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About Us
The Metropolitan Education Commission
The Metropolitan Education Commission (MEC), established in 1989, is composed of 34 citizen commissioners who advise, make recommendations, and serve as advocates in all areas as they affect the educational welfare of Tucson and Pima County. The MEC's goals include:
  • To empower and advocate for students, their teachers, and their families.
  • To acknowledge individuals and groups within the community whose exemplary service to students and to education merits such special recognition.
  • 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.
Metropolitan Education Commission Goals and  Accomplishments
The Metropolitan Education Commission (MEC), composed of 34 members, facilitates partnerships and collaborations among education, business, service  and government agencies to promote education and to advocate on issues affecting education in Pima County. To Empower and Advocate For Students, Teachers, Families
    Youth Advisory Council/Tucson Teen Congress: (YAC/TTC); 477 youth  involved in leadership activities
    Teen Town Hall: Annual event where over 1,800 youth have voiced their opinions on issues to community leaders
    School Infrastructure Committee: agreements between school districts and municipalities to assure proper infrastructure around school sites
    Pima County Business & Education Roundtable: MEC is a partner to work with the business community on K-12 education
    Summer Leadership Conference: Annual teen training on current issues  such as welfare reform, economic development in which over 600 youth have  participated
    Conferences and Workshops: Celebrating Opportunities for Multicultural  Students Conference, The $$$$ Stops Here Educational Finance Forum; Do We Still Need Public Schools Forum; Tucson Resiliency Initiative Conference
    Best Practices for the Best Start: (1991-1994) initiative to provide  young children (0-6) a good start in school
To Recognize and Promote Individuals and Groups Supporting Education

    Crystal Apple Awards: 84 community leaders and organizations honored for contributions to education

    Outstanding Teen Citizen Awards: In collaboration with Tucson Parks & Recreation and Pima Community College ten teens are selected annually

    BEST Breakfasts and MEC Monthly Meetings: Provide a forum for education  programs and initiatives

    MEC Collaborations: Annually averages 27 community partnerships which in 2007 include:

    • Transition Fair
    • Meth Free Alliance
    • LULAC Youth Leadership Conference
    • Pima County Business & Education Roundtable
    • Pima County Substance Abuse Committee
    • Sunnyside School District Learning Community
    • United Way Youth Development Coalition
    • Pima Santa Cruz Tech Prep Consortium
    • Real Life, Real Talk

    Promotion of High School Graduation and High Academic Standards

    Goal One: Graduate!/Meta Numero Uno: Graduar!
     Initiative to raise Pima County’s high school graduation rates and academic standards.

    Academy Without Walls: (AWW) Links academic preparation with high tech  job training. To date the following have participated
    • 405 students from 12 high schools
    • the Pascua Yaqui Reservation
    • 22 teachers
    • 8 businesses
      • Microsoft
      • Keane, Inc.
      • Wells Fargo
      • US  West
      • AOL
      • Hughes
      • Intuit
      • Convergys
      • and Pima Community College

    Career Fair: In conjunction with annual LULAC Youth Leadership Conference has reached over 55,000 students

    The Key to Employment for the 21st Century Workshop:     parents, students, educators attend this annual event which is supported by high tech businesses, Pima Santa Cruz Tech Prep Consortium, community economic development organizations and Pima County’s school  districts

    Tucson Resiliency Initiative: To provide training and technical support for school-wide resiliency and consensus building.

    Regional College Access Center : Facilitates the access to and success in college for all Pima County students, with a special focus on students from low-income households or who are the first in their family to attend post-secondary education programs.

 
For Questions and Comments

Metropolitan Education Commission

930 E. Broadway Blvd

Tucson, AZ 85719

Phone: (520) 670-0055

Fax: (520) 670-1110

Email: metcom@theriver.com

Web: www.tucsonaz..gov/mec

Office Hours: 8:00a.m. - 4:30p.m, Monday through Friday. Evening and Saturday appointments are available upon request.