Horne’s State of Education: Academic success requires safe campuses

Delivers remarks to state lawmakers

PHOENIX – In his 2026 State of Education speech, state schools chief Tom Horne told the House Education Committee that students cannot achieve academically if schools are not safe. He is asking lawmakers for more money for armed officers on campuses. He also touted the department’s ongoing work to assist schools that has resulted in impressive gains in academic scores at multiple schools statewide.

Horne explained, “This year we are requesting an increase in the appropriation for police officers in the schools. According to the Arizona Republic dated April 15, 2024, schools are calling law enforcement in response to students making gun threats an average of over 500 times per year. In schools without police officers, we are playing Russian roulette with a catastrophe waiting to happen.”

He added, “When I took office in 2023, I made it a high priority to increase the number of police officers in schools to make them safe from deadly invasions. There are no massacres in police stations because they can defend themselves. We owe it to our students and staff to defend them. During the last three years, we have increased the number of police officers in schools from 190 to 565. As you know, we have requested an increase in funding. 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.”

Horne also pointed out the success of schools that ensure classroom time is focused on teaching core academics.

He stated, “Schools around the state are showing that when they focus on academics, students from all backgrounds succeed. Project Momentum is one example. It was first sponsored by Governor Ducey. His successor unbelievably eliminated it. We in the Department of Education took it over. Schools using Project Momentum show double the progress of the state average in reading, and three times the progress of the state average in math.”

He continued, “We worked with the Office of Indian Education to put more focus on helping Native American districts improve academic outcomes. Ganado, Red Mesa, Baboquivari, Kayenta, Sacaton, and Tuba City, all more than doubled their math proficiency rates. Chinle had two schools that exceeded the state average in both math and reading.”

He added, “Another project we did involved adopting the Wilson School in a lower income area. People from our office went to that school weekly to help teachers with their teaching techniques, and to teach some classes themselves. Their math scores went up 27%. Also, during COVID the federal government made funds available to overcome learning loss. My predecessor allocated some of those funds to projects that would not have any academic result. We clawed back those funds and devoted them to free tutoring for any students whose parents asked for it. Over 17% of those students made six months of progress in one six-week tutoring period.”

Horne also promoted school choice, noting increased parental interest in the Empowerment Scholarship Program, saying, “I do not understand how anyone can say the parents do not have a right to find a school that meets their child’s needs, unless people are so immersed in ideology that they lose sight of what is the best for students.”

In addition, he reminded lawmakers about his efforts to grow career readiness through the Student Industry Partnership that helps students develop job skills. He also urged the renewal of Proposition 123 with language to ensure teachers get a pay raise directly, not through districts.