Arizona Department of Education Advertised 1619 Project Teacher Grants

Arizona Department of Education Advertised 1619 Project Teacher Grants

by | Oct 9, 2021 | Education, News

By Corinne Murdock |

In March, the Arizona Department of Education’s (ADE) Social Studies newsletter advertised grant funds for teachers who would implement the 1619 Project. The Pulitzer Center offered a $5,000 grant to 40 educators; applications were due in March. The 1619 Project is an exercise of critical race theory, which holds that race is a socially-constructed idea created by white people to exploit and suppress anyone who isn’t white, and that all social, political, and economic institutions in this country were created by and operate on racism.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning newspaper series was debunked by historians roundly and subsequently edited significantly without any editor’s notes from its publisher, The New York Times. The initial goal of the project was to “reframe the country’s history” by establishing the year 1619 as the United States’s “true founding,” while focusing “the consequences of slavery and contributions of black Americans” as the lens through which to view past and present American society.

Parent and co-founder of West Valley Parents Uniting, Heather Rooks, resurfaced ADE’s newsletter promoting 1619 Project grant funds.

“Social Studies Newsletter back from January 2021, Arizona Department of Education to the Peoria Unified School District,” wrote Rooks. “Pulitzer Center offering grants to teachers to help implement the 1619 project ? So @azedschools is clearly using incentives to push CRT is AZ schools!”


In February, ADE’s Office of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion also suggested that the 1619 Project podcast was an appropriate educator resource for Black History Month.

In a statement to AZ Free News, Rooks questioned how ADE could be trusted with educating Arizona’s students if they promoted such unacademic materials. She urged parents to up their vigilance.

The Arizona Department of Education sends out newsletters to school districts across the valley. You would think the Department would have resources to help students with loss of learning. But instead, there’s a newsletter from January 2021 showing a promotion from Pulitzer Center giving out grant money to teachers who implement the 1619 project in their classrooms. I am a parent who wants the best education not only for my children, but for all children in Peoria Unified School District. Finding this newsletter through public records in emails of the curriculum team with the Peoria Unified School District was incredibly sad and shocking to say the least. If we can’t trust The Arizona Department of Education, how do we trust the Districts? Parents need to be aware of these newsletters coming to school districts from the Arizona Department of Education. Offering incentives to push Critical Race Theory into schools is completely wrong. West Valley Parents Uniting stands for transparency for parents and academics for students. Apparently the Arizona Department of Education doesn’t stand for Truth.

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.

Arizona Superintendent Maskless at Indoor Party, Despite Pushing School Mask Mandates

Arizona Superintendent Maskless at Indoor Party, Despite Pushing School Mask Mandates

by | Aug 27, 2021 | News

By Corinne Murdock |

After months advocating for school mask mandates, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman neglected to mask up for an indoors baby shower this past weekend. Hoffman has been a staunch advocate for universal masking.

Just one month ago, Hoffman issued a formal statement decrying Governor Doug Ducey’s ban on K-12 mask mandates. Hoffman sided with CDC guidance, which asks that all individuals wear masks – even those who’ve been fully vaccinated.

“We know masks work and, with rising cases, they’re a vital part of our effort to reduce everyone’s COVID-19 risks,” wrote Hoffman. “I encourage teachers, administrators, and families to listen to the CDC and take individual action to keep themselves and each other safe by wearing a mask during in-person school. Students, teachers, and parents are ready to get back to in-person learning, but it takes all of us.”

All of us, that is, except Hoffman. It appears that Hoffman’s personal life doesn’t align with the version she offers the public eye – even Hoffman’s Twitter and Facebook profiles have her wearing a mask.

The same weekend of Hoffman’s maskless party, another prominent politician and masking advocate, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, was seen on video maskless at a fundraiser luncheon. Like Hoffman’s experience at the “Bee Tea” baby shower, neither Pelosi or any of the other guests caught on camera wore masks or were socially distant.

Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.

Hoffman Grateful For “American Rescue Plan’s” $2.6 Billion In Funding

Hoffman Grateful For “American Rescue Plan’s” $2.6 Billion In Funding

by | Mar 14, 2021 | News

By Lori Hunnicutt |

After having already received over $1 billion in CARES ACT ESSER and ESSER II funding for Arizona’s schools, Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman issued a publicly paid for press release to expressed her gratitude to Arizona’s democratic congressional delegation for the passage of the American Rescue Plan.

According to Hoffman, the Plan will provide nearly $2.6 billion dollars to Arizona for K-12 education, of which the Arizona Department of Education will allocate 90% of those funds directly to public schools.

“The latest round of federal relief and recovery dollars comes at a time of high need for Arizona’s schools and families as many prepare for a return to some degree of in-person learning. From teaching and learning to providing critical wrap around supports, over the past year, every Arizonan has seen just how essential our schools are to our communities,” said Hoffman in her press release. “I am grateful to the members of Arizona’s delegation who supported the American Rescue Plan, their advocacy and their votes are essential to our recovery as a state.”

As noted by Hoffman, schools are essential, and as a result, parents have gone in search of those essential service providers. Public school enrollment is down by approximately 38,000 students for the 2020-2021 school year compared to last year.

Despite the fact that the Arizona Department of Education released a report showing public school enrollment is declining dramatically, funding for schools is growing due to COVID by nearly the same dramatic rate.

ESSER allocations were only for Title I districts and were set by the federal government. Non title I districts did not receive a direct allocation from the federal government through the CARES act so the Department used its discretionary funds to ensure they had access to relief dollars, according to Richie Taylor with the Arizona Department of Education.

TOP 20 ESSR RECEIPIENTS TOP 20 ESSR II RECEIPIENTS
LEA NAME ESSER Fund Allocation ESSER II Allocation TOTAL
Tucson Unified District $18,558,099.29 $76,396,636.50 $94,954,735.79
Mesa Unified District $17,062,873.58 $70,241,361.27 $87,304,234.85
Phoenix Union High School District $11,993,688.79 $49,373,455.48 $61,367,144.27
Cartwright Elementary District $7,999,141.31 $32,929,422.74 $40,928,564.05
Washington Elementary School District $7,318,952.59 $30,129,344.49 $37,448,297.08
Alhambra Elementary District $6,507,560.37 $26,789,151.34 $33,296,711.71
Sunnyside Unified District $5,721,902.88 $23,554,897.94 $29,276,800.82
Glendale Elementary District $4,804,642.37 $19,778,885.64 $24,583,528.01
Roosevelt Elementary District $4,701,263.40 $19,329,140.54 $24,030,403.94
Paradise Valley Unified District $4,513,659.06 $18,581,882.84 $23,095,541.90
Phoenix Elementary District $4,420,353.51 $17,741,161.13 $22,161,514.64
Peoria Unified School District $4,230,397.55 $17,414,938.09 $21,645,335.64
Glendale Union High School District $4,163,991.22 $17,141,568.48 $21,305,559.70
Dysart Unified District $3,914,351.21 $16,114,569.28 $20,028,920.49
Isaac Elementary District $3,839,593.72 $15,565,659.76 $19,405,253.48
Deer Valley Unified District $3,656,154.10 $15,072,832.22 $18,728,986.32
Chandler Unified District #80 $3,276,351.66 $13,574,728.96 $16,851,080.62
Creighton Elementary District $3,317,717.18 $13,452,995.34 $16,770,712.52
Amphitheater Unified District $3,173,678.01 $13,002,600.04 $16,176,278.05

TOP 50 ESSR RECEIPIENTS TOP 50 ESSR II RECEIPIENTS
LEA NAME ESSER Fund Allocation LEA NAME ESSER II Allocation
Tucson Unified District $18,558,099.29 Tucson Unified District $76,396,636.50
Mesa Unified District $17,062,873.58 Mesa Unified District $70,241,361.27
Phoenix Union High School District $11,993,688.79 Phoenix Union High School District $49,373,455.48
Cartwright Elementary District $7,999,141.31 Cartwright Elementary District $32,929,422.74
Washington Elementary School District $7,318,952.59 Washington Elementary School District $30,129,344.49
Alhambra Elementary District $6,507,560.37 Alhambra Elementary District $26,789,151.34
Sunnyside Unified District $5,721,902.88 Sunnyside Unified District $23,554,897.94
Glendale Elementary District $4,804,642.37 Glendale Elementary District $19,778,885.64
Roosevelt Elementary District $4,701,263.40 Roosevelt Elementary District $19,329,140.54
Paradise Valley Unified District $4,513,659.06 Paradise Valley Unified District $18,581,882.84
Phoenix Elementary District $4,420,353.51 Phoenix Elementary District $17,741,161.13
Peoria Unified School District $4,230,397.55 Peoria Unified School District $17,414,938.09
Glendale Union High School District $4,163,991.22 Glendale Union High School District $17,141,568.48
Dysart Unified District $3,914,351.21 Dysart Unified District $16,114,569.28
Isaac Elementary District $3,839,593.72 Isaac Elementary District $15,565,659.76
Deer Valley Unified District $3,656,154.10 Deer Valley Unified District $15,072,832.22
Creighton Elementary District $3,317,717.18 Chandler Unified District #80 $13,574,728.96
Chandler Unified District #80 $3,276,351.66 Creighton Elementary District $13,452,995.34
Amphitheater Unified District $3,173,678.01 Amphitheater Unified District $13,002,600.04
Tempe School District $2,599,800.98 Yuma Union High School District $10,524,843.43
Yuma Union High School District $2,556,671.32 Chinle Unified District $10,485,054.40
Gilbert Unified District $2,361,129.01 Tempe School District $10,097,765.41
Chinle Unified District $2,311,140.03 Gilbert Unified District $9,719,870.46
Pendergast Elementary District $2,051,218.76 Academy of Mathematics and Science South, Inc. $8,669,827.51
Scottsdale Unified District $2,039,036.15 Pendergast Elementary District $8,495,439.77
Yuma Elementary District $1,987,817.13 Scottsdale Unified District $8,428,712.94
Academy of Mathematics and Science South, Inc. $1,936,851.39 Yuma Elementary District $8,183,087.04
Douglas Unified District $1,912,733.71 Douglas Unified District $7,873,997.23
Nogales Unified District $1,864,660.69 Nogales Unified District $7,676,098.84
Tolleson Union High School District $1,839,218.99 Tolleson Union High School District $7,571,365.40
Casa Grande Elementary District $1,718,113.97 Casa Grande Elementary District $7,072,934.77
Balsz Elementary District $1,649,049.88 Kingman Unified School District $6,767,033.37
Kingman Unified School District $1,643,832.54 Fowler Elementary District $6,728,290.92
Fowler Elementary District $1,634,421.24 Balsz Elementary District $6,676,508.92
Florence Unified School District $1,591,119.78 Florence Unified School District $6,608,113.68
Flagstaff Unified District $1,571,344.58 Whiteriver Unified District $6,545,727.43
Sierra Vista Unified District $1,446,034.29 Kayenta Unified District $6,308,720.55
Whiteriver Unified District $1,320,524.94 Flagstaff Unified District $6,137,515.48
Gadsden Elementary District $1,305,353.14 Sierra Vista Unified District $5,507,013.62
Coolidge Unified District $1,301,824.05 Gadsden Elementary District $5,373,642.41
Apache Junction Unified District $1,289,942.00 Flowing Wells Unified District $5,237,156.31
Flowing Wells Unified District $1,261,038.47 American Leadership Academy, Inc. $5,169,312.09
Osborn Elementary District $1,249,531.15 Apache Junction Unified District $5,111,069.81
Crane Elementary District $1,195,318.52 Coolidge Unified District $4,983,582.74
Kayenta Unified District $1,189,663.56 Crane Elementary District $4,920,671.69
Murphy Elementary District $1,169,915.43 Humboldt Unified District $4,801,577.92
Humboldt Unified District $1,166,388.53 Marana Unified District $4,777,558.60
Marana Unified District $1,151,547.40 Avondale Elementary District $4,761,816.09
Avondale Elementary District $1,149,022.62 Osborn Elementary District $4,751,065.08


While multiple studies show that students are suffering greatly from school closures including increased anxiety and even suicide, Hoffman has been nearly silent on the subject of student mental health and what programs might be developed with the millions in surplus monies not allocated to schools to improve students’ mental and intellectual well-being.