Gov. Ducey proclamation recognizes contributions of AZ charters to public education
Phoenix (May 2, 2017) – The Arizona Charter Schools Association is proud to join students, families, educators and advocates across the country in celebrating National Charter Schools Week.
In accordance with the national annual event, Gov. Doug Ducey has proclaimed the week of May 1-5 “Arizona Charter Schools Week” in honor of the significant role charters have played in Arizona’s public education system.
“For the past 20 years, Arizona’s charter schools have increasingly become the preferred choice for parents and families seeking an excellent public education that delivers quality options, serves a diverse population, and improves student outcomes across all demographics,” said Eileen Sigmund, President and CEO of the Arizona Charter Schools Association.
“The charter school movement is based on the belief that education is not a one-size-fits all endeavor, and parents and families should be empowered to choose the best education for their children. I’m proud of the way Arizona has embraced and advanced this effort – and I thank Gov. Ducey for recognizing the accomplishments and contributions of our great public charter schools, teachers and students.”
Today, the success of Arizona charters can be demonstrated both in enrollment growth and in student performance. In Arizona, a record 180,000 students now attend one of 547 charter schools across the state. That’s an increase of nearly 10,000 students – or 5.8 percent – over the last school year alone. Meanwhile, charter students have outperformed the state average at every grade level and subject on the AZMERIT, and have earned top scores in the nation in the National Assessment of Educational Progress.
Last week, five Arizona charter schools were named among the Top 10 high schools in the country, according to U.S. News and World report.
Read Gov. Ducey’s proclamation here.
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About the Arizona Charter Schools Association
The Arizona Charter Schools Association is a nonprofit organization that advocates and strengthens the autonomy, equity, and quality of Arizona’s diverse public charter schools. As a national leader in the public charter school movement, Arizona’s 547 charter schools serve over 180,000 students in the 2016-17 school year. Academically, Arizona charter schools continue to produce excellent results. For the last two years, public charter students outperformed the state average on the AzMERIT assessment. In fact, if Arizona’s public charter students were separated and measured as their own state, it would rank among a handful of the top-performing states in the entire country on the Nation’s Report Card. For more information, visit www.azcharters.org or call 602.944.0644.
