Education Forward Arizona

Imagine an Arizona where every student, starting in middle school, can see a clear pathway to their future; where superintendents and business leaders are working together to write the state’s talent strategy; and where education, workforce, and economic goals are finally aligned. That’s the education-to-workforce ecosystem Education Forward Arizona is trying to build as we carry Arizona Business & Education Coalition’s (ABEC) mission into its next expanded phase.

Read the full blog to learn more: https://educationforwardarizona.org/?p=7259

Our President & CEO Rich Nickel joined fellow panelists Katie Ratlief of Common Sense Institute Arizona and John Ward of the Arizona Department of Education for a solutions-focused discussion on Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) at Center for the Future of Arizona, moderated, by President and CEO Tregg White from the Arizona Media Association + Arizona Local News Foundation.

Together, the panel explored what’s working, where challenges remain, and how we can better serve Arizona students and families.

Thank you to the Center for the Future of Arizona for hosting this important conversation, and to the Arizona Local News Foundation and participating reporters for creating space for thoughtful, data-informed dialogue that moves beyond debate and toward solutions.

Arizona’s students deserve policies grounded in outcomes, transparency, and opportunity.

To learn more about the 2026 ESA ballot measures in Arizona, read our latest Education Explainer: https://educationforwardarizona.org/understanding-the-2026-esa-ballot-measures-in-arizona/

Arizona’s economy depends on a well-prepared workforce. Education investments should support that goal by helping more students be prepared for post secondary education and training and be ready to enter high-demand careers.

Education Forward Arizona encourages voters to research each ballot measure gathering signatures.

Read our new Education Explainer to learn more: https://educationforwardarizona.org/understanding-the-2026-esa-ballot-measures-in-arizona/

For a decade, Prop 123 played a critical role in supporting Arizona’s public education system.

It expired in summer 2025, and despite clear urgency, lawmakers have failed to renew it—putting additional strain on the general fund in a year of competing priorities.

It is a straightforward responsibility of state leadership to ensure continuity in a voter-backed funding mechanism that directly benefits students and classrooms across the state.

Arizona voters and business leaders have already shown their support. Our students deserve a clean renewal of Prop 123 on the November 2026 ballot.

It is time for Arizona lawmakers to set aside political differences, fulfill their responsibility, and act with the urgency and seriousness this issue demands. Arizona’s students, educators, and future workforce cannot afford any more delays.

https://educationforwardarizona.org/whats-the-holdup-on-renewing-prop-123/