The Metropolitan Education Commission (MEC), established in 1989, is composed of 34 citizen commissioners who advise, make recommendations, and serve as advocates. This includes facilitating partnerships and collaborations among education, business, service and government agencies to promote education and to advocate on issues affecting education in Pima County.

Goals

• To empower and advocate for students, teachers, and families.
• To recognize 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.

To Empower and Advocate for Students, Teachers, and 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

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

To Promote 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 21^st 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: An information and referral center to facilitate 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

10 E. Broadway, Suite 10

Tucson, AZ 85701

Phone: (520) 670-0055

Fax: (520) 670-1110

Email: metcom@theriver.com

Web: www.tucsonaz.gov/mec/