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superintendent for the past 15 years. Richie Taylor is
a native of Sa ord and was greatly in uenced by his
childhood teachers, including the current Graham
County superintendent, Donna McGaughey.
Together, we bring over 30 years of education
experience with a unique focus on rural and special
education. With the help of John and Richie, the
Department of Education will move toward being an
agency of service for all our schools whether they be in
Douglas or Flagsta . We are also assembling a team of
experts to help plan our transition and guide the early
work of the department in the coming months.
For too long, our schools have not had an assertive,
positive voice for the solutions and practices that work
for our students and teachers. I’ll lend my voice and the
weight of my position to push for policies that provide
sustainable funding for our schools and reduce barriers
to access for our students, like removing the burden
of the four-hour English-only block. I’ve also begun
the critical work of collaborating with our elected
o cials to prioritize charter school reform to eliminate
corruption. With the help of diverse partners, we can
start to rebuild Arizona’s public education system and
better serve our students and communities.
Teachers have also lacked a staunch ally at the
Capitol. Our teachers work tirelessly to serve every The position of state superintendent of public
student, yet on average they receive one the lowest
salaries in the nation and have seen their workloads instruction holds a unique place in the Arizona
become increasingly demanding while resources
vanish due to budget cuts. In my role, I will be a political and educational landscape. It is both a role
much-needed champion for teachers by advocating of advocacy, careful management and service to our
for policies that provide all educators a living wage,
advanced training and improved bene ts like paid students and schools. As state superintendent, my
maternity and paternity leave. We cannot put our
students first if we continually put our teachers vision for our public schools will remain true to the
last. I am committed to treating all educators — spirit of my campaign. My Department of Education
meaning everyone from our school psychologists,
paraprofessionals, counselors, to our general will value the voices of underserved communities such
education teachers — with the utmost respect.
Our schools need a leader who will prioritize service as our rural schools, ensure public schools across the
to our children, schools, and communities — and as state have equitable funding, and commit to serving
state superintendent, that’s precisely what I’ll do. It will
take collaboration and legislative support across party the unique needs of our students and educators.
lines. However, this election showed that communities
across Arizona value public education and there is
bipartisan support for pro-public education policies.
I look forward to what we can accomplish together
when we put aside party politics and get to work
supporting our students, teachers and families alike.

— Kathy Hoffman is state superintendent of public
instruction-elect

WINTER 2019 | THE EDGE 33