In a recent address to the House Education Committee, Arizona’s state schools chief, Tom Horne, emphasized the need for safe school environments to foster academic success. He is advocating for increased funding to place more armed officers on campuses. “This year we are requesting an increase in the appropriation for police officers in the schools,” Horne said. According to a report by the Arizona Republic dated April 15, 2024, schools have been calling law enforcement over 500 times annually due to gun threats.
Horne highlighted that since taking office in 2023, he has prioritized increasing police presence in schools, raising numbers from 190 to 565 officers. He warned of potential tragedies if funding does not meet demands for new officers: “If there is no increase in funding and one of the districts or counties that asked for new police officers did not get them had a preventable incident at one of its campuses that would be a real tragedy.”
He also noted academic improvements attributed to focused teaching on core subjects. Project Momentum, initially sponsored by Governor Ducey and later adopted by the Department of Education after its elimination by Ducey’s successor, has shown significant progress. Schools using this program reported double the state average progress in reading and triple in math.
Efforts with the Office of Indian Education have led to improved outcomes in Native American districts like Ganado and Red Mesa. Additionally, interventions at Wilson School resulted in a 27% increase in math scores.
Horne discussed reallocating federal COVID funds towards free tutoring, resulting in substantial progress for students involved. He also promoted school choice through the Empowerment Scholarship Program and advocated for Proposition 123 renewal with direct teacher pay raises.
The State of Arizona Department of Education continues efforts to enhance student readiness through initiatives like the Student Industry Partnership.
