$950K in Grants Providing Incentives to Arizona Teachers for Dual Enrollment Certification

Arizona educators who become certified to teach dual enrollment courses are now eligible for a $1,000 incentive, thanks to a $950,000 grant awarded by Helios Education Foundation to the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation’s ElevateEdAZ. This incentive aims to get more teachers dual enrollment certified to provide more equitable access to dual enrollment courses for students across Arizona.

To qualify for the $1,000 incentive, teachers must meet one of the following criteria:

• Be approved to teach a new dual enrollment course with an Arizona post-secondary institution between April 2024 and June 2025, or
• Be a current dual enrollment teacher who becomes qualified to teach an additional dual enrollment course.

Eligible dual enrollment courses must be on the ElevateEdAZ list of qualified courses, which includes courses with high transferability and/or are part of the Arizona General Education Curriculum. The incentives provided by ElevateEdAZ and Helios Education Foundation will be available from April 2024 to June 2025. This incentive is different from the incentive approved under Arizona’s state budget last year. More information about the criteria and process to apply for the $1,000 teacher incentive can be found here.  is available here.

Dual enrollment allows high school students to earn college credit while in high school and provides students an opportunity to accelerate their post-secondary pathway. It is rapidly gaining interest among students in Arizona and across the country, yet there is a limited number of teachers qualified to teach dual enrollment courses with more significant gaps in predominantly underserved communities.

“By expanding the number of certified dual enrollment teachers, we can significantly enhance educational opportunities for students across Arizona,” said Paul J. Luna, president and CEO of Helios Education Foundation. “These courses not only help students earn college credits early but also improve their chances of postsecondary success. Our partnership with the Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation helps to ensure that more students, especially those in underserved areas, have access to these valuable learning opportunities.”

Teachers being dual enrollment certified is vital for the health of our education system. Once more teachers are certified, students will have greater access to these courses, giving them the early opportunity to experience the coursework they will face in college. By completing dual enrollment courses students are twice as likely to go to college, earn higher GPAs, and complete their degrees. *

ElevateEdAZ strives to address student barriers by providing awareness and support to teachers. This incentive is not limited to our school district partnerships and teachers across the state can qualify to reach even more students. This incentive will support those in need of accessing dual enrollment opportunities while also supporting teachers in improving secondary education access for all Arizona students.

“By providing teacher incentives for newly qualified teachers, we aim to increase the number of courses offered, ultimately resulting in increased student dual enrollment participation and supporting students in completing post-secondary degrees that lead to high-wage, high-skill positions in growing fields,” said Jennifer Mellor, chief innovation officer, Greater Phoenix Chamber Foundation. “We are proud to partner with Helios Education Foundation on this important initiative.”