Arizona Coalition Launches State 48 Graduate Profile to Redefine What It Means to Be Future-Ready

News Source: Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy at Northern Arizona University

Phoenix, AZ – January 8, 2026 – What if a high school diploma meant more than credits earned and clearly communicated to colleges, employers, and communities what a graduate is ready to do next?

Today, Arizona leaders in education, business, nonprofit, philanthropy, and government, partners in a statewide coalition, unveiled the State 48 Graduate Profile – a shared definition of what it means to be truly ready for life after high school. The profile sets a clear vision and expectation for Arizona’s 1.5 million youth and frames graduation as a launchpad, not an endpoint. 

The State 48 Graduate Profile is supported and stewarded by the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy at Northern Arizona University, in partnership with the Arizona Educational Foundation and SciTech Institute.

“At NAU, we believe education should be a powerful engine for economic mobility and social impact,” said José Luis Cruz Rivera, president of Northern Arizona University. “The State 48 Graduate Profile creates a clear bridge between K-12 education, higher education, and Arizona’s workforce – and puts our state’s youth and our economy on a path to prosperity.” 

Rather than focusing solely on seat time and credits earned, the State 48 Graduate Profile defines readiness for the real world students are entering – one shaped by rapid economic change, emerging technologies, and evolving workforce demands. It asks a simple question: What should a graduate actually be prepared to do the day after graduation?

At the core of the profile are four futures every Arizona graduate should be ready to pursue – enrollment, employment, enlistment & service, and entrepreneurship – supported by eight essential competencies that combine academic knowledge, durable human skills, and the digital fluency students need to be futureproof and adaptable in a rapidly changing economy.

“This is Arizona clearly stating that a high school diploma must truly signal readiness in today’s world and economy – not yesterday’s,” commented John Carruth, Superintendent of Vail Unified School District and Arizona’s 2025 Large District Superintendent of the Year. “Students, parents, educators, and employers made their voices clear in the State 48 Graduate Profile – we need a common north star for student academic success and preparation for the real world.” 

The State 48 Graduate Profile was shaped by both the lived experiences and future-forward expectations of students, families, educators, employers, and community members across the state. Over the course of 15 months, thousands of Arizonans participated through surveys, focus groups, summits, and listening sessions. Workforce trends, industry needs, and emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, were examined alongside community priorities to ensure the profile reflects both opportunity and reality.

“This profile reflects what educators have long believed about student success and agency,” commented Emmett Burnton, Arizona’s 2025 Teacher of the Year. “It gives us permission to build and to design learning geared toward students’ futures. Futures that encompass more than a career, more than a title, but those built on understanding themselves and their place in the world.” 

Importantly, the State 48 Graduate Profile is not a mandate or a checklist. It is designed as a shared framework that local communities and school systems can use to align programs, redesign learning experiences, and expand pathways for students, starting well before high school – from day one to diploma.

“This work won’t be quick, and it won’t belong to any single system or sector,” said Chad Gestson, Executive Director of the Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy. “As educators, employers, and communities align around this profile, it will become part of Arizona’s DNA, shaping opportunity for our youth and strengthening our long-term economic competitiveness.”

Over the coming year, Arizona leaders will focus on translating the profile into practice – aligning curriculum, expanding work-based learning, strengthening advising, and expanding partnerships that connect students to real opportunities.

“Arizona’s innovation economy depends on strong tech-ready talent pipelines that match the real demands of today and into the future,” said Steve Zylstra, president and CEO of the Arizona Technology Council and the SciTech Institute. “The State 48 Graduate Profile offers employers and families a common language about career readiness so when young Arizonans pursue professions, there’s confidence that they can contribute, adapt, and grow.”

This cross-sector effort also reinforces a simple truth: readiness doesn’t begin in high school. It begins long before, shaped by early learning experiences, strong foundations in literacy and numeracy, and the support systems that surround children and families from the very start. 

“What happens in the earliest years sets the trajectory for everything that follows,” said Melinda Gulick, CEO of First Things First, Arizona’s early childhood agency. “The State 48 Graduate Profile affirms that preparing students for life after high school starts in early childhood. When we align early learning, K-12 education, and workforce readiness around a shared vision, we create better outcomes not just for students, but for families, communities, and Arizona’s future.”

More information about the State 48 Graduate Profile can be found at www.State48GP.org. For additional information about the profile, the coalition, or the future of school in Arizona, please email [email protected].