The West Valley Think Tank is a direct outgrowth of discussions prompted by Westmarc, a coalition of governments and businesses supporting the diverse interests and needs of Western Maricopa County. The Think Tank is based on several fundamental principles:

• That superior educational resources are vital to economic development and quality of life
• That school districts, community colleges, Grand Canyon University and Arizona State University at the West campus are increasingly interdependent in the enterprise of education
• That unity leads to strength
• That genuine, long-term problem-solving must be a collective activity built on trust