Arizona Educational Foundation Inc.

“A copy of the 990 will be provided to the board of directors prior to submission.”

“The board of directors consistently reviews the bylaws particularly as it relates to the conflict of interest policy (article x). If there is a conflict of interest, the conflicted party recuses himself or herself.”

“The executive director compensation is determined annually at the board of directors retreat by all the trustees. It is based on goals that are predetermined by the executive committee.”

“The governing documents are available to the public upon request.”

“Board members volunteer their time helping with set-up, registration, lunch, etc., at the aef spelling bee and teacher of the year. Board members also make presentations at a+ school of excellence award ceremonies. Educators volunteer their time as judges for the a+ school of excellence program, the arizona teacher of the year program and the polly rosenbaum writing contest. Principals of a+ schools mentor new and aspiring principals through aef's principals' leadership academy.”

“University/phoenix to pursue a graduate degree in education and other valuable prizes. As arizona's teacher of the year, he or she travels to washington d.c. To meet the president of the united states and attends international space camp in huntsville, al, with state teachers of the year from across the nation. The next four runners-up, called "ambassadors for excellence," receive 5,000; each of the remaining five finalists receives 1,000. The teacher of the year and ambassadors undergo professional speech and storytelling training, giving them the tools necessary to advocate effectively for excellence in education and act as spokespersons for the teaching profession. Combined, the arizona teacher of the year and ambassadors typically make in excess of 100 presentations during their yearlong tenure. Presentations are made to groups of civic leaders, prospective teachers, current teachers, school boards, school administrators, business leaders, legislators, government leaders, and students. Award-winning teachers serve on statewide task forces, advisory panels and serve as a resource to state education policy-makers. Aef covers substitute teacher costs for these teachers when they are away from their classrooms. Over the past five years, the arizona educational foundation has received over 300 applications for consideration from urban, suburban, rural and native american reservation teachers. All teacher candidates submit an in-depth application detailing their educational and professional background, their community involvement, and their philosophy of teaching. Candidates must identify and discuss educational issues and trends, offer an evaluation of the teaching profession and indicate what their message to the public might be as an advocate for education. Each application is reviewed and scored by a panel of judges consisting of educators and leaders from the business community. From the written applications, the panel selects 10 finalists. The panel then interviews the finalists, observes them teaching in their classrooms via video recording, and selects the teacher of the year, four ambassadors and five semifinalists. Once the top 5 candidates are identified, aef prepares and produces a short video of each of the 5 candidates, which is shown at the november awards luncheon when the winner is announced. The awards luncheon attracts nearly 600 education and corporate leaders, becoming the only statewide event that focuses solely on teachers and celebrates excellence in the teaching profession.”

“Known, and coveted award. The process necessitates that the school complete and submit a 35-to-40-page detailed application, which is read, reviewed and evaluated by a panel of leaders from the education and business communities. Schools whose written applications qualify for it receive a day-and-a-half-long site visit from members of a review committee to determine if the award is warranted. The a+ school of excellence designation is valid for three and a half years after which time a school must re-apply. Aef conducts informational meetings across arizona each fall to introduce schools to and acquaint them with the program, give insight on writing a successful application, and encourage schools to apply for the award. In the past five years, 247 schools from throughout the state have applied for consideration of the a+ school of excellence award. Aef has witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of schools applying for the award in the past six years. The combined number of schools that applied in 2012, 2013 and 2014 was 116, compared to 193 that applied in 2015, 2016, and 2017. Although aef cannot attribute the increase to any one single factor, it is evident that schools long for the sort of public recognition that the a+ school of excellence designation brings. Since 1991, 455 schools ranging from urban and suburban schools to rural and smaller community schools to a school located on the navajo reservation have earned the designation. The a+ school of excellence program provides an objective, comprehensive, authentic assessment of applicant schools. Awarded school leaders profess that earning the award enables schools to collaborate with the community they serve in order to articulate, analyze, evaluate, modify and improve every aspect related to the education and care of their students. The process serves as a school improvement plan and a needs assessment tool. The coveted award validates a school's effectiveness, unifies the community, brings positive public attention to successes in public education, and instills a sense of pride in public schools and school districts. Awarded schools encourage fellow educators, parents and businesses to visit their schools; they serve as models of exemplary educational practices. A+ school of excellence principals have the opportunity to become mentors and coaches to emerging school leaders through aef's principals' leadership academy (see description below).”

“Consistency and fairness in determining which 27 spellers will vie for the title of arizona state spelling bee champion. Aef's state spelling bee takes place at eight/arizona pbs and is televised on public television stations throughout arizona. The winner and chaperone receive an all- expenses paid trip to washington d.c., so arizona's champion can compete in the scripps national spelling bee in late spring.”

“The principals' leadership academy of arizona (plaa) was launched in september 2008, in response to a strong demand statewide for leadership training programs to prepare the next generation of school leaders in arizona. With its wealth of expert principals identified through the a+ school of excellence program and its partnership with argosy university/phoenix, aef is well-positioned to formulate and develop a successful academy. Plaa curriculum is grounded in the professional standards for educational leaders 2015, developed nationally by members of the npbea (national policy board for educational administration) and education experts assembled by the council of chief state school officers based in washington dc. Now in its 10th year, the plaa cohort comprises 17 new and aspiring principals from elementary and secondary public traditional and charter schools. Participants are paired with a+ school of excellence principals who mentor and assist them with developing their leadership skills. Classes are held on seven saturdays throughout the school year. Instruction is a rich blend of practice and theory. Class sessions consist of direct instruction and expert speakers to inform participants on topics such as: community and business involvement in schools; developing and maintaining a positive culture of learning; what outstanding teachers need from their administrators; communication skills; advocating effectively for a school community; and dealing with public policy makers. To date, over 140 school leaders have successfully completed the plaa. The polly rosenbaum writing contest is named for polly rosenbaum, a former arizona state representative and teacher who believed arizona's young people are the state's greatest asset. The contest promotes creative writing skills for students in grades 7 - 12. Each year a different topic is selected on which students must write their entries. The contest is divided into three categories: 7th & 8th graders; 9th and 10th graders; and 11th and 12th graders. A panel of business, education and community leaders evaluates the entries based on relevance to the theme, creativity, and writing skills. First, second and third place winners are chosen in each category. These nine winners and guests are invited to lunch at the state capitol on statehood day in february where they are recognized by top state officials. Winners read their entries in a designated location at the capitol. This creative writing contest provides hundreds of students with an objective, authentic assessment of their writing skills. Students whose essays are chosen for their exceptional creative writing skills have an opportunity to meet state leaders, be publicly recognized for their achievements, and visit the state capitol. Aef's united program was launched in 2011 shortly after the city of phoenix discontinued its "principal for a day" program due to funding cuts. United matches business leaders with public school principals in an effort to form sustainable partnerships between businesses and schools that will benefit schools. Meaningful engagement in public education can have a positive impact on the business sector as well. Following a training session for both principals and business leaders, aef's united program provides businesses with opportunities to engage in education and positively affect students and schools in their communities. The nature of the partnerships is non-prescriptive. Some involve mentoring and coaching, while other partnerships are more hands-on with students during regular school hours or after school. Other examples of partnerships include campus beautification projects, field trips, career days, fundraising, marketing, and donation of supplies. Now in its seventh year, the united program has resulted in approximately 85 active partnerships in maricopa county. By working in collaboration with other nonprofit organizations, civic groups, and government entities, aef continues to expand the progra”