Office of Communications Blog

New school safety law means more officers, technology and training

  • Wed, May 7 2025

PHOENIX – More armed school campus officers, added safety technology and training are highlights of bipartisan school safety legislation that has now become law.

Education department DEI compliance website is live

  • Tue, Apr 29 2025

PHOENIX – A page on the Arizona Department of Education (AZED) website has been established to list the districts and charter operators that have or have not certified compliance with new federal guidance regarding Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs.

Horne critical of Phoenix Union board for rejection of safety officers

  • Thu, Apr 24 2025

PHOENIX – A recent vote by the Phoenix Union High School District (PXU) governing board rejecting requests of two high schools’ administrators and employees for armed officers was an error and puts those campuses at risk, according to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne.

Horne applauds two Arizona Distinguished Schools

  • Mon, Apr 21 2025  •
    • News

PHOENIX - The Arizona Department of Education has selected Ed Pastor Elementary School in Yuma and Tsaile Elementary School in Chinle as National Distinguished Schools for the State of Arizona.

Horne: On DEI, AG Mayes is wrong and risks $770 million

  • Thu, Apr 17 2025

PHOENIX – Attorney General Kris Mayes is wrong in claiming that the Arizona Department of Education has no legal authority to withhold federal funds to districts and charters that fail to comply with new guidance regarding Diversity Equity and Inclusion programs, according to Superintendent Tom Horne.

Schoolchildren celebrate school nutrition law with Horne, Rep. Biasucci, other lawmakers

  • Tue, Apr 15 2025

PHOENIX – A new state law that restricts schools from providing harmful foods on campus is being celebrated by schoolchildren joined by state lawmakers and schools chief Tom Horne at a commemoration of the bipartisan bill’s being signed into law by the Governor. 

Horne: Schools on notice as Kyrene will lose $1.5 million with vote to defy federal guidance

  • Fri, Apr 11 2025

PHOENIX – The Kyrene school district in Phoenix will give up more than $1.5 million in federal funds now that the governing board has adopted a policy that further embeds Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) language into district operations, according to state schools chief Tom Horne. He adds that all Arizona districts and charters are on notice to take this matter seriously.

Horne: Federal dollars at risk if schools ignore new federal DEI guidance

  • Thu, Apr 3 2025

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is forwarding to schools statewide the new guidance issued today by the U.S. Department of Education requiring schools to acknowledge they will follow federal civil rights law and avoid the use of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programs. Schools that do not comply with the federal guidance risk losing federal funding.

Horne: Feds agree with my position protecting parents’ rights

  • Wed, Apr 2 2025

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has forwarded letters from the U.S. Department of Education to Arizona public schools notifying them that they must submit documentation that shows they are following federal privacy law in order to uphold parents’ rights or risk losing federal funds.

Horne, Maricopa Co. Sheriff Sheridan urge more action to battle truancy, absenteeism

  • Wed, Mar 26 2025

PHOENIX – in response to the 30 percent statewide chronic absenteeism rate in Arizona, state schools chief Tom Horne and Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan are urging law enforcement, the courts, parents and schools to make sure school-aged students are attending school and any violations of state law are promptly addressed by the legal system.