In 1997, PCIC joined with the adult education community to fight for a $2.25 million Pima County bond package for construction of the El Pueblo Liberty Adult Learning Center. Included in this voter-approved bond package was the building of the El Rio Adult Learning Center. In 2003-2004, PCIC contributed to securing continued funding for adult education in the face of legislative recommendation for elimination.

That same year, parents in the Sunnyside High School District worked with school officials to develop School Plus Jobs, an employment skills training and after school program. The program has worked successfully to prevent high school students from dropping out and to increase students' workforce readiness and post secondary enrollment. The program has been so successful that the Tucson City Council has recently expanded the program to five additional city high schools.

 In 1998, JobPath was established, an innovative, long-term skills education strategy that successfully trains unemployed and under-employed adults for living wage jobs with career futures. JobPath was conceived as a result of thousands of house meetings and individual conversations with Tucson residents who reported that they were working multiple minimum-wage jobs to make ends meet. The idea for JobPath was then discussed at a PCIC Bottom-Up Economic Summit with business leaders, clergy, politicians, and school officials. The program has continued to grow and in 2005 received a $276,000 U.S. Dept. of Labor High Growth Jobs Initiative Grant for Biotechnology career training.

 In 2005, PCIC won a major victory for children and youth in the mid-term City Council election, when candidates for council committed to dedicate 1% of the city’s budget to children and youth programs.