Coalition announces Prop. 308: In-state Tuition for Dreamers: Educational Awareness Campaign
For Immediate Release: September 7, 2022
Media Contact:
José Patiño, 480-287-2140 - jose@alientoaz.org
Reyna Gutierrez, 480-495-3348 - reyna@icstrategyaz.com
Coalition announces Prop. 308: In-state Tuition for Dreamers: Educational Awareness Campaign
Phoenix, Arizona- On Sep. 7, 2022, a coalition of community organizations launched the In-state Tuition for Dreamers: Educational Awareness Campaign. In-State Tuition for Dreamers is a non-partisan educational awareness campaign led in a joint effort by a coalition of community organizations, educators, and student leaders. Our goal is to educate Arizona voters on Proposition 308 in hopes of cultivating active and well-informed voters for this upcoming election.
Currently, Dreamers, DACA, and undocumented students, have to pay out-of-state tuition rates (300%) at community colleges and 150% at public universities.
This is a massive step for our state of Arizona in increasing educational attainment goals, and creating a more inclusive and equitable education for Dreamers in Arizona. Over 2,000 DREAMers graduate from Arizona high schools. Dreamers are our Arizona students too!
We want to remind voters that dreamers and undocumented families cannot vote and we work to educate voters so that they can cast their ballot with us in mind. The campaign will also focus on increasing the turnout of Latino and youth voters through registration and energizing people to vote!
Join or to learn more about the Prop. 308: In-state Tuition for Dreamers: Educational Awareness Campaign, please visit alientoaz.org/instate-tuition
Below are the statements from the organization's representatives, educators, and student leaders involved in this historic campaign:
“I am delighted to hear about Proposition 308. I am currently an undocumented student and have graduated from an AZ high school and in my journey to reach higher education, I have encountered barriers like lacking access to in-state tuition. This is why I am thrilled that Arizona voters will have the opportunity to provide in-state tuition to Arizona high school graduates regardless of immigration status.” - Melina Morales, undocumented student at ASU
“I am looking forward to voting this November to show my support and uplift DACA/ Undocumented students with providing them with in-state tuition! They too are Arizonans and this proposition will help them continue their education here allowing them to continue their support for their communities benefiting Arizona so it can continue to prosper.” - Guadalupe Reynoso, a student ally
“At the end of the day, Tuition Equity for Dreamers provides access to college while building a workforce that will ultimately contribute to a stronger, more vibrant economy. Education IS the great equalizer - together we can change the trajectory for our children, our families and our communities.” - Rosemary Ybarra-Hernandez, CEO & Founder, AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute
“All of Arizona's high school graduates should have a fair opportunity to attend college in Arizona. We lose too many students that should be getting additional education and training and entering our workforce, because we are asking them to pay 50% more than their classmates for the same degree. We have the opportunity to fix this with Prop 308.” - Rebecca Gau, Executive Director, Stand for Children Arizona
“Education Is a human right for everyone no matter where you come from. The power of knowledge transcends borders and benefits all people.” - Cesar Aguilar - Executive Director, The Arizona Students' Association
“ALL In Education fully supports Prop 308. This ballot measure is imperative to the future of Arizona’s workforce, economy and overall success. As we continue to grow as a state, we must also keep up with the needs of our community - and one of these current needs is ensuring that we have a strong, prepared workforce ready to fill in-demand jobs. By providing Dreamers with access to in-state tuition to our public universities and community colleges, we are providing them with the opportunity to become professionals in our state that make significant contributions to our workforce and communities.” - Stephanie Parra, Executive Director, ALL In Education
“Prop 308 is consistent with priorities Arizonans have identified through Center for the Future of Arizona’s extensive survey research. We know that Arizona voters want to reduce financial barriers for students going to college, they want to see more students pursue and complete education or training beyond high school, and Arizonans are consistently supportive of efforts to ensure Arizona’s 24,000 Dreamers can thrive and contribute to our community.” - Dr. Sybil Francis, President & CEO of Center for the Future of Arizona
“As we work to close opportunity gaps to ensure children and youth are prepared for educational success and employment, now is our time to band together and fight for a more equitable future for us all. Proposition 308 will open up opportunities to ALL Arizona students to be eligible for in-state college tuition.” - Carla Vargas Jasa, President & CEO, Valley of the Sun United Way
“Tuition Equity is long overdue in Arizona, we have a backwards law limiting Arizona's from building successful careers and contributing to our state. A healthy Arizona is one where all can access higher education.” - Ernesto Lopez, Development Director, One Arizona
“As an Arizonan, a Dreamer, an educator and an advocate for higher education equity I support in-state tuition for Dreamers. I have seen Arizona lose brilliant students to other private universities like Harvard and MIT. Arizona voters have a chance to ensure we keep our most talented students in our state.” - Reyna Montoya, Founder + CEO of Aliento
“To me this is a vindication of the work that has been done for a lot of years for a lot of people. I am enthusiastic of Arizona voters having the opportunity to remove barriers to higher education in my home state of Arizona to allow students to achieve their educational goals.” - José Patiño, VP of Education and External Affairs
About AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute
AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute is a unique college access organization carefully designed to serve a growing number of youth navigate through their academic, personal and professional world. The Institute provides a comprehensive support system to ensure the success of each student through a personalized plan. Adult professionals contribute to students who journey through a holistic approach that values their unique stories, goals and aspirations. While the preparation for college must include the fundamentals of developing writing skills, preparing for tests and more, AGUILA believes inclusion of the arts, literature, civic engagement, social justice, service learning, health and wellness are equally important in developing successful students.
About Aliento
Aliento serves undocumented, DACA, and mixed immigration status families to transform trauma into hope and action. Aliento is youth-led, directly impacted people and allies who are co-creating and building a place where human potential is nurtured and not defined by immigration status. Aliento supports students and families impacted by the inequities of lacking an immigration status through education initiatives, arts & healing programming, leadership development training, policy & advocacy.
About ALL In Education
ALL In Education works to ensure that individuals from the communities most impacted by educational inequities are the ones making decisions for ALL students.
About Arizona Students’ Association
The Arizona Students’ Association is a student-led, non-partisan organization created to represent the collective interest of the 140,000+ university students and 400,000+ community college students in Arizona. We advocate at the local, state, and national levels for affordable and accessible Higher Education.
About Stand for Children
Stand for Children Arizona is a non-profit education advocacy organization focused on ensuring all students receive a high quality, relevant education.
About Center for the Future of Arizona
The Center for the Future of Arizona is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that brings Arizonans together to create a stronger and brighter future for our state. Born from a love for Arizona and a desire to help our state succeed, we invest all of our time and resources into the state and its people. We listen to Arizonans to learn what matters most to them, share trusted data about how Arizona is doing in those priority areas, bring critical issues to public attention, and work with communities and leaders to solve public problems. We work across the full spectrum of important issues areas and have deep and ongoing engagement in the areas of education, workforce development, and civic health, recognizing how essential these are to a bright and prosperous future for our state.
About Education Forward Arizona
Education Forward Arizona was created to change the way people think about and support education as the key driver to improving the economy and quality of life in Arizona. The organization’s work includes providing scholarships and innovative programs to students and advocating for policies and funding that move the Achieve60AZ postsecondary attainment goal and other Arizona Education Progress Meter goals forward. Learn more at EducationForwardArizona.org
About One Arizona
One Arizona is made up of 28 organizations active all over Arizona. We are completely nonpartisan, focused on improving the lives of Arizonans, especially people of color and young people, by building a culture of civic participation.
About Teach for America
Teach For America is a non-profit organization that enlists recent college graduates of all academic majors to teach for two years in urban and rural public schools. Through this effort, Teach For America is growing the movement of leaders who work to ensure kids growing up in poverty get an excellent education. Corps members teach pre-k through grade 12 in nearly 50 regions across the United States.
About Valley of the Sun United Way
Valley of the Sun United Way envisions a community where every child, family and individual is healthy, has a safe place to live, and has every opportunity to succeed in school, in life and in work. As we work with our community, corporate and nonprofit partners to implement MC2026, our five-year plan for Mighty Change, we will put all of our efforts toward reaching bold goals for Maricopa County in health, housing and homelessness, education and workforce development. Join us at www.vsuw.org.