Arizona’s vulnerable populations are struggling on a daily basis but usually do so in silence, undetected by traditional radar and rankings, often unaware themselves of their high risk for being pushed or pulled into full crisis. Ineligible for financial assistance under strict eligibility guidelines, they don’t qualify as poor because vulnerable populations are not yet in full crisis. To be clear, this report is not about the “poor,” at least not in the limited sense of the word. It is about our underemployed wage earners, our single-parent households, our deployed or returning military members, our under-educated and unskilled workforce, our debt-ridden neighbors, our uninsured friends, our family members with no savings for an emergency, much less retirement.

As Arizona pulls itself out of the deepest recession that it has faced since the Great Depression, this 105th Arizona Town Hall is convened to examine Arizona’s economy. In Arizona Town Hall’s fifty-two year history, this is the eleventh time citizens from across the state have come together to reflect on the current state of Arizona’s economy and how best to shape its future.

Arizona’s total value of international exports as a share of gross product was 33rd highest among the 50 states and District of Columbia in 2012. Arizona ranked 36th for manufactured goods. In 1997, Arizona had ranked eighth overall and ninth for manufactured goods. The state’s large relative decline in export share can be traced to its sizable relative decrease in its manufacturing sector. In particular, the electronics manufacturing subsector’s share of total GDP has dropped considerably.

Assesses the health of both ends of the P-20 spectrum: early childcare and education and the high school/postsecondary-to-industry nexus. Both are viewed through the lens of Arizona's current competitive position and its trajectory through the broader economic landscape. How well does Arizona regulate, promote and ensure equitable access to quality early childcare and to programs that help children enter Kindergarten ready to learn? Does Arizona's production of graduates and skilled workers align with current and projected industry needs?

As part of a multi-faceted evaluation of the state's STW initiative, a survey was conducted to establish baseline measures of counselors' time use and attitudes toward STW prior to its widespread implementation in Arizona schools. This paper discusses counselors' roles and responsibilities--that is, how they currently spend their time. The study will be replicated annually, with the hypothesis that if STW has the impact intended, then one should see marked increases in the time spent counseling students on work/career issues.

One component of a multi-faceted evaluation of the state's STW initiative is the evaluation of public awareness and opinions of STW as a concept and a vehicle for education reform. In spring 1996, a statewide public poll of parents, businesses and educators was conducted to establish baseline measures of public attitudes toward STW prior to widespread implementation in the schools. In fall 1996, Arizona public school counselors were surveyed as an additional constituent group. This paper highlights findings from the state's baseline study of counselors' opinions toward STW -- especially as compared with the opinions of other constituent groups.

This briefing paper provides 3-year trend data on Arizona school counselors' use of time. They hypothesis is that if career guidance were to be emphasized in the schools in accordance with the School-To-Work Act, a shift in counselors' roles could be expected to reflect more time spend on career guidance. An overview of the survey is provided including methodology and respondent characteristics. Data for each year includes counselors' allocation of time to counseling students, working with teachers and guidance curriculum, responding to crises, providing system support, and non-guidance activities. Although the pattern of time use has remained stable over three years, non-guidance and system support time have decreased in favor of guidance activities. Changes are small. Percentage of time spent in student counseling is further analyzed by issues. Counselor awareness of the School-To-Work initiative and their job satisfaction has increased. However, no significant changes in counselors' roles or duties were found in spite of considerable professional development efforts at state and local levels. These results are compared with the Comprehensive Competency-Based Guidance model, and sound practice in school counseling is discussed. Policy questions are raised.

Since spring 1996, regional School To Work (STW) partnerships throughout the state have been involved in a variety of activities designed to help create a comprehensive statewide system of school-to-work opportunities for Arizona students. The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 suggests that one element of a statewide system is career counseling for all students. As part of a multi-faceted evaluation of the state’s STW initiative coordinated by Morrison Institute for Public Policy on behalf of the Arizona Department of Commerce, School To Work Division (ADC-STW), Arizona public school counselors and their roles and responsibilities are being studied. The hypothesis is that if career guidance is emphasized in the schools (in accordance with 1994 Act), then one might see a shift in counselors’ roles over time to reflect more time spent on counseling activities related to career guidance. Baseline measures of counselor’s time use were established in 1996. This briefing paper provides first year trend data on Arizona school counselors and their use of time.