Category: Association Blog

For the second year in a row, state lawmakers have sought to highlight the positive happenings in Arizona’s schools by inviting teachers to speak at the capitol.

Charter teachers have played a prominent role in these presentations, with Rep. Paul Boyer, chairman of the House Committee on Education, working with the Association to bring some of the best charter educators to the legislature.

So far, four charter teachers have shared their love of teaching with legislators.

Mary Ellen Lee, a math teacher at Leading Edge Gilbert Early College, was the first teacher to appear before the committee late last month.

Lee is an expert on charter schools and school choice, as she was raised by the co-founder of a charter school, and attended charters as a student from elementary through high school.

Arizona Charter Schools Association, as unanimously resolved by its Board of Directors, submitted a letter of support for President-elect Donald J. Trump’s nomination for United States Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.

Dear Sen. Alexander,

As you and your committee colleagues undertake the many important tasks before you in Congress, we write on behalf of the Arizona Charter Schools Association, as unanimously resolved by its Board of Directors, to enthusiastically endorse President-elect Donald J. Trump’s nomination for United States Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos.

Betsy DeVos has dedicated her considerable intellect, determined energies and material resources for long years in the effort to renew and advance American education. We believe that Betsy DeVos is well-chosen by President-elect Trump as America’s next Secretary of Education. She has a demonstrated a commitment to school choice and public charter schools. She brings passion, energy and a skill set to the process which gives those working so hard to raise the level of education for all students across America the hope that our schools will once again lead the world, and our children will grow to be lifelong learners, with a sustaining sense of both their heritage and their future.

As Arizona Charter Schools Association nears its tenth anniversary of having a full-time team supporting Arizona’s growing, quality charter movement, we reflect back.

Charters have been “the hottest new concept in the world of education reform,” since the Arizona Republic first wrote about the fledgling charter movement in 1995. Rapid enrollment growth over the past 20 years has demonstrated the popularity of public charter schools when parents are given a choice in their children’s education.  In Arizona, 180,000 students now attend one of 547 charter schools across the state.

The Association, which had existed since the opening of the first charter schools, reached a turning point when it hired Eileen Sigmund as president and CEO. The former journalist, litigator and lobbyist began to position the Association to expand its advocacy efforts and eventually provide a comprehensive array of services.