Arizona Town Hall discusses reform to retain high quality teachers

Public input sought during Sept. 8 meeting in Flagstaff

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. - Arizona Town Hall will present a community program in Flagstaff on Sept. 8 at 12 p.m. to discuss the Town Hall's recommendation for a fundamental redesign of Arizona's education system to recruit and retain more high-quality teachers. The interactive program will seek public input on how best to implement the changes needed to be competitive in a global marketplace.

The hour-long luncheon program will be held at Northern Arizona University, University Union Building, Havasupai Room, Flagstaff. The cost is $20.

John Haeger, Northern Arizona University president, will host the program, which will present major recommendations that came from Arizona Town Hall's April 2008 meeting of statewide community leaders. Presenters are Sheila Breen, Superintendent, Grand Canyon Unified School District; Meagan Fredrick, student, Elementary and Special Education, NAU; Daniel Kain, Dean, College of Education, NAU; and Tara Jackson, President, Arizona Town Hall. The public will have the opportunity to discuss implementation approaches. To attend, reserve a seat by calling the Arizona Town Hall at (602) 252-9600.

A cross-section of statewide leaders met in Prescott in April for the 92nd Arizona Town Hall titled "Who Will Teach Our Children?" The town hall called for a consortium of education advocates to help secure needed funding to implement reform measures. Participants recommended that the State Board of Education implement systemic reform in Arizona's education system, including providing teachers with professional pay levels and consistent professional development opportunities throughout the state.

The University of Arizona College of Education, under the leadership of Dean of Education Ron Marx and Professor Walter Doyle, prepared a detailed background report to prepare participants for substantive discussions and consensus-based policy recommendations. The report is available for download from the Arizona Town Hall Web site at

www.aztownhall.org.

About Arizona Town Hall

For more than 46 years, Arizona Town Hall has served as a "think tank" of Arizona leaders. Arizona Town Hall reports serve as a valuable resource for policymakers because the recommendations do not represent the agenda of a particular group or political perspective. Instead, the reports contain the informed consensus of Arizonans from different political parties, professions, and geographic areas of the state.

For more information about the Arizona Town Hall, visit their Web site or call (602) 252-9600.