ElevateEdAZ is focused on aligning education to workforce learning pathways with the needs of Arizona’s leading industries. Our primary objectives include increasing the number of students enrolled in and completing high-wage, high-demand career pathways, increasing student attainment of industry-recognized credentials and early post-secondary credit, providing more students with work-based learning experiences, and empowering educators to reimagine classroom learning through educator externships.

ElevateEdAZ is working to increase:

ElevateEdAZ seeks to scale existing initiatives in the Greater Phoenix region to ensure more students obtain an associate degree just one additional year after high school graduation and are set on a path to future economic opportunity through its partnership with Accelerate ED.

Through ElevateEdAZ’s participation in Accelerate ED: Seamless Pathways to Degrees and Careers, the education initiative will use advanced manufacturing as a model industry to help students earn 30 credits of dual enrollment toward manufacturing degrees at Maricopa County Community Colleges and attain an associate’s degree within a year of graduating high school.

Accelerate ED is a part of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and seeks to blur the lines between high school and higher education and career learning experiences, allowing students to earn a career-aligned credential or degree by the end of one additional year after high school. Learn more here.

ElevateEdAZ is partnered with Phoenix Union High School District and Mesa Public Schools to pilot more impactful business engagement in local high schools. We anticipate expanding these strategic partnerships to additional schools in the coming years, reaching even more Arizona students.