Valid concerns received from parents and teachers

PHOENIX – Complaints submitted to the Arizona Department of Education through the Empower Hotline have revealed potential violations to state law and demonstrate that elements of Critical Race Theory are present in the public school system.

Superintendent Tom Horne said, “Despite those in ideological groups and some in the media that propagate the urban myth that CRT is not a part of the school system, we have evidence from the empower hotline, that there is enough CRT in our schools to constitute a problem, though it is obviously not universal. We also have evidence that schools have put systems in place to hide or attempt to hide critical personal information from parents about their child. This is in direct violation of Arizona law, A.R.S. §1-602.”

He explained, “For example, Mesa is our largest district. A teacher reported through the hotline that the Mesa school district has a training program for teachers that clearly states that certain Americans are ‘living under a system of white supremacy.’ That is a divisive and bigoted statement that has no place in education. We are individuals, entitled to be judged by what we know, what we can do, our character, and not the color of our skin. To its credit, Mesa is in discussion with the Department about this.”

Other concerns raised include a spreadsheet distributed in the Catalina Foothills school district with a list of pronouns chosen by students. The email and attached file clearly show the school withholding information from parents contrary to A.R.S. §1-602.

In the Chandler Unified School District, a lunch time Gay-Straight Alliance Club was created to discuss gender issues but also included the distribution of emancipation paperwork, which a parent only knew ab out because parents found it in their students backpack. Both of the above are examples of activity contrary to Arizona law.

Since its launch in March, the Empower Hotline allows parents to report inappropriate content being taught that detract from teaching academic standards. These include those that focus on race or ethnicity, rather than individuals and merit, promoting gender ideology, social emotional learning, or inappropriate sexual content.

Horne added, “Since its inception earlier this year, ADE has been compiling information regarding inappropriate activity occurring in Arizona schools through the Empower Hotline. These complaints have come not just from concerned parents but also from teachers. When parents saw during COVID what students were being taught on their laptop, they were outraged by CRT content, and went to school board meetings, where some were treated rudely.  The Employer Hotline directs them to a method to communicate their concerns.

Horne added: “30,000 crank calls and emails do not intimidate us or keep us from doing our job.”

Raising academic outcomes for students in the public schools and empowering parents to ensure that the educational needs of their children are being appropriately met, are the priorities of Superintendent Horne. All legitimate complaints received through the Empower Hotline will continue to be accepted and investigated.

1,000 police reports at district schools in 2022-23

PHOENIX – State schools superintendent Tom Horne has directed Arizona Department of Education staff to directly award a total of just over $1.2 million for school safety grants to the Phoenix Union high schools that applied for funds to have on-campus law enforcement officers.

The schools are Cesar Chavez, Maryvale, Metro Tech, North, South Mountain and Trevor Browne high schools.

Horne explained, “The school safety grants were specifically requested by six high schools; therefore, they will receive those funds individually in accordance with those applications. Our first responsibility is to protect the safety and the lives of students and staff. The worst tragedy would be for a maniac to invade a school and kill students with no police officer there to protect them. In addition, the police officers are there all year, befriend the students, so students view them as friends rather than as the enemy, and the police officers also teach courses.”

Horne also noted that data collected from the Phoenix Police Department during the 2022-23 school year showed a total of approximately 1,000 calls for service at Phoenix Union campuses. These include multiple calls for shots fired, assault, persons with a gun, sexual abuse of a juvenile, stolen vehicles, and numerous other reports to police.

Horne added, “Having armed law enforcement officers on campuses is a necessity today. Just recently it was reported that a student at Phoenix Union’s Bostrom High School brought a fully loaded AR-15 rifle to campus. That student also possessed a device that would have made that firearm fully automatic. Fortunately, a tragedy was avoided, but this points out the fact that dangers exist on school campuses that can only be addressed by armed law enforcement.”

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88 percent less paperwork to get federal dollars / more rapid kindergarten assessments

PHOENIX – Cutting red tape and unnecessary administrative burdens on educators is one of State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne’s primary goals so that they can spend more time on teaching academics to the students. Today Horne is announcing a major initiative in that effort.

Each year, federal law requires schools to file a Comprehensive Needs Assessment explaining the tools and strategies needed to improve academic performance in order to receive Title I money for low-income schools and other federal formula grants. Horne has directed that requirement to be reduced from a massive 168 questions to 20 questions.

Horne explained, “The previous Comprehensive Needs Assessment was weighed down with absurd measurements regarding Social Emotional Learning (SEL), which many teachers have complained is just a series of games that detract from teaching reading and math.”

He added, “The prior emphasis on SEL issues meant the report grew to an unmanageable 80 pages with 168 questions. Now there are 20 questions on six pages, all devoted to improving core academics.”

The department is also implementing a significantly updated tool for the yearly Kindergarten Entry Assessment (KEA) pilot program. It reduces administration time by more than 80 percent, permitting rapid identification of critical student needs. Now teachers will be able to spend more time on classroom instruction.

These changes have been warmly received by many Arizona educators. Erik Francis, a consultant specializing in improving failing schools said, “For the last two administrations, the Arizona Department of Education has placed an unnecessary and unmerited burden of paperwork on schools. This has caused schools to be more focused on paperwork rather than implementing the goals, strategies, and action steps to serve schools. I am enthused to see the current administration is more assistive, open, and supportive than it has been in a decade.”

Mia Vega, the Superintendent of Legacy Traditional Schools, added, “Kudos to Superintendent Horne and AZED for streamlining forms and cutting red tape. Less time navigating bureaucracy means more time focusing on students for our educators.”

Horne submits filings to defend state law prohibiting biological boys from playing on girls’ teams

Female athletes praise stance

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne has submitted a formal legal response in his defense of a lawsuit challenging the state law that prohibits biological boys from playing on girls’ teams. Horne is the only remaining defendant in the case since the other named parties have declined to defend the law.

In a news conference to explain the filing, Horne was joined by Marshi Smith, the 2005 NCAA and Pac-10 Conference Women’s backstroke champion who competed at the University of Arizona and is in the school’s athletic Hall of Fame.

Smith provided a letter that she and 44 other female athletes sent to the NCAA and the University of Arizona in March 2022 critical of the decision to allow males who identify as transgender to compete against women.

The letter states in part, “From the birth of the NCAA in 1906 until 1972, women had the fight to earn the law that provided equal opportunities for women in sports. It took a male to female transgender person one year to take the women’s swimming national championship title. This is not equality. Women’s standings, titles, records and scholarships are suddenly at risk again.”

Also lending support to this effort are triathlete Lauren Bondly, former UArizona Athletic Director Jim Livengood, and Shawna Glazier, a competitive cyclist who was defeated by a male who identified as a woman, won a cycling event, and then reverted to identifying as a male.

Horne stated, “I have sympathy for anybody who feels trapped in the wrong body, but I don’t believe that biological boys should be playing against girls. If there really are no differences between males and females then all sports would already be co-ed.”

In the Response to Plaintiff’s Motion for a Preliminary Injunction, Horne argues “The disruption and the unfairness caused to others by Plaintiffs insisting on unfairly competing against biological girls is undeniable. If the preliminary injunction were to be granted, a number of schools would permit biological males/transgender females to compete against girls. This would be devastating to girls who hope to excel but cannot because they are competing against biological boys and being deprived of scholarships. “

The response further states, “Biological girls forced to compete against biological males/transgender girls in contact sports, are at a particularly high risk of physical injury due to the average size, speed and strength advantages males have over females.”

Horne meets with Principals of high-performing Arizona schools

Outreach will help inform state efforts toward school improvement

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne and department academic leadership met with nine school Principals from several regions of the state to learn more about how they have developed and maintained schools with high academic performance.

An essential function of the department is to partner with schools and districts on issues such as these that are a part of the formal school improvement process. Sessions such this help school improvement teams to be more effective in their efforts to improve underperforming schools.

Among the topics discussed were effective strategies for teaching core academic subjects such as reading, math and science, encouraging consistent student attendance, classroom management and discipline, preventing teacher burnout, creating a safe campus atmosphere and the importance of parental involvement.

These educators were selected for this roundtable because their schools have demonstrated long-term high achievement in student test scores. They represent schools that have consistently received an A grade on school report cards, or brought a school to an A or B from a D or F.

“We received consistent messages from successful Principals about the actions required to turn schools around, Horne said. “First, good discipline must be established so that students do not interfere with other students learning. Second, data must be used to determine what to focus on with each student. Third, teaching must be aligned to the state standards, because there are no questions on the test that do not reflect those standards. Other commonalities of successful schools were also discussed. This will help us do a better job of helping the schools that are not doing well to do a better job of educating our students.”

The participants were, Dr. Ryan LoMonaco – Desert Thunder School, Avondale, Amanda Mace – Mission Heights Prep, Casa Grande, Joshua Payne – Robert Bracker El, - Rio Rico, Christopher Loya – Marshall El, Tucson, Benjamin Marchant – Show Low High, Show Low, Hollis Merrill – Snowflake Dist., Snowflake, Stephanie Davis, El Mirage El, Phoenix , Stacy Brown – Western Peaks, Phoenix, Megan Brown – Buckeye El, Buckeye, and Tina Panagopolous – Stepping Stones Academy, Phoenix.

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Also files public comment on proposed Title IX change

PHOENIX – Attorneys for State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne have filed a motion for a change of venue in the lawsuit brought against the State of Arizona by parents of biological boys who want to play on girls’ sports teams.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Tucson. The motion to change venue notes that since the majority of parties involved in the lawsuit are based in Maricopa County, the case should be argued at the federal courthouse in Phoenix.

Horne is the primary defendant, while Senate President Warren Petersen and House Speaker Ben Toma have filed to intervene in the case.

The lawsuit challenges Arizona’s law that prohibits biological males from participating in girls’ sports.

In a related matter, Horne has formally submitted a public comment to the U.S. Department of Education regarding a proposed a rule change to Title IX, the federal law that prohibits sex-based discrimination in schools. The proposed change would prevent schools that get federal funding from keeping transgender students from competing on sports teams not of their biological sex.

Here is the text of his comment:

“The proposed rule submitted by the U.S. Department of Education would decimate girls’ sports in public schools and is contrary to the original intent of Title IX to provide a level playing field for women and girls to participate in team sports. Leaving the decision to schools will result in those with ideological school boards permitting stronger boys to compete against girls.

The rule is also in conflict with Arizona law. Arizona Revised Statutes 15-120.02 prohibits biological males from participating in girls’ sports.

This is not an LGBT issue. When I was in the Arizona legislature, I voted for every bill to extend civil rights to LGBT people. But permitting biological boys to compete in girls’ sports is extremely unfair, and in some cases, devastating to girl competitors.

There are numerous news articles about girls who worked hard to excel in their sports, and then were devastated when they could not excel because they had to compete against biological boys, who have the advantage of male muscle mass and bone structure. If there were a sport for which male physical qualities were not an advantage, there would be no reason to divide boys from girls’ sports and they could have a mixed gender team.

Where mixed teams are not appropriate because boys have an advantage, boys’ teams need to be for biological males, and girls’ teams for biological females.

The whole reason we divide boys’ from girls’ sports is because of the male advantage in muscle mass and bone structure. Making girls compete against that is a major injustice.”

A copy of the motion to transfer is attached.

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Horne says school districts need to ditch “equitable grading”
Practice manipulates grading scale, downplays homework

PHOENIX – State schools superintendent Tom Horne is urging public schools that use “equitable grading” for students to abolish the practice.

A recent Wall Street Journal report noted that the practice is being embraced by districts nationwide. It can often be called something similar such as “standards-based grading”, or “compassionate grading.” 

In Arizona, several school districts use some form of equitable grading in which the baseline for a grade is not zero but begins at 50 percent. By that standard, what was a 20 percent grade on a 100-point scale would now be a 70 percent passing grade.

In addition, homework is downplayed, and students are often given multiple attempts to take tests and complete assignments. The system essentially rewards procrastination and lazy habits while penalizing industrious students. 

Superintendent Horne said, “In education today, we have a war between excellence and mediocrity. So-called ‘equitable’, ‘compassionate’, or ‘standards-based’ grading promotes mediocrity. Test scores show that the students are not learning enough to properly compete in an internationally competitive economy. If we are to increase learning and show it in increased test scores, students must do homework and be graded objectively. The parents of the state are demanding this result.”

A number of Arizona districts use the principles of equitable grading. They include, but aren’t limited to, Agua Fria Union HSD, Amphitheater USD, Deer Valley USD, Flagstaff USD, Laveen ESD, Liberty Arts Academy, Phoenix Union HSD, Roosevelt ESD, Santa Cruz Valley USD, and Sunnyside USD among others.

For immediate release: April 25, 2023
Contact: [email protected]

Horne notes NEA supports teacher pay raises, but AEA and Democrat legislators oppose legislation to give teachers more

Measure is GOP-sponsored

PHOENIX – State schools chief Tom Horne, responding to inquiries made to him about a recent National Education Association (NEA) study on teacher pay, says the national organization and Arizona Education Association (AEA) are surprisingly at odds with each other on this issue.

The NEA released a data this week indicating teachers’ pay has decreased in real terms due to inflation in recent years and advocating for raises.

“The national teacher’s union has issued a statement about the importance of raising teacher salaries, and I agree,” Horne said. “Matt Gress, a Republican legislator, has introduced a bill to raise teacher salaries by $10,000. This would put Arizona in the top 10 of states for starting salaries.”

He added, “Shockingly, the Arizona teacher’s union and a number of Democrats in the legislature, oppose the bill. All we can think of is that they are opposed to it because it is a Republican bill. These kinds of questions should be bipartisan, and people should not oppose a good bill, just because it was introduced by Republican.”

“Since the national teacher’s union advocates for raises and the Arizona teacher’s union has opposed a bill to do just that, we are willing to facilitate introducing the state president of the teacher’s union to the national president,” Horne concluded.

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For immediate release: April 13, 2023
Contact: [email protected]

Supt. Horne statement on recent departures of district superintendents in Apache Jct. and west valley

PHOENIX - Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne issued the following statement today in response to the recent dismissal of the superintendent of the Apache Jct. Unified District and resignation of the Liberty Elementary District superintendent: 

“There have been disruptive protests against newly elected, academically oriented school boards that are seeking new academically oriented district superintendents.

Apache Junction has, under old leadership, three of its five schools rated as “C” schools. It has a new majority of three academically oriented school board members. They are naturally seeking a new academically oriented superintendent and arrived at a mutual agreement with the old superintendent to part ways.

At a meeting to discuss this, protesters were unruly.  Some school board members received a description from a taxpayer who was present, who described an ‘organized effort to disparage the majority decision. Students were released from class during school hours to allegedly protest this mutual agreement and disrupt this public meeting, placing children in danger.’ At a follow up school board meeting, he observed ‘another organized effort to intimidate, shame and verbally assault the school board members…’.

He observed that disruptive behavior by students was ‘presented and supervised by teachers…’.

There was also a protest at a meeting of the Liberty Elementary District School Board, which also has a newly elected majority of academically oriented school board members. They were ‘accused’ of planning to implement a ‘classic traditional education model’.

The news account quoted a principal of the Freedom Elementary School (a C-rated school), Tony Reynolds, as stating at the meeting: ‘It's important to make your position as a board known on curriculum, social emotional learning and restorative justice... If you do intend to implement a classic traditional education model, you need to have people whose values align who will implement your vision. That person is not me.’ That is not an academically oriented principal.

It is a positive development for the academic performance of our schools when academically oriented school board members replace those that are not so inclined.”

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For immediate release: April 11, 2023
Contact: [email protected]

Horne: Proposed Title IX change would decimate women’s sports

Federal proposal would allow transgender ID to trump biological sex

PHOENIX – Arizona schools chief Tom Horne says a proposed rule submitted by the U.S. Department of Education would decimate girls’ sports in public schools and is contrary to the original intent Title IX to provide a level playing field for women and girls to participate in team sports. The rule is also in conflict with Arizona law.

Arizona Revised Statutes 15-120.02 prohibits biological males from participating in girls’ sports sex except in limited coeducational situations.

The federal proposal would establish that public schools “violate Title IX when they categorically ban transgender students from participating on sports teams consistent with their gender identity just because of who they are.”

Horne stated: “This is not an LGBT issue. When I was in the Arizona legislature, I voted for every bill to extend civil rights to LGBT people. But permitting biological boys to compete in girls’ sports is extremely unfair, and in some cases, devastating to girl competitors.”

He added. “There are numerous news articles about girls who worked hard to excel in their sports, and then were devastated when they could not excel because they had to compete against biological boys, who have the advantage of male muscle mass and bone structure. If there were a sport for which male physical qualities were not an advantage, there would be no reason to divide boys from girls’ sports and they could have a mixed gender team. Otherwise, boys’ sports, need to before biological males, and girls’ sports for biological females.”

The federal proposal is subject to public comment. More information can be found here.

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