PHOENIX — As the teacher shortage crisis continues in the state, one major partnership between Arizona’s largest university and the state’s Department of Education is hoping to ensure kids don’t fall behind as leaders try to remedy the issue.
According to the state’s first formal teacher retention study, more than 14% of educators left the classroom in the 2024-25 school year, translating to more than 8,600 educators quitting the profession.
To help alleviate the strain in classrooms, Arizona State University and the Arizona Department of Education announced a partnership months ago, hoping to help student achievement improve while the state continues to figure out how to retain and hire more teachers.
Part of the solution resulted in bringing in tutors. Every day for half an hour, tutors are helping certain students in two different school districts.
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In February, ASU started bringing in tutors with help from Americorps to help students and bridge the gap in academics, specifically in math. Currently, these tutors are in two districts, Miami and Apache Junction Unified, according to Amy McGrath, the vice president of educational outreach with ASU.
“It helps you understand more, learning with a tutor. You get more steps in instead of just writing down the answers you think are right,” said fourth grader Joseph at an Apache Junction school.
ASU is going into schools that are underperforming; the data is provided by the Arizona Department of Education through the partnership. The initiative also goes beyond just adding tutors; they’re also working with the educators in schools and helping strengthen what’s already in the building.
“We’re trying to increase the capacity and strength of the instructional team from school to school,” McGrath said.
Educators are appreciating the assistance, according to Kelly Fant, the principal of Desert Vista Elementary in Apache Junction.
“The teachers are very excited to have that additional assistance, some of that more one-on-one time they may not be able to get to spend with those students. I think it’s really helping to boost their confidence,” Fant said.
Students are tested before the tutoring program starts and will be measured again at the end, McGrath said. ASU plans to expand to more school districts over the summer and into the next school year.
