One of the most celebrated programs receiving funding is the 9th Grade On-Track initiative. At Camelback High School in Phoenix, where the program was piloted in 2019, on-track rates for freshman nearly doubled, with graduation rates climbing from 72% to 92%.
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The Issue:
Many Arizona students who fall behind during their freshman year never recover academically, reducing their chances of graduating on time.
The Stats:
State funding expanded 9th Grade On-Track programs from serving about 4,900 students during the 2025-26 school year to more than 20,000 students in 2026-27. Research shows students who complete ninth grade on track are three times more likely to graduate on time.
The Solution:
A $3.4 million state investment allowed six additional school districts to launch or expand 9th Grade On-Track programs that provide early intervention, academic monitoring and individualized support to help freshmen stay on pace for graduation.
Freshman students at more Arizona high schools will have access to academic support programs this school year after lawmakers approved $3.4 million in fiscal year 2026 funding to expand 9th Grade On-Track initiatives.
The expansion comes as the program faces an uncertain future. While lawmakers included funding for this current fiscal year, they did not appropriate additional funding for new grants in the fiscal year 2027 budget.
"More than 20,000 freshmen from communities across Arizona in 9th Grade On-Track are benefiting from expanded funding in 2026, but it was cut from the budget for this school year," said Jacob Sumner, marketing and communications manager for Stand for Children Arizona.
Under the final budget, the grant program is funded for up to 22,650 ninth-grade students in fiscal year 2026, but no new grant funding was provided for FY2027 as lawmakers pared spending during budget negotiations.
Supporters say the cuts came despite evidence the program improves graduation rates and college readiness, while budget critics argued several education and workforce initiatives were eliminated to reduce overall state spending.
More than 20,000 students are expected to attend schools offering 9th Grade On-Track programs during the 2026-27 school year, up from about 4,900 students the previous year.
New or expanded programs are launching in Holbrook Unified, Mesa Public Schools, J.O. Combs Unified, Tolleson Union High School District, Casa Grande Union High School District and Apache Junction Unified School District. They join Phoenix Union High School District and Mingus Union High School District, which already operate the programs.
The initiative is designed to identify freshmen at risk of falling behind and provide targeted academic support early in their high school careers.
Research has found that students who finish ninth grade on track to graduate are three times more likely to earn a diploma on time.
At Camelback High School in the Phoenix Union district, the program increased graduation rates by nearly 20 percentage points while nearly doubling the number of freshmen who remained on track for graduation. Districtwide participation also led to a more than 300% increase in dual enrollment participation, helping prepare students for college, careers and military service.
"Building a stronger and more prosperous Arizona starts with keeping students on track for graduation and helping them graduate high school better prepared for college, a career, or the military," Sumner said. "Continuing to expand this program and let more students benefit in next year’s budget should be one of our legislature's top priorities."
Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Meet Stacy Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
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