>>> COMING UP NEXT ON ARIZONA HORIZON:POVERTY LEVELS IN PHOENIX ARE AT THEIR LOWEST LEVELS IN YEARS.

.ALSO TONIGHT: WE'LL HEAR FROM PRIVATE-SCHOOL OFFICIALS WHO CELEBRATE SCHOOL CHOICE, BUT NOT NECESSARILY ARIZONA'S SCHOOL VOUCHER PROGRAM.AND, 2-NEW ENDOSCOPIC TECHNIQUES PROMISE TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR MORE TRADITIONAL, INVASIVE PROCEDURES.

THOSE STORIES AND MORE, NEXT, ON ARIZONA HORIZON.

>> ARIZONA HORIZON MADE POSSIBLE BY YOU AND PBS.

>>> GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO ARIZONA HORIZON.

I'M TED SIMONS.

POVERTY LEVELS IN PHOENIX ARE THE LOWEST REPORTED LEVELS IN YEARS, WITH "CHILDHOOD" POVERTY RATES DROPPING CLOSE TO 5-PERCENT SINCE 2019.JESSICA BOEHM FROM AXIOS PHOENIX HAS BEEN FOLLOWING THE STORY, SHE JOINS US NOW.

IT'S GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN.

>> GREAT TO SEE YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR TALKING ABOUT THIS.

WE ARE TALKING PHOENIX AND THE VALLEY.

>> PHOENIX METRO.

>> LOWEST IN FIVE YEARS.

>> YOU SAW THAT AND WENT REALLY.

THINGS ARE ROUGH ECONOMICALLY.

>> WE DON'T HAVE MUCH ECONOMIC NEWS HERE.

12% IN 2019, ANY IDEA WHY THAT CHANGED.

>> WE HAVE SEEN WAGES RISE.

THEY WERE STAGNENT COMING OUT OF THE RECESSION.

WE HAD A DID I HAVEs DIFFICULT TIME.

SO, THAT IS ONE OF THE BIG REASONS ENDEAVOR WAREHOUSELY, CHILDHOOD POVERTY AND SEVERAL PROGRAMS DURING THE RECESSION WITH CHILD TAX CREDITS AND OTHER THINGS.

>> THE PROGRAMS DIDN'T MAKE THE DIFFERENCE.

WE CONSIDER POVERTY AT THE LEVEL TO BE 32,000 AS WE KNOW OFF OF $32,000 IN PHOENIX IS STILL DIFFICULT.

>> YEAH, I WANT TO GET BACK TO THAT IN A SECOND.

THE CHILDHOOD POVERTY RATE, 17 IN 01912.5%.

WHAT ABOUT SINGLE MOMS WORKS.

>> OUR CHILDHOOD POVERTY AGENCY POINTED TO THIS.

WE HAVE MORE MOTHERS IN THE WORK FORCE.

ESPECIALLY THE SINGLE MOTHERS.

WAGES HAVE RISEN.

WE TALK ABOUT THE CHILD TAX CREDIT.

THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT MANY AGENCIES ARE STILL PUSHING TO EXPAND AND TO RENEW MOVING FORWARD.

>> THE CHILDHOOD POVERTY RATE IS HIGHER THAN THE GENERAL OVERALL.

>> THAT ONE KILLS ME TO SEE.

THAT WAS THE HARDEST PART.

THIS IS SO GREAT THE CHILD POVERTY IS INCREASING.

WOE HAVE MORE CHILDREN IN THE COUNTRY.

THE REASON WHY THAT'S SO TROUBLING IS BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT CYCLES OF POVERTY.

IF YOU HAVE CHILDREN GROWING UP IN POVERTY OR STRUGGLING TO GET PROPER NUTRITION AND HOUSING.

THE ABILITY FOR THEM TO GO AND LEARN AT SCHOOL IT'S DIMINISHED AND PUTS THEM ON A PATH.

>> YOU LOOKED AT HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMAS AND THOSE WHO GOT THEM AND DIDN'T.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

>> THERE IS, IT'S A FASCINATING SUBCORRECT.

WE HAVE A BIG CONVERSATION.

DOES COLLEGE STILL MATTER IN THE WORLD OF AI.

MAYBE WE WILL READDRESS THAT WHEN IT'S APART OF OUR LIVES.

WE CAN SEE A TRUE AND CORRECT CONNECTION BETWEEN THE LEVEL OF EDUCATION AND LIKELY HAD OFF OF LIVING IN POVERTY.

>> THE RATE AT THE DECLINED WITH THE HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA.

THAT'S A DROP.

IT INCREASED FOR THOSE WITH A DIPLOMA.

4-POINT TO 4.4.

IT'S MUCH BETTER THAN 20%.

>> EXAGGERATELY.

>> FOLKS TA DON'T HAVE A COLLEGE DIPLOMA THAT DROP.

ONE THING Y'ALL THINK ABOUT A LOT.

THE RECESSION WAS DIFFICULT.

OF OUR INDUSTRY WAS TIED TO HOUSING.

OVER THE LAST 0, 5 YEARS.

WE ARE TRIED TO DIVERSIFY THAT.

YOU TONIGHT NECESSARILY NEED A HIGH END COLLEGE DEGREE TO MAKE A DECENT LIVING I WONDER.

>> THE OTHERTIES ON SIDDERED OUR PIER CITIES.

WE ARE ON THE LOWER END OF BIGGITIES AS FAR AS POVERTY GOES.

>> IF SOMEONE WERE TO SAY THEY ARE TING SOMETHING RIGHT HERE.

>> I'D POINT BACK TO THE DIVERSIFICATION OF THE INDUSTRY.

I THINK IT'S HARD TO AVOID TALKING ABOUT TSMC.

THEY HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE HIGHLY COLLEGE EDUCATED.

THEY ARE MAKING DECENT SALARIES.

THEY HAVE DONE REALLY WELL FOR THE STATE.

>> AS WE REFERRED TO EARLIER PHOENIX HIT HARD BY THE PANDEMIC.

THE RECOVERY IS QUICKER.

>> YOU HAVE TO HOPE SO.

>> YES, LOOKING AT HOW DIFFICULT THE RECESSION WAS.

I THINK WE HAVE SEEN A MUCH DIFFERENT SITUATION.

THERE WERE DIFFERENT SOCIAL SAFETY NETS PUT IN PLACE AND THAT'S ON THE CHILDHOOD PROPERTY.

>> THANK YOU FOR COMING ON.

WHO DO WE TAKE FROM THE NUMBERS IN.

>> I'D TAKE THEM WITH A GRAIN OF SALT.

WE R HAPPY TO SEE PEOPLE IN THAT EXTREMELY LOW INCOME LEVEL RISE IN THAT CATEGORY.

I THINK ABOUT THE FACT ARE STILL MORE THAN HALF OF RENTERS IN ARIZONA.

THAT'S A REALLY UNSUSTAINABLE THING.

A MOMENT TO SAY WE ARE ON THE RIGHT TRACK.

>> ALL RIGHT, JESSICA, GOOD TO SEE YOU AGAIN, WE WILL LOOK TO MORE REPORTS IN THE FUTURE.

>>> NEW VISTAS CENTER FOR EDUCATION IS A PRIVATE SCHOOL FOR PRE-K- THRU-6TH GRADE STUDENTS THAT FOCUSES ON WHAT THE CENTER DESCRIBES AS "ADVANCED ACADEMICS WITHOUT LIMITS. "

AS A PRIVATE SCHOOL, NEW VISTAS SUPPORTS SCHOOL CHOICE, BUT OFFICIALS DON'T NECESSARILY SUPPORT THE WAY THAT THE STATE'S ESA VOUCHER SYSTEM IS WORKING.JOINING US NOW IS CAROL ELIAS, CO- DIRECTOR OF NEW VISTAS CENTER FOR EDUCATION.

AND ALSO WITH US, CO-DIRECTOR KRISTI ROHER.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

GIVE US THE DESCRIPTION OF YOUR SCHOOL.

OF.

>> WE HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR YEARS.

OUR KIDS IT'S ABOUT LEARNING AND ADVANCEMENT.

IT'S ABOUT SCHOOL PARTS.

>> AS FAR AS, IT DIFFERS FROM THE STANDARD PARADIGM.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> HOW SO IN.

>> WE BELIEVE AT ANY AGE THERE SHOULD BE NO CEILING ON YOUR LEARNING.

SAY YOU COME TO SCHOOL AND YOU ARE 4 YEARS OLD.

YOU KNOW YOUR LETTERS AND SOUND AND KNOW HOW TO ADD.

YOU SHOULD BE READY FOR THE NEXT STEP WITHIN YOUR CLASSROOM AND DEVELOPMENTAL PEERS.

WE TONIGHT WANT TO SKIP A AGREED WE WANT TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU NEED.

THAT COULD LOOK LIKE PUTS ALGEBRA 1 AT NINE.

>> IS THAT WITHOUT LIMITS.

>> THAT'S IT.

>> EVERY STUDENT IS TESTED PRIOR TO BEING ON OUR CAMPUS.

THAT TELLS US ABOUT THE CHILD.

WE KNOW THAT.

WE JUST FINISHED OUR FALL TESTING.

WE TESTED EVERY STUDENT ON THE CAMPUS AT THE LEVEL BASED ON PREVIOUS SCORES.

AT OUR SCHOOL, YOU DON'T HAVE TO GO TO AN OLDER GRAD TO LEARN SOMETHING MORE ADVANCED.

IT SHOULD BE TAUGHT SO YOU DAY WITH PEERS.

>> IT'S VERY INDIVIDUALIZED.

>> TRUE.

>> WE TYPICALLY TO SMALL GROUPS AND DON'T WANT TO LOOK LOOKING TUTORING.

WE WANT A PIER CONNECTION AND MOTIVATION COMING WITHIN PEER DRIVE.

TEACHERS NEED DATA RIGHT AWAY.

OUR TEAMWORKED FOR THE LAST MONTH TO GET DATA NOW.

>> I THINK PUBLIC SCHOOLTEACHERS WOULD LOVE TO HAVE THAT IN MY CLASSROOMS AND DISTRICT.

WHY CAN'T PUBLIC COOLS DO WHAT YOU ARE DOING?

>> IT'S HOW YOU ALATE MONEY.

HOW YOU PRIORITIZE.

IT'S OWE THEY GROUP THEIR CHILDREN.

SOME HAVE FOUR GROUPS AND SOME FIVE.

WE HAVE A LITTLE MORE HELP FOR TEACHERS TOO.

>> THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO TALK ABOUT.

THE VOUCHER PROPROGRAM HERE.

YOU BENEFIT FROM THE PROIAM, I'M SURE.

YOU ALSO GET QUESTIONS AND CONCERNS.

WHO WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THAT IN.

>> TO TWO BACK TO WHAT ARROLL WAS TALKING ABOUT.

WE ARE 450 EM PLOWIES.

TO REALLY INVEST IN HIGH QUALITY STAFF.

WE ARE ASKING IF IT'S POSSIBLE OF A TEACHER OF 30 STUDENTS IT'S NOT POSSIBLE.

ONE THING WE BELIEVE IS THAT MONEY SHOULD BE VERY MUCH WITHIN CORE ACADEMIC LEARNING AND GROWTH.

ALSO HOW IS THAT MEASURED TO BE SURE WE ARE DOING RIGHT BY CHILDREN.

>> SO, MAYBE MORE FOR TEACHERS.

MORE ARE TO GET MORE TEACHERS AND FEWER CHILDREN IN CLASSROOMS AND GET FOLKS THAT CAN TAKE DATA AND FIGURE OUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

>> THOSE ARE THE IMPORTANT THINGS.

WE NEED ENOUGH CHILDREN IN THE CLASSROOM.

FRIENDSHIPS AND FUN AND THE FUN PARTS ARE THERE TOO.

USUALLY 18 TO 24.

THAT TEACHER HAS A TEACHER'S AID.

A FULL-TIMES TEACHER'S AID.

AND ANOTHER TEACHER IN THE CLASSROOM, COTEACHER TO HELP.

YOU TEACH SECOND GRADE AND HAVE MATH GROUPS.

YOU NEED MORE HELP TO TEACH.

>> TOBIN, THE IDEAS WOULD BE WONDERFUL ACROSS THE BOARD AND EVERYWHERE.

PEOPLE SAY, WE HAVE A LOT OF FOLKS ON THE PROGRAM AND SAY, BECAUSE OF ESAs MONEY IS DRAINED OUT OF THE EXHIBIT NO.

LICK SCHOOLS THEY CAN'T DO THESE KINDS OF THINGS.

DO YOU HAVE A POINT.

>> ONE THING WE FIND TO BE TRAGIC ABOUT THE PROGRAM AND OVERSIGHT PIECE IS JUST NOT REALLY KNOWING EXACTLY HOW THESE CHILDREN ARE LEARNING.

WE TALK A LOT.

YOU CAN OPEN UP A NEWS PAPER TODAY AND READ SOMETHING ABOUT HOW THE ESA MONEY WAS SPENT.

WE TONIGHT TALK A LOT ABOUT WHAT CHILDREN ARE LEARNING.

TEACHING IS SACRED WORK.

WORKING WITH CHILDREN IS SACRED.

IT'S OUR RESPONSIBILITY AS A TATE TO KNOW WHAT CHILDREN ARE LEARNING.

>> PLEASE, EXPAND ON THAT.

>> THE MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT ON LEARNING AND LEARNING ONLY.

I'M OKAY WITH WHERE IT'S SPENT AS LONG AS WE REQUIRE DATA TO SUPPORT TESTING WHEN THAT GO IN THEIR AGREED AND WHEN THEY LEAVE THE GRADE.

OUR MONEY SHOULDN'T BE GOING TO THINGS THAT ARE NOT EFFECTIVE FOR CHILDREN.

PARENTS DON'T KNOW THAT.

THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO LOOK AT THESE THINGS.

THAW ARE STUCK WITH WHAT A SCHOOL MIGHT SAY ABOUT THEMSELVES.

IT'S DATA WE NEED.

DATA WE NEED TO COUNTERACT THE TA-TA WE HAVE ABOUT OUR TATE RIGHT NOW.

>> BEFORE YOU GO, CAN YOU DO ALL OF THESE THINGS.

IF TOMORROW, THE ESA PROGRAM EVAPORATES.

CAN YOU DO THAT WITH PUBLIC COOLS IF ESA GOES AWAY.

>> THERE WOULD BE A LOT OF RED TAPE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE AT THE HEAD.

I MEAN, THERE ARE A LOT OF ASPECTS OF PUBLIC SCHOOL THAT WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE.

THE BUREAUS -- BUREAUCRACY WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE.

>> DO YOU AGREE?

>> OF COURSE.

OUR SCHOOL HAS BEEN HERE FOR 46 YEARS.

FOR 44 OF THE YEARS ESA DIDN'T WORK FOR REGULAR SCHOOLS.

WE WERE FINE WITHOUT IT.

WE ARE NOT SEEKING THE MONEY BUT SEEKING FOR PEOPLE WHO CHOSE TO ELECT TO USE ESA MONEY.

WE ARE ALL ABOUT ACCOUNTABILITY FOR THE KIDS SAKE.

WE KNOW, THE MONEY WE CONTRIBUTE AND SHOULD DO THIS FOR EDUCATION.

IT'S FOR THE CHILDREN AND LEARNING SUCCESSFULLY.

>> ALL RIGHT, WE'LL HAVE TO STOP IT RIGHT THERE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> REALLY NICE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING NICE ABOUT IT.

>>> TWO NEW NON-INVASIVE ENDOSCOPIC PROCEDURES PROMISE TO ELIMINATE THE NEED FOR PATIENTS TO UNDERGO MORE TRADIONAL, "INVASIVE" PROCEDURES.

THE GOAL IS TO GIVE PATIENTS A QUALITY OF LIFE NOT PREVIOUSLY AVAILABLE WHEN DEALING WITH COMPLEX BOWEL SURGERY.TO LEARN MORE, WE WELCOME DR.

NEIL SHARMA, THE CHIEF OF GASTRO- ENTEROLOGY AT BANNER MD ANDERSON CANCER CENTER.

>> WELCOMING DR., GOOD TO ARE YOU HERE.

WHAT IS THIS PROCEDURE.

>> WE UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES YOU TO SLEEP AND GO DOWN INTO YOUR STOMACH AND ACCESS INTERNAL ORGANS.

>> WE ARE TALKING NEW PROCEDURES.

WHAT IS CHANGING.

>> THE WORLD CHANGED A LOT.

THEY RAPIDLY INVOLVED AZTEC NELUMBO GETS BETTER.

BECAUSE THEY ADVANCE LET US DO THINGS IN A FASHION THAT'S LESS INVASIVE AND CONSEQUENCES FOR THE PATIENT.

SO, BEFORE IT WOULD GO DOWN WITH A SCOPE AND YOU WERE LIMITED TO TAKE A LOOK IF SOMEONE HAS EVIDENCE OF REFLUX OR ULCER IN YOUR STOMACH.

WE REITERATED THE SCOPE OF THE NEW TECH NELUMBO.

>> ALL RIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS.

THE FIRST ONE IS CALLED.

A GASTROBYPASS.

>> WE USE A SCOPE TA HAS AN ULTRASOUND.

THE PROCEDURES ON THE SCREEN HERE.

WHAT YOU SEE, IS BY TAKING AN ULTRASOUND AND WE TAKE A NEEDLE AND WE ACHALEY TO THROUGH THE STOMACH AND INTO THE LEVEL OF BOWL.

IT OPENS UP A CATHATER OR BOWL AND IT'S CONNECTED.

>> WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS IN.

>> WE WOULD DO THIS ON CANCER PATIENTS THAT ARE OBSTRUCTED.

THEY HAVE A BLOCKAGE.

THEY HAVE A BLOCKAGE FROM PANCREAS CANCER.

>> STOMACH CANCER AS WELL.

>> IS IT FOR CANCER HERE, ANY KIND OF BLOCKAGE, WOULD THIS WORK.

>> THAT'S RIGHT, IF THE LOWER PART OF THE STOPPIC OR FIRST PART OF THE SMALL BOWEL.

THERE ARE OTHER AREAS WE CAN CONNECT AS WELL.

DOES IT LAST FOREVER OR UPDATED EVERY NOW AND THEN IN.

>> AS LONG AS THEY NEED IT.

THEY TWO WITH THIS PARTICULAR EXTENT FOR TWO YEARS OR GREATER.

>> WHAT ABOUT RISKS.

BENEFITS ARE OBVIOUS.

WHAT ABOUT THE RISKS.

>> THE BENEFIT WE ARE DOING THIS WITHOUT AN OPEN INCEST.

WE HAD TO OPEN INSENSATION.

LIMIT YOUR TIME.

THE RISKS ARE SIMILAR TO OTHER SURGERIES.

>> WHAT ABOUT LIKE, I'D IMAGE THE AMOUNT OF FOOD YOUR STOMACH CAN HOLD.

>> THIS ALLOWS MOST TO REFER TO A FAIRLY NORMAL DIET.

>> OKAY, THE SECOND PROCEDURE IS AN ULTRASOUND TRANSGASTRIC.

>> THIS IS FOR PATIENTS THAT HAD A PRIOR BYPASS.

THE TWO ARE EXCLUDED.

WE NEED TO BET INTO THE OTHER AREA EXCLUDED.

WE HAD TO DO LAPAROSCOPIC.

WE CONNECT THEM BACK TOGETHER AND FROM THERE, WE GO IN AND FIND CANCERS OR PREFORM THERAPIES.

>> WOW, THIS IS FOR THOSE WOULD HAD GASTRIC BYPASS SURGERY.

IS THIS AN OUTPATIENT PROCEDURE.

>> THEY SHOW UP TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM.

>> YOU TALK ABOUT AS TRACHEA BYPASS.

I WAS READING ABOUT GALLSTONES.

>> SOME NEED TO REMAIN ON CHEMO.

WE DON'T WANT TO A ROBOTIC RO SEED JURY BECAUSE THAT LIMITS THE TIME THEY NEED TO RECOVER.

WE CONNECT IT TO THE BOWEL.

>> THE PROCEDURE, THAT TYPE OF PROCEDURE DONE IN 30 MINUTES.

THEY ARE EITHER THE SAME DAY.

CHEMOTHERAPIES.

THIS PATIENT HAS CANCER AND REMAINS ON TREATMENT.

>> A LITTLE LONGER FOR THE PREVIOUS PROCEDURE IN.

>> WE ADVANCED THE DIET OVER ONE OR TWO DAYS.

>> MINIMALLY INVASIVE ASPECT IS THE BOTTOM LINE.

THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

>> MAKING IT MORE EFFICIENT AND LESS RECOVERY TIME.

THEY GET LESS RISK AND OVERALL THE TIME IT TAKES TO GET BACK ON YOUR FEET.

>> IS THIS IT.

>> WE ARE ON THE PROCESS RIGHT NOW.

WHILE THEY HAVE BEEN OUT FOR ANYWHERE FROM 2 TO 5 YEARS.

NOW AT BANNER HEALTH.

WE COULD CONSTANTLY REITERATE.

>> DR.NEIL, VERY INTERESTING STUFF.

THANK YOU FOR SHARING.

>> I APPRECIATE YOUR TIME.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

HAVE A GREAT