The Arizona School Boards Association wants to ensure that students spend as much time as possible in the classroom, proposing that the state raise the compulsory attendance age to 18.

Arizona is one of over a dozen states that require children to attend school up until age 16 or 10th grade completion. ASBA wants to raise that age to keep students from dropping out before they can access critical resources. 

The proposal is part of ASBA’s 2026 political agenda under its “Improve Opportunities and Outcomes for All Students” category.

“We want students to stay in the school system longer than just dropping out after freshman year of high school,” said Jimmy Arwood, director of governmental relations at ASBA. 

“That is what we know is best for kids, is when they are in controlled environments, controlled, safe environments where they are learning skill sets for their future.”

So much contributes to students’ graduation that raising the compulsory attendance age doesn’t necessarily result in higher graduation rates, explained Peter Boyle, senior director of education at the Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA). 

But, he added, it does give students more time to access resources and programs that create a higher likelihood that a student will graduate on time and pursue further education after graduation.

He pointed to dual enrollment and career and technical education (CTE) courses as one example. Many of these opportunities are not introduced until junior or senior year, often after students reach the age when they can legally drop out, Boyle said.

According to a 2017 study published in the American Educational Research Journal, high school students who complete CTE courses during their junior and senior years are more likely to graduate on time and less likely to drop out than students who do not take CTE courses. 

Conducted by researchers Michael A. Gottfried and Jay Plasman, the study found that for each CTE course completed during the junior year in high school, a student was 1.5% more likely to graduate on time and 1.6% less likely to drop out. 

For each CTE course completed during the senior year, a student was 2.1% more likely to graduate on time and 1.8% less likely to drop out. 

Students who participate in dual enrollment courses are twice as likely to enroll in post-secondary education, according to the Helios Education Foundation.

And 78% of students who complete CTE courses go on to college, according to the Center for the Future of Arizona.

Boyle added that even if students don’t plan to enroll in a post-secondary program, keeping them in school longer would still give them the opportunity to take CTE courses and earn certifications before leaving high school.

But rather than focusing solely on extending the upper end of the compulsory attendance age, Arwood and Boyle also stressed the importance of kids starting school early in life.

Arizona currently requires students to attend school starting at age 6, but Arwood and Boyle suggest that starting them even one year earlier could have a major impact.

A 20-year study released in 2022 by researchers at Georgetown University found that children in high-quality, universal pre-K programs are more likely to graduate from high school on time, enroll in college, and be more civically engaged.

Less than one-third (31%) of Arizona’s 3- and 4-year-old children are in quality early learning settings, according to the Arizona Education Progress Meter by Education Forward Arizona. 

“So I think if we were to consider any changes to compulsory free schooling, it may be beneficial to consider the front end for 5-year-olds having compulsory free schooling, and not the back end,” Boyle said.

But changing the compulsory attendance age isn’t so simple, Arwood said. 

“It would take a major lift to get this change put into law,” Arwood said. 

“There are a lot of people that want to keep options open for kids in different communities, and that there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to education, which I agree with.”

He added, “I think what the research tells us is that, minimally, having students in seats longer reduces crime in communities… [and] the more that students participate in conversations about society and about history, I think that does a lot for them and their careers.”

However, Boyle emphasized that simply keeping students in seats longer doesn’t guarantee better outcomes because that additional time has to be used for engaging learning.

“It also stands to reason that if students are just required to sit through high school for two more years without engaging learner-centered school and classroom environments, additional learning or success isn’t guaranteed,” Boyle said, noting Arizona’s high absenteeism rates.

“While it’s certainly true from research that additional time might benefit many students, I think it’s probably more accurate to say that how you use the time you have has more of an impact on students’ learning and success than just time alone.” 

This story is made possible through grant funding from the Arizona Local News Foundation’s Arizona Community Collaborative Fund.