Governor Katie Hobbs vetoed HB 2700 on Monday which would have compelled the Arizona State Board of Education to include Geography in its prescribed competency requirements for graduation from high school and defined that instruction to include instruction accurately referring to the Gulf of America.
In her veto letter to Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro, Hobbs chose to adopt an adversarial, scolding tone toward Republican leaders.
Hobbs wrote, “Today, I vetoed House Bill 2700. Arizonans want us to work together to lower costs, secure the border, create jobs, and protect public education. Instead of joining with me to do that, this Legislature has chosen to attempt to dictate how teachers refer to geographic features. I encourage you to refocus your time and energy on solving real problems for Arizonans.”
State Rep. Teresa Martinez (R-LD16) held a different view however and emphasized the importance of accurate and patriotic instruction for Arizona students: “It’s important to start teaching pro-America to our students. What better way to promote a patriotic country and teach children about patriotism than to start calling it Gulf of America and taking pride in that?”
While making her disapproval of the bill clear, Hobbs called upon Republican legislators to “work together to lower costs, secure the border, create jobs, and protect public education,” despite her recent vetoes, which have thrown aside meaningful reforms in all four policies.
In 2023, Hobbs infamously vetoed SB 1184 which would have eliminated rental taxes that drive up the monthly rent of millions of Arizonans, and SB 1063 which would have banned sales taxes on groceries. The sponsor of SB 1063, Senator Sonny Borrelli, said that Hobbs “would rather have windfall taxes go to cities on the backs of people that need to survive on essential items like groceries consumed at home.”
On Border Security, Hobbs vetoed the Arizona Immigration Cooperation and Enforcement (ICE) Act, SB 1164 this April, and SB 1610 earlier this month, which would have required county detention facilities to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by providing access to data on illegal aliens arrested for serious crimes.
On the subject of Jobs, Hobbs drew severe criticism from Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp (R-LD29) when she vetoed SB 1584.
“The Governor despicably vetoing this bill demonstrates her support for discrimination and a lack of leadership for refusing to push back against fellow Democrats who support these unethical hiring practices,” Shamp said at the time. ” I am extremely disappointed, yet not surprised, that Hobbs continues to appeal to the radical left with her tone-deaf veto decisions, rather than support legislation to reform workplace policies that prioritize anything other than talent and hard work. It’s truly petrifying that we have a governor who can, without shame, prioritize discrimination and favoritism, over unity and respect for every Arizonan.”
Hobbs also vetoed another school related bill, SB 1050, sponsored by Senator Vince Leach (R-LD17) in April. The bipartisan measure would have directed tax dollars from Government Property Lease Excise Tax (GPLET) to schools by prohibiting the abatement of school district-designated tax revenues. “This was a missed opportunity by the Governor,” Leach told AZ Free News. “She says she supports education funding, but her veto suggests otherwise.”
The Arizona Freedom Caucus (AFC) says it intends to replace Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) Tom Horne in 2026.
AFC’s chairman, State Senator Jake Hoffman, claimed to a press gaggle on Monday that Horne hasn’t put sufficient work into protecting the Empowerment Scholarship Account Program (ESA Program). Hoffman accused Horne of leaving the state legislature to do all the work to protect the state’s school choice program.
Hoffman called Horne “the single greatest threat” to the ESA Program.
“Thanks to the legislature and the conservative leadership that we have, Katie Hobbs is unable to make serious, negative, adverse reforms to school choice in this state. However, Tom Horne is the single greatest threat to school choice. Tom Horne is the single greatest threat to the ESA Program. Tom Horne is the single greatest threat to nearly 100,000 students and their families that are utilizing those programs right now. And so I will certainly be looking for a Superintendent of Public Instruction candidate to challenge Tom Horne.”
Horne denied the accusations from Hoffman in a direct response to the senator.
“I brought charter schools to Arizona when I served in the legislature in the 90s,” said Horne. “I’ve fought to keep ESAs and school choice from an Attorney General and Governor who want it gone. I’m happy to debate you anytime on these issues.”
I brought charter schools to Arizona when I served in the legislature in the 90s. I've fought to keep ESAs and school choice from an Attorney General and Governor who want it gone. I'm happy to debate you anytime on these issues @JakeHoffmanAZ. https://t.co/pPYFjkV5l9
Hoffman took issue with the proposed 2024-2025 ESA Handbook last month. Hoffman and fellow Republicans submitted a letter to the Arizona State Board of Education (ASBE) urging the draft’s rejection.
🚨 ESA ALERT 🚨
The 2024-2025 ESA Handbook was just published & has MAJOR problems!
ESA Parents are NOT happy.
The State Board of Ed is set to approve the flawed handbook THIS MONDAY.
ASBE declined to approve the new handbook during its meeting last week. The board delayed a decision on the proposed handbook for its next meeting toward the end of this month. Horne was the sole board member to motion for a board vote on the proposed handbook during their last meeting.
Horne has consistently presented himself as “the main defender” of the ESA Program. Horne explained the perceived limitations on ESA Program expenditures were necessary written safeguards against abuse of the program.
Per Horne, parents have attempted to take advantage of current unwritten limitations on reimbursements, such as requesting coverage for a $5,000 Rolex watch and a $24,000 golf simulator.
“[These are] abuse of things that are not really for the educational benefit of the child. It’s obvious there has to be some limitations,” said Horne.
The SPI has also pushed back against attempts by Attorney General Kris Mayes and Governor Katie Hobbs — both staunch opponents of the ESA Program and the concept of school choice in general — to undermine and cripple the ESA Program with allegations of poor oversight and management.
Horne says he has consistently referred cases of fraud to Mayes for investigation, as well as increased staffing for auditing and investigative purposes.
“Under my leadership, the department has done a full-court press against waste and fraud. I hired both a program auditor and an investigator, which had not been done before,” said Horne in a January response to Hobbs’ State of the State. “I require that every expenditure be for a valid educational purpose and have been attacked for doing that.”
Nearly 87,800 students participate in the ESA Program as of Monday’s count.
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The Arizona State Board of Education (ASBE) declined to approve the new handbook for the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Program.
ASBE discussed the proposed 2025-2026 ESA Handbook during its meeting on Monday. Though it had the opportunity to approve the handbook during the meeting, a majority of the board indicated a desire to abstain from voting on the handbook until their upcoming April meeting.
Arizona Department of Education (ADE) Superintendent Tom Horne motioned for ASBE to take a vote on the handbook, but no other board member seconded his motion.
The ESA executive director, John Ward, said the new handbook was more user friendly, with information clarified and organized, redundancies reduced, hyperlinked statutes and rules, a clarified list of spending limits on items associated with risks of abuse, and a new chapter on enrollments.
A point of concern for ASBE board members related to ESA Program approvals of expenditures, namely of the sort opposed by Attorney General Kris Mayes.
Mayes’ Government Accountability Unit launched an investigation into the ESA Program over its expense authorizations last July. Mayes accused the ESA Program of approving supplementary materials without documentation of a curriculum nexus, approving certain curriculum materials without curriculum documentation, and approving textbook expenses without documentation demonstrating a qualified school or eligible postsecondary institution requires it.
During Monday’s meeting, Ward clarified there were certain “common” educational items for which the ESA Program didn’t require curriculum in order to not burden families, such as pencils and paper. Ward said the attorney general’s letter prompted them to split the supplemental materials listings into two: those that will always require a curriculum nexus and those that are general educational items which, pending the ongoing court case’s outcome on the matter, may never require a curriculum nexus.
There were over 87,600 students reported within the ESA program as of Tuesday.
The ESA Program continues to be a source of conflict between statewide officials.
Governor Katie Hobbs targeted the ESA Program during her State of the State address in January. Hobbs’ criticisms prompted a rebuttal from Horne; he said the governor was ignorant to the administration of the program.
In his explanation of the new ESA Program Handbook earlier this month, Horne dismissed one major opposing claim: that the program needs to reimburse parents without question of the expenses.
Horne said the ADE’s oversight of expenditures successfully prevented abusive charges, such as a $5,000 Rolex watch and a $24,000 golf simulator.
“[These are] abuse of things that are not really for the educational benefit of the child. It’s obvious there has to be some limitations,” said Horne.
Unlike his predecessor, Horne has repeatedly stepped up to defend the ESA Program.
“Parents should have the choice to be sure their child is in a school that meets the needs of that child,” said Horne. “The ESAs are really not really a challenge to the public schools; they supplement them and make sure that all students are in an environment where needs are being met.”
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A majority of the Arizona State Board of Education (ASBE) members are serving on expired terms. Governor Katie Hobbs’ office has yet to replace them, but now she’s targeting one member in particular with an historically strong advocacy for school choice.
Board members serve a four-year term under gubernatorial appointment with State Senate consent.
Six of the 11 members on the board are serving on expired terms. The board also has one vacancy, making it six of 10 existing members to be serving on expired terms.
The terms for Jason Catanese and Vice President Dr. Scott Hagerman expired last January. The terms for President Katherine Haley, Jenny Clark, Dr. Daniel Corr, and Julia Meyerson expired last month.
It appears that Clark and her expired term came on Hobbs’ radar with the signing of the Phoenix Declaration: An American Vision for Education from the conservative think tank, Heritage Foundation, last week during its Conservative Vision of Education Conference in Phoenix. The declaration advocates for school choice, curriculum transparency, ideology-free classrooms, Western and Judeo-Christian education, character-based learning models, merit-based academic standards, and a greater emphasis on civics education.
10 educational and public interest groups, along with over 50 scholars and education policy experts, signed onto the declaration. Clark signed on with the organization she founded, Love Your School.
Following this development, Hobbs’ office called on Clark to resign last Wednesday. When Clark refused, Hobbs’ staff allegedly advised of a letter to arrive last Friday confirming Clark’s term ending. Clark claimed she had received no such letter as of Monday.
“Honestly, I’m surprised @GovernorHobbs didn’t remove me when she took office (which was fully within her abilities as Governor). Clearly, the 9th floor has been struggling the last couple of years!” said Clark. “I’ve enjoyed advocating for all students (including Arizona ESA families) while on the board, and I know the current board has a significant task ahead with the absolute CRISIS in math and reading AZ public schools are facing with the latest NAEP scores. I look forward to seeing the timely, aggressive, and student-centered approach they will take regarding this crisis.”
One of Hobbs’ main campaign promises was to eradicate the universality of the school choice program implemented by her predecessor, Republican Doug Ducey, in 2022.
Over the course of her two-year-long fight with the Republican-controlled legislature, Hobbs scaled back her original goal of undoing the universality of the state’s school choice model.
This year, Hobbs is vying for a budget proposal slashing funds to the states Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESA) Program. Hobbs proposed graduated income limits, with a restriction to household incomes at or above $200,000.
House Speaker Steve Montenegro indicated in statements to the press that this budget was a nonstarter for Republicans.
“While we share a commitment to improving the lives of Arizonans, the Governor’s budget proposal as presented raises concerns about parental choice, fiscal responsibility, public safety, economic growth, and the undue burdens it places on the backs of taxpayers,” said Montenegro.
Nearly 86,500 students have entered the ESA Program as of Monday.
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Arizona Republicans are reacting to a financial crisis involving a local school district and calling for serious investigations into the developing matter.
This week, a number of Republicans in both the Arizona House of Representatives and Senate released statements about the situation surrounding Isaac Elementary School District being placed in receivership by the Arizona State Board of Education. Some legislators are even looking to the Maricopa County Attorney to investigate the school district if the state’s attorney general does not spring into action.
House Speaker Steve Montenegro said, “Our sympathies begin and end with the students, faculty, and parents of Isaac. At the heart of this crisis are more than 4,800 students and hundreds of employees who have been abandoned by failed district leadership. The falsification of financial records and the mismanagement of public funds are a betrayal of trust and must be investigated immediately. The people of Arizona deserve to know how this happened, and those responsible must be held accountable.”
Senator David Farnsworth, the Chair of the Education Committee, added, “I’m incredibly concerned by what’s transpired within the Isaac Elementary School District. My colleagues in both the Senate and House are investigating what led to the tremendous overspending and what legislative reforms we need to adopt to make certain a similar situation doesn’t happen in the future. What the State of Arizona won’t do is provide this school district a financial bailout without implementing any corrective policies. Doing so would only be a Band Aid on the wound and most certainly do more harm than good.”
Senator Carine Werner, a first-term legislator and the Vice Chair of the Education Committee, wrote, “My heart goes out to the teachers and staff of Isaac Elementary School District, many of whom are already living paycheck to paycheck and are now fearing the money isn’t going to hit their bank accounts come pay day because of the gross financial mismanagement by administrators within this district. We are working on solutions to ensure the children of these schools are not disrupted in their learning environments and those responsible are held accountable.”
Arizona House Majority Leader Michael Carbone stated, “Since taking office, Mayes has shown zero interest in tackling corruption in school districts. Instead, she has used her office to attack parents who use Empowerment Scholarship Accounts to seek better opportunities for their children. This is the same Attorney General who dropped all felony charges against a former Scottsdale Unified Superintendent engaged in a laundry list of fraudulent schemes at multiple school districts. Amazingly, Mayes only required the former administrator to pay income taxes on illegal kickbacks the administrator received – a sweetheart settlement for the ages. The students in Isaac deserve better.”
In their letter sent to Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, Arizona House Republican leadership wrote, “In late December, the Arizona Auditor General sounded the alarm over the possibility of a receivership and noted that the Isaac Elementary School District has been identified as one of Arizona’s highest-risk districts since December 2020. The Auditor General has also reported that ‘[t]hroughout FY 2024, the District failed to report expenditures in the appropriate funds throughout the year and submitted a misleading and inaccurate FY 2024 annual financial report’ to the Arizona Department of Education. And in another report documenting multiple deficiencies in Fiscal Year 2023, the Auditor General noted potential conflict of interest issues, miscoded financial transactions, incomplete financial records and documentation, failures to deposit cash in a timely manner, and failures to provide training and guidance related to restrictions on accepting gifts or benefits.”
The House Republicans asked Mitchell to confirm an investigation into the Isaac Elementary School District matter because they lack confidence that Mayes would “fully and fairly investigate the school district’s leadership over these serious issues.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
