Northern Arizona University (NAU) today announced new first-of-its-kind partnerships with all 10 community college districts statewide and the Arizona Department of Commerce (ACA) to launch the Arizona Attainment Alliance (A++). This unique partnership aims to harness the collective influence of different institutions based on a shared desire to dramatically improve secondary school completion rates in Arizona. A++ represents a new kind of student-centered higher education ecosystem. It is based on collaboration across common interests and priorities and optimization of complementary assets serving Arizonans.

Led by NAU, a major engine of opportunity committed to enhancing access to high-value education for students throughout Arizona, the initiative is driven by one of the state’s greatest challenges: low college enrollment rates. and aimed to cater to low-educated students.

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Leveraging its statewide footprint across all 15 Arizona counties, A++ serves more than 322,000 students at more than 20 statewide sites in NAU and 10 community college districts in Arizona. I’m here. By leveraging the collective capabilities of our partner agencies and organizations, the Arizona Attainment Alliance will be able to:

• Increase college attendance for state high school graduates.

• An increasing proportion of adults have some degree but no degree.

• Exceed expected promotion and graduation rates.

• Increase the postgraduate value of the qualifications students acquire.

José Luis Cruz Rivera, president of Northern Arizona University, said: “This revolutionary coalition is a simple but transformative effort to dramatically boost postsecondary achievement statewide in areas that cater to the high-demand, high-paying jobs that are fueling Arizona’s new economy. I have aspirations.”

A key partner in this effort is the Arizona Department of Commerce (ACA), the state’s primary economic development agency. ACA’s direct integration strengthens the college and career ecosystem by closely linking workforce development opportunities with Arizona Attainment Alliance member institutions and programs.

Sandra Watson, president and CEO of the Arizona Department of Commerce, said: “By further aligning business development and skills training through this innovative model, the A++ initiative is another important effort to advance excellence in the Arizona workforce.”

While the state’s economy is booming and jobs are growing abundantly, the new economy that Arizona is building so effectively means that the workforce of the future will need some form of secondary education qualification. Still, the state’s achievement rate is well below the national average. As a result, there is a shortage of over 26,000 bachelor’s degrees each year. This is a staggering gap that jeopardizes Arizona’s evolving economy. To prevent millions of Arizonans from missing out on great opportunities for economic mobility, A++ partner institutions and the ACA are working to drive more college attendance and completion, giving people of the state the opportunity to exist for themselves. We are committed to working together to get the most out of it. backyard.

“In his first year as president of NAU, Dr. José Luis Cruz Rivera has put the provision of affordable and equitable post-secondary education at the heart of his bold vision for the new NAU. The Education Foundation’s commitment to college access and achievement aligns well with NAU’s priorities of increasing affordability and attainment: “And we are committed to increasing postsecondary attainment in Arizona.” , we look forward to continued cooperation and partnership with Dr. Cruz Rivera and NAU.”

A++ will begin this fall with a year-long review board made up of representatives from the NAU, the state’s 10 community college districts, and the ACA. Over the next year, A++ partners will work together to develop a measurable roadmap of action in line with state policy. Achieved 60AZ goal. Representatives from NAU and state community college districts will work together to explore opportunities in the following areas:

• A cross-institutional approach to strategic enrollment management and degree acquisition that maximizes access and achievement.

• Strategies to strengthen the K-12 to higher education pipeline, such as dual credit and pre-enrollment programs.

• High-quality, seamless, career-oriented academic pathways are available through A++, starting at certificate level and continuing through associate, bachelor’s, and graduate/advanced qualification levels.

• Services and technology shared across institutions to provide seamless, high-quality student success, career advice, and transfer path services.

“The opportunities A++ represents resonate statewide with college leaders and business organizations who see opportunities to foster talent and advance opportunities here in Arizona,” said Cruz Rivera. . “The development of A++ is gaining national attention as a remarkable innovation in transforming the landscape of achievement in the statewide educational ecosystem and modeling potential for scale, impact, quality and value. By bringing together cross-cutting partners with distinct identities, complementary strengths, and a desire to better serve the people of Arizona, A++ will focus on economic mobility and post-secondary value. It represents a cutting-edge approach to redesigning higher education across the board.”

The launch of A++ has drawn the attention of business and education leaders in Arizona, as well as higher education institutions and policy makers across the country, who see the effort as an opportunity to transform postsecondary education. We see it as a timely and unique partnership that enhances accessibility and accessibility. for students statewide.