As school districts across Arizona continue to grapple with teacher shortages and retention challenges, a Tucson Values Teachers' newest program, a platform designed by educators, is expanding regionally to support educators.

Lumia, a district-verified online community where teachers support teachers, is now live across seven Southern Arizona counties (Pima, Pinal, Cochise, Santa Cruz, Graham, Greenlee, and Yuma). Created by Tucson Values Teachers, presented by the Helios Education Foundation and the Thomas R. Brown Foundations, and developed in collaboration with local Tucson educators, Lumia provides practical peer support, shared resources, and one-on-one mentorship to reduce isolation and support teachers in staying in the profession.

The expansion comes at a critical moment. According to the Arizona Department of Education’s Fall 2025 Teacher Shortage Impact Report, more than 1,000 unplanned teacher vacancies occurred statewide this school year—educators who resigned after July 1 or never reported to work. An additional 4,242 teaching positions, roughly 7% of all planned roles, are currently being filled through alternative methods such as long-term substitutes, contracted staff, or classified personnel.

Lumia was designed to address these concerns in the teacher workforce. The platform includes robust features including a social feed to share classroom strategies, groups for specialized support based on grade and subject, and one-on-one mentoring opportunities. Teachers in the seven supported counties may sign up for a free account at any time.

Tucson Values Teachers plans to expand this program to additional counties in the near future as well.