Our collectively developed minority student achievement strategies must focus on achievement throughout the entire educational enterprise, from preschools through our graduate schools. When we value and evaluate achievement from this perspective, our partnerships assume an increasingly critical role. Above all else, achievement strategies must recognize the inherent strengths and advantages of partnerships while maintaining respect for system and institutional autonomy. Our most successful partnership programs have reflected this policy. Partnership strategies must address the specific needs of the population we serve.
Common strategies are often appropriate.
However, sensitivity must be demonstrated to the different cultures and histories of Arizona's minority student population. The major action-oriented focus of our compact is a series of five strategic commitments upon which we agree. These agreements will serve as the initial foundation for the compact and will be referred to our local boards and institutions for their adoption. We urge local boards to establish minority student access and achievement goals, including, where applicable, the adoption of long- term goals of proportional representation and comparable achievement. We urge individual educational individual educational institutions, where applicable, to establish administrative goals of proportional representation and graduation with comparable achievement for their minority student populations.