Grand Canyon Times

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has received the Excellence in Education Award from former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush after an expert panel at ExcelinEd’s National Summit on Education conference.

Ducey earned the award based on his "trailblazing contributions over the past eight years that have transformed education in Arizona," according to a release from the Governor's Office on Nov. 18.

"Arizona is proud to be a national leader in educational freedom,” Ducey said in the release. “We are dedicated to putting students on the path to success and ensuring parents remain in the driver’s seat of their children’s education. Now, all K-12 students in Arizona can access the education that best fits their unique needs. We want to see Arizona’s model replicated across the nation. Thank you Governor Jeb Bush and ExcelinEd for this distinct honor.”

Bush moderated the panel of Ducey, Khan Academy founder Sal Khan and Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, in which the group dove into innovations unfolding in Arizona. Khan is among the past winners of the award, along with former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels and Success Academy’s Eva Moskowitz, the release said.

“Gov. Doug Ducey is a tremendous leader who believes in the potential of every child, and has helped Arizona children access better educational outcomes,” Bush, founder and chairman of ExcelinEd, said. “I applaud Gov. Ducey for having the courage and conviction to put students first, for championing student-centered solutions, and having the vision to transform Arizona’s educational landscape.”

The panel discussed how Ducey's policies have fostered innovations with the power to transform education and transform lives, the release said.

"Arizona is proud to be a national leader in educational freedom. Thank you Gov. @JebBush and @ExcelinEd for the distinct honor of the Excellence in Education Award!" Ducey wrote on Twitter.