Education

Voters Pass Prop 308 Allowing DACA Students to Receive In-State College Tuition

The Maricopa County Community College District (MCCCD) joins education leaders across the state in applauding Arizona voters for their support and passage of Proposition 308, providing instate tuition to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) students.

“Throughout the years, MCCCD has fought to provide Arizona’s most affordable tuition for high-quality associate’s degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and workforce training to all in-state students regardless of their immigration status,” says MCCCD Chancellor, Dr. Steven R. Gonzales. “The passage of Proposition 308 will allow thousands of Arizona DACA students to pursue their dream of obtaining a higher education, and we look forward to serving them.”

Proposition 308 ensures that any Arizonan, regardless of their immigration status, who has graduated from an Arizona high school and has lived in the state for two consecutive years, is granted in-state tuition at its colleges and universities. Each year, thousands of undocumented students graduate from Arizona high schools. Unable to access in-state tuition rates, many forgo their education aspirations due to the financial barrier. The passage of Proposition 308 will strengthen MCCCD’s growing dual enrollment pipeline, which has been vital in the recovery of the system after the initial impact brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I believe that Proposition 308 is not only an investment and commitment to our DACA students but to the future of Arizona’s workforce development. Arizona has a serious current labor shortage, Proposition 308 will aid in jumpstarting our labor market by providing much-needed skilled employees to the current job market,” says Gonzales.

Proposition 308 makes higher education more affordable and attainable for DACA students entering college for the first time or returning to college to learn new skills and re-enter the workforce. Developed with local industry partners and economic development leaders, Maricopa Community Colleges offers sixty individual Fast Track Certificates that prepare students for a new career in as little as a few weeks or six months. The highly-specific training certificates meet the needs of current and future Arizona businesses, whether it’s precision manufacturing, healthcare, or advancing IT professional skills.

Arizona now joins the growing list of states that grant in-state tuition to undocumented students.

Arizona Teachers Receive $1 Million Through Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers Draft Day

Wishes for Teachers’ seven-year total at $5.7 million following 2022 Draft Day.

Photos Courtesy of Fiesta Bowl Charities

Continuing the Fiesta Bowl Organization’s annual tradition of honoring, supporting and celebrating educators throughout Arizona, Fiesta Bowl Charities granted 400 teachers with $2,500 each through the Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers Draft Day presented by Salt River Project (SRP).

The wishes were spread throughout the state this year with 72 cities and towns represented amongst the 400 teachers selected. Nearly 212,000 students across 321 schools and 95 districts will be positively impacted by their teachers’ wishes with this year’s group combining for more than 5,300 years of experience in the classroom.

Recipients included those teaching the arts to science, both gifted and special education, and languages and life skills amongst a diverse group of subjects. The 400 wishes granted will benefit teachers who will aim to enrich the lives of their students through technology improvements, addition of educational programs, fitness equipment, and more.

LOCAL RECIPIENTS INCLUDED:

• Lydia MacKay, a speech therapist at

Sequoya Elementary in Scottsdale, will purchase iPads for their students. • Mary MacKay, an English language arts teacher at Sunrise Middle School in Scottsdale, will purchase tables for their classroom. • Christine Nobley, an English language arts teacher at Desert Shadows Middle

School, will provide new books for their classroom.

“Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers is one of the most impactful teacher support programs in Arizona donating $1 million dollars to benefit thousands of Arizona students. Adding to the excitement this year is the return of our in-person Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers Draft Day presented by SRP which further enhances the experience for our recipients,” says Fiesta Bowl Board Chair Randal Norton. “Teachers are truly selfless individuals who help shape the futures of our students here in Arizona and we are proud to play a part in supporting our teachers to do more in the classroom for the leaders of tomorrow.”

This year’s $1 million total donation brings the Wishes for Teachers’ sevenyear cumulative grant total to $5.7 million awarded to 1,600 teachers, impacting more than 700,000 students across Arizona.

Created in 2016, the Fiesta Bowl Wishes for Teachers program grants classroom wishes to Arizona teachers. Public and charter school K-12 teachers across the state are invited to apply each fall with the recipients verified and selected by a random drawing during the Palo Verde Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers Draft Day presented by (SRP).