Maricopa County's Parks and Recreation Department now features one of the nation's largest county park systems, with 10 regional parks totaling more than 120,000 acres. In an effort to manage the future needs of residents and the growth of the county the Department decided to update the previous Master Plan for the Park System which was completed over 40 years ago. The Strategic System Master Plan evaluates all aspects of the Department’s management efforts and seeks strong community input into the elements and expectations they have for the system today and in the future.

For over 15 years, interdistrict open enrollment and charter schools have allowed Arizona families to send their children to the public schools of their choice, regardless of where they reside. To better understand how parents “shop” within Arizona’s public education marketplace, this issue examines the mobility of elementary school students among districts and charter schools in the Metropolitan Phoenix area.