Legislation would require schools to report life-threatening incidents

PHOENIX – State schools superintendent Tom Horne says Democrats who voted against HB 4109, a bill requiring schools to report life-threatening on-campus incidents, are harming the ability of schools to do everything possible to protect the safety and lives of students, educators and staff. 

Horne stated, “It is reckless and irresponsible for these legislators to ignore the reality that school campuses are at risk and need every resource at their disposal to protect lives. School safety is not something to take lightly. It is astonishing to me that every Democrat on the Senate Education Committee voted against this legislation. The bill requires notice to parents and staff within 24 hours of a life-threatening incident on campus. That is a perfectly reasonable requirement that schools should be doing anyway.”

He added, “It is ironic that the bill is sponsored by Democrat Representative Lydia Hernandez. She deserves credit for this effort. I am pleased the bill passed out of committee even with the opposition from members of her own party.”
 

Click here for the full transcript sent to Ms. Kate Morris, KPNX, Channel 12: Email to Kate Morris KPNX from Superintendent Horne

I have been fighting against allowing boys in these areas which should be only for girls, for as long as it has been an issue. I am in court defending against a lawsuit seeking to permit boys in sports for girls because the Attorney General refuses to do so, even though it is normally her duty to defend against a lawsuit seeking to declare an Arizona statute unconstitutional.

I testified in favor of a proposed statute to ban boys from these areas which should be only for girls, had a Senate hearing and had a dialogue with Senator Miranda. What shocked me was her treatment of a college female athlete who favored the ban. Senator Miranda argued that her own willingness to play against boys made her more competitive than this college student.

From what we have been able to determine, Senator Miranda played in high school but not college. The student athlete was a college athlete in division one.

The newspapers have been full of examples of girls who worked hard at their sports to make the team or maybe get a scholarship or compete for the Olympics but then had to play against a boy with the natural muscular advantages of males, and their dreams were shattered and they were devastated. It is also unsafe. There are many examples of girls injured by transsexuals including one with a brain injury because she was hit so hard in the face with a volleyball by a transsexual with the natural male muscular advantages.

It is hard to understand how Senator Miranda, a woman herself, could defend such things.

Tom Horne
 

About 2% of purchases are unallowable expenses and only 0.3% represent fraud or egregious purchases

PHOENIX – Following some outrageous and reckless news reports of widespread purchasing fraud in Arizona’s Empowerment Scholarship Account program, ADE is releasing results of a statistical analysis, recently conducted by a Stanford PhD, to set the record straight. 

Superintendent Horne said: 

About 2.0% of dollars spent by ESA account holders is for items that are unallowable under program rules, according to a precise study completed by a Stanford PhD. 

In addition, actual fraud or egregious purchases are at 0.3%, according to the same study.

This is far below the rate of misuse at a variety of programs such as Medicaid (7.4%), food stamps (9.3%), and unemployment insurance (14.4%).

The submission of a purchase that is deemed unallowable does not constitute fraud.  Most are innocent mistakes, such as an error in a form that must be resubmitted, or educational items that are not on the allowable list but that the user could have in good faith believed were permitted. Some examples would be backpacks, lunch boxes and water bottles. 

A ridiculous figure of 20% fraud has been circulating concerning ESA purchases which resulted from a total misinterpretation of data that we provided to Channel 12. The 20% figure represented program participants that ADE had selected for risk-based auditing.  It had nothing to do with fraud.

Action is taken to recover or collect funds or refer to law enforcement, if necessary. To date, more than $1.2 million has been recovered in this process. 

Continued use of the 20% fraud allegation is an outrageous misrepresentation to the public that must stop.”

A summary of information released from ADE’s internal analysis is attached. For more details, go to  /esa-study
 

Legislature, Governor to consider more dollars for officers in budget talks

PHOENIX – Last week’s report of two elementary school students being detained when a gun was found at a Phoenix school has prompted Superintendent Tom Horne to urge state lawmakers and the Governor to prioritize additional funding for the school safety program in the upcoming state budget.

Horne said, “The discovery of a gun on an elementary school campus is very disturbing and once again shows how important it is that schools have armed officers on campus. My biggest fear is that a maniac with a gun shoots up a school, killing or wounding children and adults as has happened in other states.  For the upcoming state budget, the legislature and Governor are going to consider added funding for the highly successful School Safety Program so we can add more officers on campuses. They must do so. The need is clearly there, and we must have safe schools in Arizona.”

He added, “Up to now, we have never had to deny a grant request and my hope is that we never do. Imagine if a school asked for an officer but the funding was not available and a maniac got on campus and killed people. Parents would never forgive that.”

The School Safety Program primarily relies on state dollars. Current funding pays for 498 School Resource or Safety Officers in addition to counselors at more than 1,100 schools statewide. The grant request process for schools that don’t have officers is currently open through mid-April. To date approximately $103 million has been requested by districts and charters for the FY27 School Safety Program. That figure would fund more than 700 positions for both officers and counselors, with more requests expected over the next month.

Horne concluded, “The high number of requests for money to pay for officers and counselors speaks volumes to the concerns school leaders have about campus safety. As last week’s incident in Phoenix shows, the need for officers is great. The legislature and Governor must not fail in their efforts to find the resources schools need to protect innocent lives.”

New federal guidance cites Supreme Court decision

PHOENIX – The U.S. Department of Education has released new guidance that has the effect of ensuring Diversity, Equity and Diversion (DEI) elements are removed from public schools, according to Arizona schools chief Tom Horne.

Horne stated, “The new guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Education states that ‘No public school, teacher, or school official should ever coerce or press a student to engage in speech or affirm a viewpoint that would violate the student’s sincere religious beliefs.’ Numerous DEI precepts violate widespread religious beliefs, such as urging students to change genders, age-inappropriate sexual lessons, and other elements that may demean a student’s religious beliefs.”

The federal document issued February 5th, is guidance on Constitutionally protected prayer and religious expression in public elementary and secondary schools.  It says that to receive federal funds under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, a district or charter school must certify that none of its policies prevent, or otherwise deny, participation in Constitutionally protected prayer in public schools. Schools that fail to comply with the guidance risk the loss of federal education dollars.

Horne added, “My department already requires schools to answer questions pertaining to Critical Race Theory, DEI, and other matters. Those answers are posted on our public reporting of school grades, at azed.gov to help parents choose schools for their children. We will add this question to our list and report answers not only on our website, but also, as required, to the federal government. Those with unsatisfactory answers to this question will then be deprived of federal funds.”

Under the guidance, schools may not suppress religious expression but also may not coerce it. A United States Supreme Court decision (Mahmoud v. Taylor) upheld the complaints of families of diverse religious faiths to mandatory public elementary school curriculum endorsing gay unions and transgender identities, where the family’s religious teachings were contrary to those lessons.

The guidance requires annual reporting to be submitted by state departments of education to the federal government beginning in November of this year.

Superintendent Horne teams with university

PHOENIX - With the state’s teacher shortage at critical levels and with an eye toward improving student achievement, state schools chief Tom Horne is announcing a strategic partnership with Arizona State University (ASU) to expand access to high-quality instruction, strengthen teacher capacity, and improve student outcomes across the state—particularly in rural and high-need communities.

ADE will utilize ASU’s statewide instructional infrastructure to provide schools with more resources to address persistent teacher shortages, improve math and literacy outcomes, and ensure students have access to college-ready coursework aligned to Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) requirements.

Horne stated, “The teacher shortage is reaching catastrophic proportions and there is an ongoing need for doing more to improve student performance in core academic areas. This partnership allows us to bring additional capacity to schools and districts—without replacing local control—by providing high-quality instructional support where it is most needed. I am very pleased that ASU is taking meaningful steps to address these problems, especially in the areas of highest need statewide.”

ASU President Michael Crow said, “Arizona State University exists to be of service to the citizens of the state, and we are deeply committed to assisting teachers in providing the foundation upon which children can build a lifetime of learning. Arizona’s future depends on all of us working together to deliver successful student outcomes. This partnership brings ASU’s instructional capacity directly to schools to strengthen math and literacy results, expand access to college-ready coursework and help more students graduate prepared to enter the workforce of the future.”

Through this ADE-endorsed partnership, ASU will support schools statewide by providing:

• Certified high quality virtual teachers and content to deliver instruction in hard-to-staff subjects such as mathematics, lab sciences, and world languages, ensuring students maintain access to graduation and college-eligibility pathways.
   
• Expanded math support through in-person high-dose tutoring delivered during the school day, targeting schools with demonstrated math achievement needs.
   
• Summer Bridge and Credit-Acceleration Opportunities for students to recover credits, advance in mathematics, and prepare for the upcoming school year.
   
• Science of Reading Professional Development to support K–5 teachers in meeting Arizona’s literacy endorsement requirements.
   
• Virtual Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), providing job-embedded coaching for teachers—particularly those working in isolation in rural districts—across math, science, and English language arts.
   
• These services are designed to complement district efforts, not replace them, and are focused on expanding instructional options and improving outcomes for students.

In addition to student support, the partnership emphasizes long-term workforce development by expanding access to professional learning, instructional coaching, and educator preparation pathways.

School participation will be voluntary and prioritized based on demonstrated need, including teacher shortages, student performance data, and rural or geographically isolated contexts. ADE will continue to monitor outcomes and collaborate with schools to ensure supports are aligned to local goals. All instructional services and professional development offered through this partnership will be provided to districts at no cost.

“By design, ASU exists to create opportunity and deliver measurable results for the communities we serve,” said Amy McGrath, ASU vice president of Outreach. “By working alongside ADE and school leaders, we’re expanding modern, high-quality instructional support that helps more students stay on track, accelerate their learning, and graduate ready for college, career, and life.”

Implementation will launch in phases to meet schools’ most urgent needs quickly and build toward sustained, year-long support. Spring 2026 will begin with targeted math acceleration and staffing support in high-need schools, followed by Summer Bridge and credit acceleration opportunities. School-year supports—including hard-to-staff virtual instruction, Science of Reading training, and job-embedded PLC coaching—will expand beginning in fall.

PHOENIX – State Superintendent of Public Instruction has issued the following statement regarding potential student protests at Arizona public schools.

Horne said, “Students have the First Amendment right to peacefully protest but it should be done after school hours. Teachers and other school personnel should not be a part of a protest during class time.”
 

Program has grown tenfold in three years

PHOENIX – In a dramatic show of support for school choice in Arizona, more than 100,000 students are now enrolled in the Empowerment Scholarship Account program, according to state schools chief Tom Horne.

At a news conference in Phoenix today, Horne was joined by parents who chose the ESA program to best meet the educational needs of their children and are enthusiastic about its benefits.

Horne said, “When I took office this term, the ESA program had about 11,000 students. In the past three years we have grown it to more than 100,000 students.

This milestone is a remarkable endorsement of the value of the ESA program and proves that Arizona parents continue to embrace school choice. Consider a family with three children. Two of the children are doing just fine in district schools. The third child’s needs are not being met. Now, the parents can find another school that meets the child’s needs. I do not understand how anyone can say 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 best for students. The ESA program joins charter schools and open district enrollment as pillars of school choice in Arizona.”

The ESA program also continues to grow in its ability to serve parents by operating securely and efficiently. Over the past year, the enrollment process has been streamlined to make it simpler and faster for parents to establish an account. Call volume to program specialists is greatly reduced as various customer processes are simplified, and the purchase and reimbursement timeline that once stretched into months is now virtually seamless.

The department has initiated a technology-based counter-fraud tool to augment the work of ensuring purchase requests are allowable, Arizona residency is now verified, and risk-based auditing is ensuring accountability and efficient customer service. To date, the department has taken action to recover approximately $1.2 million in unallowable expenses through collections, repayments, or referrals to legal authorities.

Horne added, “Some people have questioned my authority to insist that expenditures only be for valid educational purposes. I am not the final word. Parents have a right to appeal denial to an administrative law judge. There have been 20 such appeals, and my authority to deny the expenditure was involved in everyone. We have 20 wins and zero losses. Administrative law judges have held unanimously that I do have that authority.”

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.