In response to a vote of the Arizona Correctional Educators, Inc. (ACE) Membership and in fulfillment of the ACE Strategic and Tactical Plan of Action section for Organizational Development, the ACE Governing Board voted to adopt a regional structure for the organization which aligns with the Regional Educational Service and Support Centers recently established for the state of Arizona. The Regional Educational Service and Support Centers are a collaborative enterprise of the Governor’s Office, Arizona Department of Education and County School Superintendents throughout the state. The ACE regional structure will mirror the five geographic regions as follows:
· Region 1 will serve Apache, Coconino and Navajo counties
· Region 2 will serve Maricopa County
· Region 3 will serve Cochise, Pima and Santa Cruz counties
· Region 4 will serve Gila, Graham, Greenlee and Pinal counties
· Region 5 will serve Mohave, La Paz, Yavapai and Yuma counties
The ACE regional structure will support the following ACE strategic goals:
1. Expand membership and outreach services to correctional educators and related professionals that are relevant, practical, locally and regionally defined and delivered through partnerships and collaborations
2. Facilitate statewide and regional trainings, seminars, and workshops specifically designed to meet the assessed needs of ACE members and disseminate information of interest related to best practice and the field of correctional education
3. Build awareness and educate all stakeholders at the local and regional levels about the special populations served by ACE members and increase advocacy efforts in the interest of advancing the field of correctional education