Accelerating Student Learning Through Deeper Learning

The Opportunity:

Over 60% of APS students are not reading on grade level, and fewer still are proficient in math. This is not a crisis of capacity—it’s a call to reimagine learning itself.

Our Commitment:

Invest in Teaching Excellence: Fund ongoing professional development focused on innovative, student-centered instruction.

Address Attendance: Launch targeted outreach, incentives, and safer routes to school to combat chronic absenteeism.

Center Student Engagement: Use project-based learning, culturally responsive teaching, and student-led goal-setting to spark a lifelong love for learning.

Building Positive School Communities that Heal and Empower

The Opportunity:

Students cannot thrive if they don’t feel safe or supported. Academic success is impossible without mental wellness and emotional safety.

Our Commitment:

In-School Clinics: Expand health centers that meet student needs—physical, mental, and dental—on campuses.

Mental Health Access: Lower counselor-to-student ratios by funding more full-time mental health professionals.

Restorative Practices: Replace outdated disciplinary models with restorative justice frameworks that keep students engaged.

Community Wraparound Support: Leverage partners to address barriers to learning, from housing instability to food insecurity.

From Early Literacy to College and Career Readiness

The Opportunity: The path to postsecondary success starts early. Every child deserves a strong foundation and a clear, supported pathway to their dreams.

Our Commitment:

Universal Early Literacy: Prioritize investments to ensure all students are reading on grade level by the end of 3rd grade.

Career and College Pathways: Expand access to dual enrollment, paid internships, apprenticeships, and technical training.

Student Success Plans: Develop individualized academic and career plans for every student, starting in middle school.

Uplifting and Supporting the Educators Who Shape Lives

The Opportunity: Teachers are the heart of every quality seat. But burnout and turnover threaten student success. We must attract and retain the best educators and support them at every step.

Our Commitment:

Recruit and Retain Through Respect: Champion competitive pay, benefits, and incentives to keep strong teachers in the classroom.

Professional Growth: Offer high-quality training, leadership pipelines, and collaboration opportunities.

Supportive Conditions: Advocate for manageable class sizes, sufficient prep time, and mental health resources for staff. With teachers' voices in decision-making.