Arizona is introducing a new apprenticeship program aimed at tackling the state’s ongoing teacher shortage, according to Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne. The Arizona Teacher Registered Apprenticeship Program (AZ TRAP), developed in collaboration with the Arizona Office of Apprenticeship, provides aspiring educators with a pathway to certification at little to no cost. Participants gain classroom experience while earning a wage and receiving mentoring and professional development.
“There is a crisis in Arizona, and we must take strong action. We are losing more teachers than are coming into the profession,” Horne said. “If we don’t do something major, we could end up with zero teachers. Apprenticeship programs are another tool to be used alongside efforts to improve teacher pay and administrative support.”
Horne emphasized that the program is designed to increase accessibility to teacher certification and build a stronger pipeline of educators. “The Arizona Department of Education is a service-oriented agency, and this effort is part of my commitment to training quality educators for Arizona classrooms,” he said.
The program has received $1.5 million in funding from the Maricopa County Workforce Development Board to support apprentices in Maricopa County for the 2025–2026 school year.
Key features of AZ TRAP include:
Pilot partnerships with Mesa Public Schools, Phoenix Union High School District, The Arizona Teacher Residency Program, and PLC Charter Schools, which will employ teacher apprentices and collaborate with the Department of Education.
Hands-on experience, giving aspiring teachers thousands of hours of on-the-job learning under the guidance of mentor teachers.
Grow Your Own Model, allowing schools to select prospective employees and integrate them into their culture early, with the goal of improving teacher retention.
The apprenticeship program represents a targeted effort to prepare educators for Arizona classrooms while addressing one of the state’s most pressing education challenges.
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
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.
Arizona State University history professor Alexander Aviña is at the center of controversy after social media posts highlighted comments he made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk and Christianity.
The account Project Constitution posted on X that Aviña had referred to Kirk as “unimportant and hateful” and called Christians “blasphemous.” The post, which quickly spread online, accused the professor of mocking faith and using his position to disparage students’ beliefs.
🚨EXPOSED: ASU Professor Calls Charlie Kirk “Hateful” and Labels ALL Christians “Blasphemous”
So let me get this straight…@ASU “history professor” Alexander Aviña just went on a rant calling Charlie Kirk “unimportant and hateful”… and then took it a step further and called… pic.twitter.com/1d7ZT0fFtm
A second post by Stu Smith also shared the clip from the podcast interview where Aviña continued to reflect on public mourning for Kirk. He compared the response to the aftermath of September 11, saying, “This feels even weirder than right after September 11th, much more intense.”
Aviña also described students whispering in his office out of concern for saying the wrong thing and criticized what he called the “fascistic revanchist right” for using the moment to “pummel the rest of us.”
ASU Prof: Kirk Mourning “Weirder Than After 9/11” — Blasts “Gringo Christians” as “Blasphemous, Sacrilegious” for AI tributes putting Kirk in heaven with Jesus@ASU history professor Alexander Aviña — whose research focuses on guerrilla movements and state violence in Latin… pic.twitter.com/S45BDK0Ujc
In the same interview, Aviña ridiculed Kirk’s global influence, questioning whether “Kirk cultural or political spaces” might emerge in Latin America, and mocked online tributes depicting Kirk in heaven with Jesus.
“Gringo Christians are some of the most blasphemous, sacrilegious people,” he said, adding, “It is extremely bizarre… constant whiplash.”
The comments prompted backlash from voices online, who accused Aviña of disrespecting Christianity and dismissing the legacy of one of the right’s most prominent activists. Both Project Constitution and Stu Smith called on ASU to hold Aviña accountable, with Project Constitution urging followers to “cancel him.”
Jonathan Eberle is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
Governor Katie Hobbs has sparked controversy by appointing James “Jimmy” McCain, son of the late Senator John McCain, to the Arizona Board of Regents.
The decision raised eyebrows due to McCain’s opposition to President Donald Trump’s policies, the Arizona GOP’s censure of the late senator, and James McCain’s role at Hensley Beverage Company, a key sponsor of Hobbs’ inaugural committee.
“Jimmy McCain is a veteran, a businessman, and native Arizonan who is passionate about connecting every Arizona community to the education they need to thrive,” Hobbs said in a statement about the McCain-Hensley family heir.
“His long track record of public service and knowledge of the unique challenges and opportunities of northern Arizona make him well-positioned to advocate for the students of the region,” she added. “With his deep Arizona roots and passion for serving the people of our state, I know he will be a tireless advocate for northern Arizona. I look forward to seeing Jimmy deliver for our students, universities and communities while serving on the Board of Regents.”
Absent from the Governor’s remarks were any references to the $10,000 donated to her inauguration fund from Hensley Beverage Company, as reported by the Arizona Republic in 2023.
“I am deeply honored that Governor Hobbs has entrusted me with the opportunity to serve on the Arizona Board of Regents,” said Jimmy McCain. “As the Regent representing northern Arizona, I am excited to help strengthen higher education across our state and ensure that students from every background, especially those in our Tribal and rural communities, have access to the educational tools they need to succeed. Arizona’s public universities are the economic engine of our state, and I look forward to working with my fellow Regents, President Cruz Rivera, President Crow, and President Garimella, to advance our collective mission.”
According to the Daily Courier, McCain, like his father before him, opposes President Donald Trump and the MAGA Republican movement, and departed the Republican Party in 2016 after Trump’s first electoral win. After registering as an independent for eight years, he changed parties and became a Democrat in 2024, stating that he would vote for then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
John McCains youngest son @JimmyMcCain is very angry Gold Star families invited Trump and took pictures at Arlington.
Senator McCain’s widow, Ambassador Cindy Hensley-McCain, also endorsed former President Joe Biden in 2020 but told reporters she remains a registered Republican. She also remains Chairwoman of Hensley Beverage Company.
A press aide for Hobbs, Liliana Soto, told the Courier that McCain’s party change did not contribute to the Governor’s decision to appoint him. “Jimmy McCain has a strong track record of leadership, collaboration, and service,” Soto told reporters. She added that Hobbs believes he is, “committed to keeping Arizona’s universities affordable and innovative.”
Hobbs’ first pick for the Board of Regents, Liz Archuleta, was not given a hearing by the Republican-led state Senate.
After overcoming months of stonewalling, the Goldwater Institute has issued a report revealing that school district superintendents in Arizona are awarded some of the most lucrative public service contracts in the state.
The report, by Goldwater’s Director of Legal Strategy for Education Policy Christopher Thomas, uncovered perks including “car allowances,” performance bonuses, duplicate private retirement packages (“funding private retirement accounts on top of their already generous state pension benefits”), and “generous personal and vacation leave banks” that can be “cashed out.”
“For taxpayers, the secrecy should set off alarms,” Thomas said in an article for Goldwater. “Superintendents are not just any employee—they are the CEOs of their districts, the highest-paid public servants in many counties. They are also the only officials directly accountable to the elected school board. The superintendent’s job is important, and high salaries may be justified. But the current system of secrecy and delay erodes public trust.”
In a post to X, the Goldwater noted that the superintendents enjoy, “Duplicate retirement packages. Monthly car allowances large enough to lease high-end sports cars. Performance bonuses,” and added, “These are just some of the benefits that AZ school superintendents receive that make them among the state’s highest paid public employees…”
Duplicate retirement packages. Monthly car allowances large enough to lease high-end sports cars. Performance bonuses.
These are just some of the benefits that AZ school superintendents receive that make them among the state’s highest paid public employees…
In the text of the report entitled, “The Hidden Ways Arizona School Superintendents Are Paid,” Thomas analyzed contracts from 41 of the largest school districts in Arizona, extracted over four months despite “district stonewalling,” and “a tangle of complex contract provisions that school boards, and the superintendents themselves, deliberately design to mask the full measure of compensation from taxpayers.“
Perhaps the most egregious example highlighted in the report is the compensation package for the embattled Superintendent of the Tolleson Union High School District, Jeremy Calles.
Although the district ranks only 16th in size statewide—and continues to face corruption allegations while posting student proficiency rates below both state and peer averages (21% in math and 26% in English)—Superintendent Calles receives an annual compensation package of $491,360, exceeding that of every other surveyed superintendent by more than $100,000.
Calles’ full earnings include a base salary of $361,584, already the highest in Arizona by $111,000, per Goldwater, plus $72,316 in performance pay, substantial retirement contributions beyond his state pension, a car allowance, and the ability to bank up to 120 unused personal days for a potential $166,184 cashout upon his departure from office.
The Tolleson Union High School District is hardly unique in this respect, according to the report. Monthly stipends or “car allowances” are in place at districts ranging from $500 per month at Marana USD and Littleton ESD to as much as $1,250 per month in Amphitheater USD and Sahuarita USD. Some districts even offer these as annual lump sums, such as Tucson USD, which offers a cool $20,000 annually, or Laveen ESD, which comes in just shy at $19,475 per year.
Concluding his report for the Goldwater Institute, Thomas summarized both the extravagant compensation packages and the seemingly deliberate lack of taxpayer transparency into them. “Superintendents have important jobs. In each district, they are the one employee the school board hires, supervises, and may ultimately terminate,” he said. “The superintendent is responsible for student achievement, implementing board policy, recommending staff hires, and overseeing school district finances. They understandably command the highest salary in the school district. However, there should be greater transparency in just how much they are paid. Their contracts may be among the most important public documents held by school districts. Because of this, these contracts should be readily available to the public.”
Thomas further recommended corrective action, adding, “In addition, school districts should publish total compensation analyses for their superintendents, listing the value of all the perks that are included in their contracts. It is likely that most school board members do not fully understand how their superintendent is paid, nor all the sources of compensation the superintendent receives. Surprisingly, many have never even seen the superintendent’s contract, and some have been denied access when they’ve requested it.”
Arizona State University (ASU) received $115 million to establish a new school of conservation with a globalist drive.
The millions from the Rob Walton Foundation, a sustainability nonprofit, launched the Rob Walton School of Conservation Futures on Monday within the newly renamed Rob Walton College of Global Futures.
The new school will focus on global conservation science and workforce development. Though its main operations will be out of Tempe, the school emphasizes hands-on, real-world experience within “hubs” in “conservation critical” locations including Hawai’i.
Its namesake, Rob Walton, is the eldest son of Walmart founder Sam Walton. He formerly chaired the company from 1992 to 2015 before retiring from the board last year and is heir to the Walmart fortune.
Walton said in a statement accompanying the announcement that globalist policies were necessary for conservation.
“Nature doesn’t recognize borders,” said Walton. “To protect ecosystems, we need international cooperation, innovative leadership, and a skilled workforce.”
Peter Schlosser, ASU vice president and vice provost of Global Futures, said the goal of the school is “transforming” conservation academia to yield globalist conservative outcomes.
Conservation International, a Virginia-based environmental nonprofit and one of the top beneficiaries of funding from Walton’s nonprofit, also assisted in the creation of the new school. Its chairman emeritus and founding CEO, Peter Seligmann, said globalism is the best approach for conservation.
“Solving the planet’s greatest conservation challenges requires the wisdom, innovation and leadership of people from all corners of the world,” said Seligmann.
Seligmann is a consistent donor for Democratic candidates. He sat on the the left-wing Council of Foreign Relations think tank, and served on former President Bill Clinton’s board of Enterprise for America.
The current board of directors includes Walton, GAP chairman Robert Fisher, former chairman and CEO of Northrop Grumman Corporation Wes Bush, Hollywood actor Harrison Ford, Hollywood actresses Sabrina Elba and Shailene Woodley, Apple founder Jeff Bezos’ brother Mark Bezos, actress Heather Thompson’s daughter and Nest CEO Kristina Brittenham, former Columbia president Ivan Duque, Apple vice president and former President Barack Obama’s Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lisa Jackson, fashion designer Stella McCartney, and Mars confectionary heiress Valerie Mars.
Past boards of directors included Walton as well as billionaire and Apple heiress Laurene Powell Jobs.
Walton has been heavily involved with ASU for several years. Walton co-chairs ASU’s Global Institute of Sustainability and co-founded the Rob and Melani Walton Center for Planetary Health in 2022. The latter is a research facility housed at the Tempe campus.
The research facility focuses on sustainability research concerning food, water, and energy. It houses the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Futures Laboratory, the Global Institute of Sustainability, the Rob and Melani Walton Sustainability Solutions Service (founded 2012), the College of Global Futures, the School of Sustainability, and the Institute of Human Origins.
The Rob Walton Foundation (RWF, also called the “Rob and Melani Walton Foundation”) uses its tens of millions each year to support large-scale conservation efforts, primarily in Africa. Supported projects include the African Parks, Conservation International, Blue Nature Alliance, and Legacy Landscapes Fund.
The new school named after Walton at ASU will be led by a chair, and include three professorships to supply research and education as well as full and partial scholarships through the Rob Walton Scholars Fund. On one section of the newly launched site on “expanding educational access,” the school indicates it will structure its admissions around diversity.
The page also includes an “indigenous cultures acknowledgment” recognizing prior inhabitation of the land by dozens of Native American tribes.
The school offers both undergraduate and graduate programs.
Three classes announced for the spring within the school cover an introduction to conservation taught by Sharon Hall (president’s professor in the School of Life Sciences), and two biocultural conservation field expeditions in California taught by Melissa Nelson (indigenous sustainability professor).
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