PHOENIX, AZ —The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation announced Wednesday that its ElevateEdAZ program has received $1.5 million in new funding from Bloomberg Philanthropies.
According to the Foundation, ElevateEdAZ works with employers and schools to ensure the skills taught in the classroom align with the needs of the industry, which results in work-based learning opportunities.
The program has impacted nearly 20,000 students through educator externship experiences, career awareness and exploration events, work-based learning experiences and interest and aptitude assessments, according to the Foundation.
Phoenix Union High School District and Mesa Public Schools are among the districts that have partnered with ElevateEdAZ.
With Bloomberg Philanthropies’ support, ElevateEdAz said it will be able to double its efforts and now reach a total of eight area high schools starting in the 2022-23 school year. The program will work with these schools to increase work-based learning, credential and early post-secondary credit attainment.
“The Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation is thankful for Bloomberg Philanthropies’ generous support of ElevateEdAZ and commitment to education in Arizona,” said Tom Sanders, president and CEO of the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation, a nonprofit that seeks to enhance college and career readiness, develop a stronger workforce and build healthier communities throughout Arizona.
Sanders continued: “This funding will undoubtedly help the Foundation reach more young-Arizonans in need of high-quality education with education to workforce pathways that align with the needs of Arizona’s employers.”
Bloomberg Philanthropies previously awarded the Foundation with a strategic planning grant in 2020, which resulted in an Education Landscape Analysis that highlighted specific challenges and disparities in Career and Technical Education (CTE) offerings, and allowed for the development of a plan to address these issues, the Foundation said.
Since 2016, Bloomberg Philanthropies has invested over $90 million in expanding career programs and pathways for students, the organization said.
“We are proud to support ElevateEdAZ as part of our Career and Technical Education initiative,” said Jenny Sharfstein Kane, who manages the Bloomberg Philanthropies education program’s College Access and Success, and Career and Technical Education portfolios.
“ElevateEdAz’s work to connect the real needs of businesses to education and training opportunities in partner schools will help more Arizona students gain access to greater economic mobility and the strong career opportunities they deserve.”