Metropolitan Education Commission

“The metropolitan education commission was formed as a joint commission by the city of tucson and pima county for educational and advocacy purposes. The commission has members as defined by the board of supervisors and the mayor and council resolutions.”

“The mayor and members of the tucson city council, together with the pima county board of supervisors, may each appoint members of the commission. Each governmental entity retains power to appoint 5 members of the governing body. The 24 remaining appointments come from the community education and business organizations.”

“Form 990 is prepared by an independent cpa and a draft is provided to the excutive director for review. Upon the executive director's approval, a copy is provided to the entire board prior to filing.”

“Each employee and commissioner is provided a copy of the conflict of interest policy and required to sign an acknowledgement. The acknowledgement states that upon or before election, hiring, or appointment, the individual will make a full, written disclosure of interests and relationships that could potentially result in a conflict of interest, and that the disclosure will be updated as appropriate. During the course of commission meetings or activities, the individual is required to disclose any and all interests in a transaction or decision that could confer, or appear to confer, benefit or gain to the individual, his business, or his family. After making such disclosure, the individual will not be allowed to participate in any discussion or vote involving a possible conflict of interest.”

“The executive committee of the board of directors determined current year compensation for both the executive director and the administrative assistant by comparison with jted (joint technological education district) standards for such positions.”

“The organization makes all important documents, including its forms 990 and 1023, together with its governing documents, conflict of interest policy, and financial statements, available to the public upon request at its office.”

“Located at 930 e. Broadway blvd., tucson, arizona, the metropolitan education commission (mec), composed of 34 citizen commissioners, advises, makes recommendations, and serves as an advocate in all the areas as they affect the educational welfare of the citizens of tucson and pima county. The mec's goals include: 1. To empower and advocate for students, their teachers, and their families; 2. To acknowledge individuals and groups within the community whose exemplary service to students and to education merits such special recognition; and 3. To promote graduation from high school as a first step toward an enriched future for students and a realistic sense of their place within the community.”

“Goal one: graduate! /meta numero uno: graduar! This ongoing initiative to involve the community in raising pima county's high school graduation rates and student academic performance provided the structure for all activities listed below as part of goal one: graduate!/meta numero uno: graduar! Youth advisory council/tucson teen congress (yac/ttc) composed of middle and high school students from public, private and charter schools throughout pima county, the yac/ttc is the youth advisory body to the mec, and has two students serving as mec youth commissioners. This energetic teen group participates in collaborations with other community organizations, and is instrumental in the planning of such events as the key to employment for the 21st century symposium, the league of united latin american citizens youth leadership conference; the outstanding teen citizen awards, and the goal one: graduate! Poster contest. Yac/ttc members represent the city of tucson at the annual arizona league of cities & towns; sponsor the annual teen town hall; and travel to the state capitol in phoenix to meet with state legislators on civic engagement day. Local elected officials and school district representatives also attend yac/ttc meetings, to present on local government structure and activities and to listen to the students' ideas and concerns. The key to employment for the 21st century symposium career and technical education students from across pima county attended this annual event, which is held at the university of arizona to explore high-tech career opportunities. To date over 6,500 students have participated in the event, which is a signature event of the arizona sci-tech festival and has received the 2017 arizona commission for postsecondary education's legacy award. Regional college access center (rcac) an information and referral center designed to serve tucson and pima county students and families with a special outreach to students from low-income households or who are the first in their family to attend post-secondary education programs. The rcac offers free one-on-one advising in english and spanish for postsecondary education planning. The rcac website (www.metedu.org/rcac) offers access to career exploration and college planning, and scholarship searches and financial planning tools. The information on the rcac website is local and national, and also includes academic and test preparation resources for students k-16. The rcac website has had tens of thousands unique visitors to the website since its inception ten years ago. Crystal apple awards celebration each year the mec honors individuals and entities for their distinguished service to education and to the community with its crystal apple awards luncheon. Honored for their contributions to education last year were: lifetime achievement award - dr. Eugenia favela; education advocate award -jeretta douglas; education advocate award - ruth solomon; teacher award - chrissy debono, cottonwood elementary school, vail school district; counselor award - karen seabolt, gridley middle school, tusd; corporate award - blue cross blue shield of arizona; and youth award - hailey floyd, mountain view high school, marana usd. Goal one: graduate!/meta numero uno: graduar! Poster contest students from pima county schools participated in this contest and the winners received scholarship awards at the crystal apple awards luncheon. Last year's winners were: elementary school category: heydi m. Acosta, 4th grade, santa clara elementary school; sunnyside usd; middle school category: olivia labonte, 7th grade, immaculate heart school; roman catholic diocese of tucson; and high school category: maheen gul; 9th grade, tucson magnet high school; tucson unified school district. Mec collaborations advocacy - children's action alliance - legendary teacher day - pre-kinder to postsecondary advocacy collaborations workforce development - arizona sci-tech festival - key to employment for the 21st century bus”