let's stick with you for a more specific question about that.

So to community colleges work with universities or is their competitiveness?

Is there a way of having more collaboration there to fix some of the problems we're gonna be talking about?

>> We certainly have a collaborative relationship with the 3 public institutions and with some of our private for your partners as well.

I think it's it's very cordial.

We worked our way through the four-year degree bachelor's program issue and and we we have that resolved.

So anyone who walks out the door with an associate's degree is automatically accept it.

And if there's on the universities, we have an ongoing relationship with them in terms of making sure that everything gets transferred.

>> Maryland tributes to Peter J. Ted, explain it to the what J Ted even stands for the starlet.

>> Huge.

A tad stands for the Joint Technical Education District.

We are a and type of entity called a seat head career and technical education district.

What that means is that our space in is we are a public district that only works with career in tech, ed, things that people used to call the occasional training or shop class and has evolved into a really robust, uncertain high and training program, really sophisticated training program to help equip students in industries relevant to Arizona, sort of across the spectrum as the program's gotten better in terms of really meeting the needs of ours has workforce.

Our programs are very much selected to the things that tie directly into local workforce needs.

We are a place where students and we operate at the high school level.

So we have 9th 10009th 11010009th 12011010009th graders.

You can cut their teeth in a field really understand.

You know, I like machines.

I like engines is automotive for me.

Is more machining for me.

Is construction for me or is it not for me in the way to take that forward is in the oven cad program or some other sort of an engineering program?

This is a space where young people can figure out and sort of try their hand at things and then figure out what is the pathway that goes forward to that either into the post-secondary space through the community colleges or the university system or directly to work.

>> This is where the committee called just fit in there with CTE in which ecology credit for workforce development, particular very much fit together.

Again, coordination is key to that.

But we are then can take the next step where we actually have fast-tracked certification programs that are that are piloted and owned by employers.

So you're literally walk from the classroom at the end of 6 or 8 or 10 weeks the next day into a job.

Jim, let's get you in the conversation.

I think people are student regent.

I would think many people jerving are watching or listening or thinking that really sure what that is, sir.

Please give us a description.

How did you get in that room?

Was at The V a?

>> Yeah.

Absolutely.

So I started in middle school is a part of student government.

And once I entered school at Northern Arizona University, an opportunity came to me, too, apply to be student Regent, which is basically a student representative on the governing board for ASU and you and U of a and so on that board now that I'm in my second year, I'm a voting member.

I get to have just as much of a say on any of the other regions on the board and I get to help shape the way that our public universities system works in Arizona.

>> So be sunny.

Early questions.

We've talked about opportunities, whether it's affordability or something else would rings true for you as someone who's gone through that experience for the recent.

>> I think that a big barrier.

>> With students is affordability, as we've been talking about as well as like mental health and just the students coming out of high school and not really being sure of where to go.

And I think it's amazing how Arizona we have all of these options.

We have CTE programs that allow them to discover what their passions.

Maybe there's community colleges who allow them to kind of get like a taste for what is out there.

And so a lot of the work that I've been able to do on the board this year is surrounding mental health and well-being, which is a big, big driver of keeping students in college and not dropping out.

So I've been able to go around to different schools and conduct these listening sessions.

>> Hearing from students and using this actually inform change were to talk about affordability and promise of that.

And that just teasing that.

But as far as accessibility overall, Maricopa County dominates the state.

But we have a lot of people who live in other areas, the state, rural in some cases, tribal low income.

How is the statement doing as far as excessively housing organization like yours, help accessibility grow?

>> We we think about accessibility are really focused on our including more people into this really crucial pipeline between education moving into workforce that are from Arizona, sustainable for us to keep flying people in from all over the world are all the United States feels great job, right?

So that's kind of the core really what we're doing and why we're doing this.

Number one, we need to know, make sure that students across the state because where the from some of these places you're really pointing towards, you know, some of the overseas challenges.

>> Is getting the right information at the right time.

When you look at how many students go to post-secondary, complete post-secondary, if we're trying to increase the up the output on the other side of that, for industry, for our economy, for our community, the biggest intervention points or