State schools chief Tom Horne teams up with ASU to combat teacher shortage

PHOENIX (KYMA) - Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has announced a partnership with Arizona State University (ASU).

According to a press release, the partnership to combat the state's teacher shortage by expanding access to "high-quality instruction, strengthen teacher capacity, and improve student outcomes across the state, particularly in rural and high-need communities."

In addition, the press release says they will also utilize ASU's statewide instructional infrastructure in order to provide schools with more resource to provide the following:

• Address persistent teacher shortages
• Improve math and literacy outcomes
• Ensure students have access to college-ready coursework aligned to Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) requirements

"The teacher shortage is reaching catastrophic proportions and there is an ongoing need for doing more to improve student performance in core academic areas. This partnership allows us to bring additional capacity to schools and districts—without replacing local control—by providing high-quality instructional support where it is most needed. I am very pleased that ASU is taking meaningful steps to address these problems, especially in the areas of highest need statewide."

Tom Horne, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction

"Arizona State University exists to be of service to the citizens of the state, and we are deeply committed to assisting teachers in providing the foundation upon which children can build a lifetime of learning. Arizona's future depends on all of us working together to deliver successful student outcomes. This partnership brings ASU's instructional capacity directly to schools to strengthen math and literacy results, expand access to college-ready coursework and help more students graduate prepared to enter the workforce of the future."

Michael Crow, President, Arizona State University

To learn more about the partnership, click here.