Arizona Media Association + Arizona Local News Foundation

PHOENIX, Ariz. — The Arizona Local News Foundation is celebrating a major milestone as its Education Solutions Collaborative marks one year of statewide reporting, surpassing 2,000 education stories that are informing communities and highlighting solutions to Arizona’s most pressing education challenges.

The Foundation funded its first Education Solutions journalist in March 2025, and by July 2025 had launched a statewide network of 15 reporters dedicated to solutions-focused education journalism. One year later, the collaborative has expanded to 16 journalists and continues to grow through a new partnership with The Beam, housed within the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication.

In just twelve months, Education Solutions journalists have produced more than 2,000 stories examining issues affecting students, teachers, families and schools while showcasing innovative approaches that are making a difference in communities across Arizona. The program has also earned national recognition, including a first-place Public Media Journalists Association award for Education Solutions reporter Sisko J. Stargazer’s reporting in Yuma.

“This milestone demonstrates what is possible when philanthropy, journalism and community partners invest in local reporting,” said Tregg White, President/CEO for the Arizona Local News Foundation. “More than 2,000 stories means thousands of opportunities for Arizonans to better understand the challenges facing education—and, just as importantly, the solutions being developed in communities across our state.”

Today, the collaborative reaches communities throughout Arizona, including Casa Grande, Flagstaff, Lake Havasu City, Nogales, Phoenix, Prescott, Tucson and Yuma. Many participating newsrooms serve rural communities that have historically had limited access to dedicated education reporting.

“The Burton Family Foundation is proud to support the Education Solutions Collaborative as it marks its first year of impact,” said Glenn Wilke, President & CEO of The Burton Family Foundation. “Through this partnership, we have directed our resources toward strengthening education coverage in rural communities, which have long faced a shortage of dedicated local reporting. Investing in solutions-oriented journalism in these areas equips communities with the information they need to address local challenges and build on what’s working.”

The collaborative has also strengthened national partnerships. Six participating newsrooms receive support through Report for America, helping to strengthen communities through local journalism. Hear from the journalists directly involved in the program here and below.

“The Arizona Local News Foundation has been an ideal partner for Report for America as we work together to strengthen local journalism statewide,” said Anh Gray, Regional Manager for Report for America. “What makes this collaboration unique for us is that it allows us to embed and support reporters in communities across the state, focusing on solutions-focused education reporting that highlights how Arizona is addressing its education challenges. We share a deep commitment to ensuring that vital stories about schools, students and families receive the attention and depth Arizona residents deserve. It is exciting to partner with a state-based organization in building a more sustainable and impactful local news ecosystem in Arizona.”

Beyond reporting, the Arizona Local News Foundation has gathered education leaders, journalists and community members through a series of Education Solutions Symposiums in Phoenix, Prescott and Tucson. These gatherings create space for meaningful conversations about Arizona’s educational challenges and opportunities while connecting local journalism with community action.

Working alongside the Center for the Future of Arizona, each symposium has featured research and data while exploring topics including rural education, workforce development and statewide educational outcomes.

“Education routinely ranks among the highest priorities of Arizonans who understand that a strong education system builds the foundation and opens opportunity for progress across so many of the other things that matter to the future of our state,” said Dr. Sybil Francis, Chair, President & CEO of the Center for the Future of Arizona. “That is why we are proud to support the Education Solutions Collaborative and to bring the resources of CFA’s Arizona Media Institute to our work alongside the Arizona Local News Foundation, and dedicated journalists committed to informing and elevating the conversation around this critical issue. We look forward to building on our partnership as we continue advancing The Arizona We Want.”

As the collaborative enters its second year, the Arizona Local News Foundation remains committed to expanding access to high-quality local journalism, strengthening Arizona newsrooms and fostering informed communities through impactful reporting.

The Education Solutions Collaborative is made possible through the generous support of Potoff Private Philanthropy, Grand Canyon University, The Burton Family Foundation, Report for America, Center for the Future of Arizona, Flinn Foundation and the Scripps Howard Fund.

Organizations and individuals interested in supporting local journalism in Arizona can contact foundation@azmedia.org to learn more.

Media Contact: Rudy Rivas, Director of Foundation Projects rudy@azmedia.org