Eyes On Learning Convenes Partners to Improve Vision Health for Arizona’s Children

Eyes On Learning convened partners from across Arizona in April for the 2026 Children’s Vision Health Forum to celebrate the progress made over the last decade and identify new and better approaches to help Arizona children access the services they need for their best vision health.

“This year marks 10 years of Eyes On Learning, 10 years of collaboration, persistence, and the shared belief that children’s vision is foundational to learning,” said Eyes On Learning Director Laura Smith. “Together, we have made real, substantial progress, and many of those things were started and shaped at Forums like this one.”

Eyes On Learning convened previous Children’s Vision Health Forums in 2019 and 2023.

Challenges in Rural Arizona

Participants learned and strategized around a variety of topics, including challenges to accessing vision care in rural Arizona.

“Per capita participation in Medicaid is double in rural areas,” said Will Humble, executive director for the Arizona Public Health Association, “but there are not many providers in rural communities” and some won’t see children on AHCCCS despite being contracted to do so. “We can improve the network so that more of the providers that are there will accept Medicaid.”

Gloria Vasquez, director of workforce for the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers, cited several factors contributing to high turnover among providers in rural communities, including low pay, high workload, high cost of medical assistant certification programs, and infrastructure deficiencies.

Morgan Scadden of the Arizona Department of Health Services reported encouraging data from the first year of implementation of Arizona’s vision screening policy and detailed barriers for schools in rural communities in completing screenings within the first 90 school days, as prescribed by the law. Challenges reported by schools included limited staff, daily workload, and student absences.

Eyes On Learning Champions

Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust President and CEO Steve Zabilski joined Laura Smith in recognizing two individuals as Eyes On Learning Champions for their enduring dedication to improving vision health for Arizona’s children.

“To be successful, a collective impact initiative like Eyes On Learning needs partners who are willing to answer every call and go above and beyond,” Smith said. “Partners working at the systems level, driving fundamental policy changes, and also those behind the ongoing, consistent implementation of programs and strategies that make a difference for individual children and families. You can’t have one without the other.”

Roy Pringle of Vitalyst Health Foundation was recognized for helping change the trajectory of the children’s vision health system in Arizona. “Through advocacy and policy work, with innovative ideas and quiet determination, he embodies the very heart of Eyes On Learning’s mission and model — when we work together, we can do amazing things,” Smith said.

Donna Harris of the Arizona Lions Vision and Hearing Foundation was recognized as an Eyes On Learning Champion for her tireless efforts and enduring spirit of service. “Donna has spent countless hours volunteering, traveling to schools and community centers, personally ensuring that vision screenings and exams reach children who need them most,” Smith said.