State of Arizona Department of Education
Recent News About State of Arizona Department of Education
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Three Arizona students receive prestigious U.S. Presidential Scholarship
State schools chief Tom Horne has expressed his admiration for the achievements of three Arizona high school students who were recently named as 2024 U.S. Presidential Scholars. The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program recognizes high school seniors for their accomplishments in academics, the arts, and career and technical education fields.
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Arizona's schools chief launches task force to combat Fentanyl crisis
In response to the escalating incidents of Fentanyl-related deaths and overdoses among Arizona's school-aged children, State Superintendent Tom Horne has unveiled an initiative aimed at combating this growing crisis. The initiative includes plans to equip schools with the anti-overdose drug Narcan and the establishment of a statewide task force.
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Horne praises ASU and UArizona response to protests, urges K-12 schools to follow suit
PHOENIX – State schools superintendent Tom Horne commended University of Arizona president Robert Robbins and Arizona State University president Michael Crow for their handling of student protests, calling it an exemplary model for K-12 schools. Horne expressed appreciation for their stance against antisemitism and emphasized the importance of maintaining a safe academic environment.Horne highlighted instances of antisemitic behavior in high schools following certain events and urged schools to prioritize academic instruction over potentially disruptive protests. He drew...
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Horne to US Ed Secretary: Quit threatening to shut down Grand Canyon University
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, has penned a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Michael Cardona, urging him to reconsider his stance on the potential shutdown of Grand Canyon University. Horne's letter comes in response to Cardona's recent threat to close down the institution, a move Horne deems as inappropriate for a Cabinet secretary.Horne criticized Cardona's approach, stating, "In the U.S., anyone accused of wrongdoing is presumed innocent and entitled to their day in court. For a Cabinet-level official, one who is sworn to uphold the U.S....
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Horne criticizes Governor’s classroom cell phone ban veto
State schools chief Tom Horne criticized Governor Katie Hobbs’ decision to veto a bill that would have allowed local districts and charters to implement a policy restricting the use of mobile devices in classrooms. Horne emphasized the importance of supporting teachers and preventing distractions in the learning environment. He stated, “Anyone with a minimum of empathy would empathize with teachers who try to teach while students are scrolling on their cell phones. Every instructional method is precious. A teacher should not have to put up with that interference with...
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Horne corrects false information about federal funds in letter from legislators
Arizona Department of Education's Director, Mr. Horne, has stepped forward to correct what he labeled as false information contained in a letter from six Democrat legislators, including the minority whip. The letter, as described by Mr. Horne, was concerning the allocation of federal funds to Title I schools.Mr. Horne clarified, "The Department of Education never had, and never would have, a plan to withhold federal funding allocations." He emphasized that their role is solely to distribute funds received from the federal government according to a predetermined formula....
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Parent Files Lawsuit Defending English as Language of the Classroom
PHOENIX – A Phoenix-area parent of a public-school student has filed a lawsuit challenging the Creighton Elementary School District’s use of dual language instruction in violation of a voter approved law requiring English Learners to be taught in English the entire school day.State schools superintendent Tom Horne expressed his stance on the matter, stating, “Each member of the Creighton Elementary school board will be compelled to leave the board immediately and will not be able to hold a position of authority in Arizona public schools for five years if the court agrees...
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Grand Canyon Times Podcast: Superintendent Tom Horne on 'critical race theory,' school bathroom policies, and Arizona school choice
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) joined the Grand Canyon Times Podcast to discuss several issues central to the state of education in Arizona, including 'critical race theory', school "bathroom policies," sexualized content in schools, and Arizona school choice.
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Arizona ESA program tops 70,000 students
The Arizona Department of Education announced this week that 70,062 Arizona students "benefit from an Empowerment Scholarship Account" as of November 6, 2023.
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Ariz. Dept. of Education: '68,455 Arizona Students benefit from an Empowerment Scholarship Account'
The Arizona Department of Education announced this week that 68,455 Arizona students "benefit from an Empowerment Scholarship Account" as of October 10, 2023.
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APP President Schilling on Marsh: 'To believe that young girls should be comfortable showering with males, behind a shower curtain or not, is utterly deranged'
In a video that recently surfaced, Sen. Christine Marsh (D-Phoenix) is shown voting against a bill that would have required schools to provide reasonable accommodations to students who did not identify with their biological sex without creating uncomfortable situations for other students, and recommending that the legislature simply pass a bill requiring shower curtains. Marsh's comments have drawn criticism as some point out that a shower curtain would likely not be sufficient for young girls uncomfortable with the prospect of biological males in their locker rooms.
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Poll: 69% of Americans oppose boys competing in girls sports, as lawsuit challenges Arizona’s ‘Save Women’s Sports Act’
As Ariz. Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne (R) and Republican state legislators defend against a lawsuit challenging a state law prohibiting boys from participating in girls’ sports, a recent Gallup poll finds 69% of Americans say “athletes should only be allowed to compete on sports teams that conform with their birth gender.”
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AZ Dept. of Education: '65,533 Arizona Students benefit from an Empowerment Scholarship Account'
The Arizona Department of Education announced this week that 65,533 Arizona students "benefit from an Empowerment Scholarship Account" as of August 5, 2023.
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AZ Dept. of Education: '60,561 Arizona Students benefit from an Empowerment Scholarship Account'
The Arizona Department of Education announced this week that there are more than 60,000 Arizona students in the state’s Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program.”
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Horne: Empower Hotline shows Critical Race Theory and other issues exist in Arizona schools
Valid concerns received from parents and teachers
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AZ Dept. of Education: '59,323 Arizona Students benefit from an Empowerment Scholarship Account'
The Arizona Department of Education announced this week that there are more than 59,000 Arizona students in the state’s Empowertment Scholarship Account (ESA) program.”
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Horne: 'The idea that people opposed to biological boys participating in girls sports are engaged in domestic terror is outrageous'
Arizona Superintendent of Public Education Tom Horne (R) criticized comments by former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi, who praised the Southern Poverty Law Center's (SPLC) recent “Year In Hate and Extremism 2022” report during a recent segment of MSNBC's Deadline: White House.
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Arizona's ban on boys playing in girls' school sports - everything you need to know
Your one-stop shop for news and commentary about Arizona's laws regarding transgender children
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Common Sense Institute research on Arizona Universal Empowerment Accounts: 'The state will have 124,000 ESA program participants by 2027-28'
The Common Sense Institute released a report on the future of Arizona’s Universal Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, which concludes they will not drastically change state funding and budget levels and likely will accommodate the increasing shift away from public education in the state.
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Arizona House Dem Leader criticized after sharing cropped photo of letter about state's Empowerment Scholarship Account program savings
Arizona House Democrat Leader Andrés Cano (D-20) received Twitter “Community Notes” after sharing only a portion of a letter he said showed “Empowerment Scholarship Accounts will bankrupt our state and public schools.”