by Ethan Faverino | Sep 29, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Native American students across Arizona are achieving significant improvements in reading and math proficiency, driven by targeted school improvement strategies, according to State Superintendent Tom Horne.
Notably, three schools in the Chinle Unified School District are now surpassing state averages in both math and English, making a transformative shift in educational outcomes. They saw an increase from 20% proficiency in 2023 to 34% districtwide.
“When I took office in January 2023, I was informed that the average proficiency rate for Native American students was five percent,” said Superintendent Horne in a press conference. “This was very upsetting to me, as it would affect the students’ employment prospects and quality of life. I said that we would change everything we were doing in that respect and give total focus to increasing proficiency rates among Native American students. I met with tribal leaders who were shocked to learn about the five percent number and agreed with me that action had to be taken.”
Through collaboration between the Offices of Indian Education and School Improvement, schools have received extensive support, such as teacher training, on-site visits, and leadership guidance, to help them and their students succeed.
Horne added, “With outstanding leadership from leaders of Native American districts, and our help, the proficiency rates of Native American students have soared.”
Other districts in the state have also reported extraordinary progress. Ganado Unified School District saw a 159% growth in students testing proficient in math and English, while Red Mesa Unified School District achieved a growth of 149%.
Baboquivari Unified School District recorded a 197% increase, Kayenta Unified School District a 122% jump, Sacaton Elementary District a 124% increase, and Tuba City Unified School District a 113% improvement.
Chinle Unified School District Superintendent Quincy Natay credited the success to a collective effort. “We are extremely proud of the progress our students and teachers have made,” Natay said. “These gains are a direct result of our governing board’s support of our vision and strategic plan, dedication of our educators, the support of our parents and communities, and the hard work of our students. We remain committed to building on this momentum and ensuring that all our students, across every grade level, have the opportunities and education to improve their quality of life.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Sep 27, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed two bipartisan bills introduced by Congressman Abe Hamadeh (AZ-08) alongside Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13): the Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act and the Health Professionals Scholarship Program (HPSP) Improvement Act of 2025.
These landmark pieces of legislation aim to enhance veterans’ access to education and healthcare services, addressing critical needs within the veteran community.
Congressman Hamadeh, a former U.S. Army Reserve Intelligence Officer, said, “I believe that meeting the needs of our veterans should never be partisan and all government programs should be centered around what is best for the veteran. I am so grateful to Congresswoman Budzinski for sharing that commitment.”
The Edith Nourse Rogers STEM Scholarship Opportunity Act removes barriers for veterans pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and healthcare by eliminating the requirement that applicants use their Post-9/11 GI Bill benefits before applying for the scholarship.
The bill lessens the waiting period, allowing veterans to apply with 45 months of benefits remaining, compared to the current 6-month requirement, making STEM education more accessible.
The Health Professionals Scholarship Program Improvement Act of 2025 addresses the staffing shortages in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) by mandating the Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs provide HPSP participants with full-time employment contracts within 90 days of completing their training and obtaining licensure.
This amendment to Section 7616 of Title 38 strengthens the HPSP, ensuring healthcare professionals can serve the veterans who are in need.
“As too many taxpayers well know, the VA spends millions of our hard-earned taxpayer dollars training healthcare professionals through scholarships,” stated Congressman Hamadeh. “Yet these same qualified professionals are forced to wait months for employment contracts after graduation, all the while our veterans suffer. It’s government inefficiency at its worst, and our veterans seem to always be paying the price. Veterans are sent to emergency rooms while skilled doctors are waiting to serve patients. That is why I introduced this bipartisan legislation with my colleague Rep. Budzinski because we saw a problem that required action.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Sep 24, 2025 | News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro, alongside Senate President Warren Petersen and House Republicans, announced the filing of an amicus brief with the Arizona Supreme Court in the case Republican National Committee v. Fontes.
The brief urges the Court to require Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes to adhere to Arizona’s Administrative Procedures Act (APA) when drafting the Elections Procedures Manual (EPM), a critical set of rules governing the state’s election process.
The APA mandates a transparent public notice and comment period before new rules take effect, ensuring accountability and alignment with Arizona’s election statutes.
The brief, filed in support of the Republican National Committee, the Republican Party of Arizona, LLC, and the Yavapai County Republican Party, argues that the EPM must comply with the APA’s procedural requirements, as neither the APA nor the authorizing statute (A.R.S. § 16-452) explicitly exempts it.
“The integrity of Arizona’s elections is absolutely vital. House Republicans are committed to the rule of law and to ensuring that Secretary Fontes stays within the limits of his authority,” said Speaker Montenegro. “We already convinced a judge to strike down unlawful provisions in the 2023 EPM in our own lawsuit. We fully support this case, which asks only that Secretary Fontes follow long-standing notice and comment requirements when drafting the manual. Arizonans deserve accountability and transparency from every public officer, especially when it comes to election rules.”
The brief emphasizes that Arizona’s comprehensive election laws, which cover voter registration, early ballots, polling places, and vote tabulation, limit the Secretary of State’s authority to draft an EPM.
The APA’s notice and comment process serves as a check, promoting transparency and preventing deviations from legislative intent.
The brief cites the Court of Appeals’ ruling in Republican National Committee v. Fontes, which affirmed that the EPM is subject to the APA’s requirements due to clear statutory language.
The filing highlights two key benefits of APA compliance. First, it reinforces constitutional and statutory limits on the Secretary’s authority, preventing overreach. Second, the public comment process allows for early identification of legal or practical flaws in the EPM drafts, potentially reducing litigation and supporting public confidence in Arizona’s elections.
The brief also notes issues with the 2023 EPM, where provisions added without public input led to legal challenges.
The ongoing litigation, Petersen v. Fontes, further highlights the importance of APA compliance, as it challenges the 2023 EPM’s deviation from state law. The amicus brief, submitted by Montenegro and Petersen in their official capacities, reflects the Arizona Legislature’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and protecting the integrity of the state’s electoral process.
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Sep 24, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
A new Arizona Public Opinion Pulse (AZPOP) survey from Noble Predictive Insights (NPI) reveals that Arizona voters favor greater parental control over education and support restrictions on classroom discussions about race, gender, and sexuality.
However, the data reveals a striking trend: political affiliation, rather than parenting status, is the primary driver of these education policy preferences.
NPI conducted the survey from August 11-18, 2025, polling 948 registered Arizona voters with a margin of error of ±3.18%.
The survey found strong support for increased parental involvement in education, with 48% of voters believing parents should have more control over educational content, 30% saying current levels are appropriate, and 13% favoring less parental influence.
Parents with children under 18 (51%) and those with adult children (50%) show slightly higher support for increased control compared to non-parents (46%).
Political affiliation, however, reveals evident divides: 67% of Republicans advocate for more parental control, compared to just 30% of Democrats and 45% of Independents.
NPI Founder and CEO, Mike Noble, commented on these results, saying, “This data exposes a counterintuitive reality where partisan identity outweighs personal family circumstances in shaping education policy views.”
On the issue of limiting classroom discussions about race, gender, and sexuality, 50% of Arizona voters support restrictions, while 38% oppose them. Parents with children under 18 show stronger support (58%) compared to those with adult children (50%) or non-parents (45%), indicating a greater concern among parents with school-age children about exposure to sensitive topics in the classroom.
Political affiliation again proves to be the dominant factor. A striking 71% of Republicans favor restrictions compared to only 34% of Democrats. Independents are nearly split, with 43% supporting restrictions and 45% opposing them, reflecting broader ideological tensions.
The survey challenges the assumption that parenting status primarily shapes education policy views. Instead, partisan identity drives preferences, with Republicans prioritizing parental rights and limits on sensitive topics, viewing schools as potential sources of ideological influence.
Democrats, conversely, emphasize professional educator judgment and oppose restrictions they see as censorship. Independents remain divided, grappling with balancing parental authority and educational freedom.
“Arizona’s education debates have become a perfect storm of cultural anxiety and political division,” said Noble. “While parents naturally want influence over their children’s education, we’re seeing partisan identity increasingly drive policy preferences more than actual family experience.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
by Ethan Faverino | Sep 22, 2025 | Education, News
By Ethan Faverino |
Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne is urging the Phoenix Union High School District to reverse its decision to reject armed officers on campus following a violent knife fight between two female students at Carl Hayden High School.
The altercation, reported by the Phoenix Police Department, occurred just after 9 a.m last Monday. Officers responded to reports of a physical fight during which one student struck another with the handle of a closed-blade pocketknife.
The student with the pocketknife was referred to the Juvenile Court Center and faces one count of aggravated assault. The injured student received treatment for minor injuries, and the incident remains under investigation. Horne emphasized the critical need for armed officers, stating, “The safety of students, teachers, and staff members at schools is not negotiable, and a knife fight on the Carl Hayden campus Monday shows the dangers are increasing. This needs to stop immediately. The Phoenix Union governing board needs to reverse a terrible decision they made earlier this year when they rejected requests from the leadership of both Carl Hayden and Betty Fairfax high schools for armed officers on campus.”
“Yesterday, Phoenix Police reported that two female Carl Hayden students were in a knife fight that resulted in injuries,” Horne added. “This proves the need for armed officers and demonstrates the utter lack of concern by the members of the Phoenix Union government board who rejected the request for officers that had been endorsed by the two schools and district administration. It was an outrageous dereliction of responsibility, and the board needs to reconsider this matter immediately.”
The incident at Carl Hayden High School is part of a broader pattern of safety concerns within the Phoenix Union High School District. Earlier this year, a tragic stabbing at Maryvale High School resulted in the death of a 16-year-old student, prompting scrutiny of campus security protocols.
Phoenix Union Governing Board member Jeremiah Cota requested reconsideration of the board’s earlier vote back in August 2025, but again, the Phoenix Union board voted to deny state-funded officers. Cota tweeted, “There will be NO school resource officers agenda item at the Phoenix Union next board meeting. The Board President has refused my calls for improving school safety once again. Shameful for this district to put anti-law enforcement politics before student and staff safety.”
Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
