Office of Communications

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is cheering a state Court of Appeals ruling that allows parents to sue public schools that fail to inform parents when a child intends to identify as a sex other than the one to which they were born.

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is pleased that the state Board of Education has approved opening the process to review statewide teaching standards to remove Diversity, Equity and Inclusion terms to comply with a federal Executive Order.

 PHOENIX – State schools superintendent Tom Horne says Attorney General Kris Mayes’ threat to sue the Department of Education over the operation of the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program is hypocritical since her office has turned down several potential criminal referrals sent by the department.

PHOENIX – Using proven methods that emphasize rigorous academics in the classroom has pulled 108 schools out of “School Improvement” status this past year, Superintendent Tom Horne announced today. Horne is also celebrating the academic success of other schools that have consistently used programs based on core academic subjects that cause students to excel academically.

PHOENIX – Six Arizona schools have been recognized as Blue Ribbon Schools by state schools superintendent Tom Horne and the Arizona Department of Education today.

 PHOENIX – State schools superintendent Tom Horne says a new Arizona Department of Education survey of public schools shows the teacher shortage remains in a catastrophic state. More than 1,000 Arizona teachers quit the profession since July of this year.  In excess of 4,000 teaching positions are vacant and being covered by long-term substitutes or other part-time methods, with almost 1,400 completely unfilled.

PHOENIX – State schools chief Tom Horne says he strongly disagrees with postponing the effort to remove Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) language from state teaching standards, saying the federal government may withhold an estimated $866 million and this issue must be addressed immediately.  Following today’s board action, the matter will be placed on the December agenda.

(PHOENIX) - Arizona is first in the nation in the percentage of students using Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools, according to State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne. More than 170,000 Arizona students are now using AI-powered tutoring to enhance their academic performance. That figure represents 16 percent of all public school students and it is expected to grow.

PHOENIX - State schools chief Tom Horne, who is also a member of the Arizona Board of Regents, says the Trump administration’s Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education is aligned with his philosophy of fighting against racial entitlements, and he is pleased that the University of Arizona and Arizona State University are in talks about implementing the agreement.