TUCSON VALUES TEACHERS

TUCSON VALUES TEACHERS (TVT) CONTINUES TO LEAD THE REGION IN RESPECTING, REWARDING, AND INVESTING IN TEACHERS TO ATTRACT, RETAIN, AND CELEBRATE THE VERY BEST TEACHERS IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA. TVT'S LONG-TERM GOALS AND OBJECTIVES ARE TO CREATE AND ENSURE A STRONGER TEACHER WORKFORCE, WHICH WILL RESULT IN BETTER OUTCOMES FOR STUDENTS TO ASSURE THEY GRADUATE CAREER OR COLLEGE READY. OUR STRATEGIES TO REACH THESE GOALS INCLUDE RAISING AWARENESS ABOUT THE CRITICAL ROLE TEACHERS PLAY IN STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT AND THE NECESSITY OF INCREASED ECONOMIC SUPPORT FOR ALL TEACHERS AND PUBLIC RESPECT FOR THE ROLE TEACHERS PLAY IN THE REGION'S ECONOMIC AND CIVIC FUTURE. TVT'S ORGANIZATIONAL IMPACT: ACCORDING TO THE ARIZONA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, THERE ARE APPROXIMATELY 10,079 CLASSROOM TEACHERS IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA. THE TUCSON VALUES TEACHERS DATABASE HAS OVER 11,000 EDUCATORS THAT HAVE VOLUNTARILY OPTED INTO OUR DATABASE. TVT'S MISSION IS TO SERVE ALL TEACHERS IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA, INCLUDING DISTRICT, PRIVATE AND CHARTER SCHOOL, TEACHERS, GRADES PREK-12. WE REALIZE THAT THE QUALITY OF THE TEACHER IN FRONT OF THE CLASSROOM IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR IN THE SUCCESS OF ANY STUDENT. WE ESTIMATE OUR PROGRAMS INDIRECTLY IMPACT APPROXIMATELY 181,000 STUDENTS ACROSS SOUTHERN ARIZONA EVERY YEAR. TVT IS A RECOGNIZED NONPROFIT LEADER THAT HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN ELEVATING THE ISSUES RELATED TO THE TEACHER WORKFORCE ACROSS THE STATE WHILE ALSO RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE MANY EXCELLENT TEACHERS WORKING IN ARIZONA CLASSROOMS. THROUGH ITS PROGRAMS, TVT WORKS TO SUPPORT TEACHERS IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA BOTH PROFESSIONALLY AND FINANCIALLY. TVT'S SIGNATURE PROGRAMS - TVT SIGNATURE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES WORK TO ATTRACT, RETAIN, AND SUPPORT TEACHERS BY PROVIDING DIRECT SUPPORT IN SUCH AREAS AS FULLY SUPPLIED CLASSROOMS, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT COSTS, AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT. IN ADDITION, TVT PROGRAMS SERVE TO INCREASE TEACHER JOB SATISFACTION TO AFFECT RETENTION. TVT CONTINUED TO BE A CORE PARTNER WITH THE TUCSON REGIONAL EDUCATOR COLLABORATIVE (TREC) PROVIDING PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES FOR TEACHERS. 2024 OVERVIEW OF TVT'S SIGNATURE PROGRAMS AND INITIATIVES: COMMUNICATIONS, RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY -ONGOING COMMUNICATION TO OVER 12,014 EDUCATORS AND 5,759 FRIENDS OF TVT USING ALL AVAILABLE MEDIA CHANNELS. - TVT HAS TAKEN IT'S "SHOW ON THE ROAD" TO VARIOUS BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY SHARING THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG EDUCATION SYSTEM AND HAVING HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS IN EVERY CLASSROOM TO ENSURE STUDENT SUCCESS WHICH IN TURN PRODUCES A PROSPEROUS COMMUNITY. -PR AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO RAISE AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF A STRONG TEACHER WORKFORCE. -TVT TEACHER SURVEYS TO MEASURE CHANGES IN TEACHER SATISFACTION AND COLLECT DATA TO INFLUENCE DISCUSSION AND DECISION-MAKING. TO DATE, TVT HAS CONDUCTED TWO SURVEYS - THE FIRST IN 2013 TO 10,000 SOUTHERN ARIZONA TEACHERS AND THE SECOND IN 2015 TO 55,000 TEACHERS STATEWIDE, BOTH WITH RESPONSE RATES OF MORE THAN 10 PERCENT. TVT HAS PARTNERED WITH THE TUCSON REGIONAL EDUCATOR COLLABORATIVE (TREC) TO CREATE AN UPDATED SURVEY FOR TEACHERS THAT WAS GIVEN IN THE FALL OF 2022 AND 2023. -TVT ADVOCATES FOR TEACHERS BY LEVERAGING THE POLICY ARM OF THE SOUTHERN ARIZONA LEADERSHIP COUNCIL AND OTHER EDUCATION GROUPS TO ADVOCATE FOR STATE-WIDE FUNDING AND POLICIES THAT PROMOTE AND SUPPORT ALL ARIZONA TEACHERS. (1) RAISE AWARENESS AND EDUCATE ARIZONANS ABOUT WHAT IT'S REALLY LIKE TO BE A TEACHER IN ARIZONA SCHOOLS. (2) ILLUSTRATE THE IMPACT OF UNCOMPETITIVE PAY, THE DEMANDS OF THE JOB AND THE NEED FOR RESPECT AND SUPPORT ON A TEACHER'S DECISION TO TEACH IN ARIZONA OR STAY IN THE PROFESSION. (3) BUILD PUBLIC AND POLITICAL WILL TO SUPPORT TEACHERS AND EDUCATION AND INFLUENCE ALL ELIGIBLE VOTERS AND DECISION-MAKERS TO SUPPORT FUNDING AND POLICIES THAT POSITIVELY IMPACT THE TEACHER WORKFORCE. PROFESSIONAL AND FINANCIAL SUPPORT -TEACHERS IN INDUSTRY, A STEM TEACHER DEVELOPMENT/RETENTION PROGRAM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION PAIRING PAID SUMMER WORK IN TECH COMPANIES WITH A MASTER'S DEGREE OR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM AT THE UA. -TUCSON SUPPLIES TEACHERS PROVIDES TEACHERS WITH GIFT CARDS/CERTIFICATES TO JONATHAN'S EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, TREASURES FOR TEACHERS, AND ODP SOLUTIONS TO PURCHASE NEEDED CLASSROOM SUPPLIES AND OFFSET THE $500 TO $1000 ANNUALLY SPENT OF THEIR PERSONAL FUNDS. SINCE INCEPTION, TVT HAS CONTRIBUTED MORE THAN $4.9 MILLION OVER THE PAST SIXTEEN YEARS. TEACHERS ARE VERY APPRECIATIVE OF THE MONETARY SUPPORT OF THE GIFT CARD/CERTIFICATE AND THE AUTONOMY THIS PROGRAM GIVES THEM TO PURCHASE THE CLASSROOM MATERIALS, RESOURCES, AND TOOLS THEY NEED FOR STUDENT SUCCESS. -MENTORSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES MEMBERS OF THE TEACHER ADVISORY COUNCIL TO RECEIVE PAID STIPENDS TO MENTOR NEW TEACHERS TO THE PROFESSION. -SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO SOUTHERN ARIZONA TEACHERS FOR RECERTIFICATION CREDITS, REGISTRATION FEES, OR MATERIALS REQUIRED FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, WORKSHOPS, OR COURSES. -PREK SUPPORT PROGRAM MINI-GRANTS PROVIDE SMALL GRANTS TO PREK TEACHERS FOR SPECIFIC, HIGH-QUALITY PROJECTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. -TVT'S TEACHER DISCOUNT PROGRAM INCLUDES MORE THAN 60 LOCAL BUSINESSES THAT PROVIDE SPECIAL TEACHER DISCOUNTS ON PRODUCTS AND SERVICES HELPING TO STRETCH TEACHER PAYCHECKS FURTHER. REWARDS AND RECOGNITION -TEACHER EXCELLENCE AWARDS PROGRAM FEATURING AN OUTSTANDING TEACHER EACH MONTH SELECTED FROM COMMUNITY NOMINATIONS. TO DATE, OVER 152 TEACHERS HAVE RECEIVED THIS RECOGNITION. -TEACHER APPRECIATION WEEK ACTIVITIES TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE TEACHERS DURING THIS NATIONWIDE RECOGNITION OF TEACHERS EACH MAY. -SPIRIT OF EDUCATION AWARDS TO HONOR BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS THAT INVEST IN EDUCATION PRESENTED AT TVT'S STAND UP 4 TEACHERS CELEBRATION. TO DATE, THIRTEEN BUSINESSES, ORGANIZATIONS OR INDIVIDUALS HAVE RECEIVED THIS AWARD. -RAYTHEON LEADERS IN EDUCATION AWARDS TO ANNUALLY RECOGNIZE FOUR OUTSTANDING TEACHER LEADERS AND THEN PROVIDE ONGOING LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES TO ALL AWARD FINALISTS. IN ITS TEN YEARS, 35 TEACHERS HAVE RECEIVED THIS AWARD AND ANOTHER 74 TEACHERS HAVE BEEN RECOGNIZED AS FINALISTS. -STAND UP 4 TEACHERS EVENT - INTENDED AS AN ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT TO CONVENE BOTH BUSINESS AND EDUCATION LEADERS. STAND UP 4 TEACHERS IS A CELEBRATION OF EDUCATION CHAMPIONS FEATURING THE PRESENTATION OF THE SPIRIT OF EDUCATION AWARD HONORING BUSINESSES OR INDIVIDUALS THAT MAKE SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENTS IN EDUCATION, ALONG WITH THE RAYTHEON LEADERS IN EDUCATION AWARD HONORING TWELVE EXCEPTIONAL PREK-12 TEACHERS IN PIMA COUNTY WHO DEMONSTRATE EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING, LEADERSHIP, AND SUPPORT FOR THEIR PEERS. BESIDES THE REVENUE REPORTED IN THIS DOCUMENT, TUCSON VALUES TEACHERS CONTINUES TO SUPPORT THE UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF EDUCATION'S MULTI-YEAR TEACHERS IN INDUSTRY PROGRAM. TEACHERS IN THE PROGRAM HAVE SERVED OVER 170 SCHOOLS AND REACHED OVER 160,000 STUDENTS IN 13 ARIZONA COUNTIES. IN ADDITION, TVT HAS ORCHESTRATED BUSINESS PARTNERSHIPS THAT MATCH INDUSTRY WITH TEACHERS AND PROVIDE PAID SUMMER WORK THAT BRINGS AN AVERAGE OF $8,000 IN INCOME TO TEACHER PARTICIPANT HOUSEHOLDS. KEY IN-KIND DONATIONS INCLUDE OVER $24,000 FROM SALC.