Democrat Teresa Leyba Ruiz has defeated Republican Treasurer Kimberly Yee in the race for Arizona superintendent of public instruction, according to projections from the Associated Press.
That means January could mark the first time since the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program was founded that Arizona’s superintendent, governor and legislative majority align on how to oversee the funds that support students in non-public schools – and possibly putting an end to exiting superintendent Tom Horne’s pro-ESA legacy.
With Ruiz’s opposition to the universal aspect of the ESA program — coupled with Gov. Katie Hobbs’ victory and a likely Democratic majority in the legislature — the landscape of school choice may soon change.
Although she wouldn’t be writing policies, Ruiz says she would encourage more guardrails on the program that funds students in private schools, homeschools and microschools with taxpayer dollars.
“I can’t change the law, but I would certainly advocate, because our public schools are truly suffering around Arizona,” she told AZPM.
Ruiz, a third-generation Arizonan, was a math teacher for 23 years and the president of Glendale Community College until 2023. She spent her 20-month campaign touring the state’s 15 counties, where she found the physical condition of school buildings alarming but the teachers and school staff inspiring.
Ruiz said she was impressed by the dual-language programs at Tucson’s Roskruge Bilingual K-8 Magnet School, Wakefield Middle School and Pueblo High School, and by the Tucson Unified School District’s culturally responsive pedagogies.
“I talked to a student on Saturday in Tucson and he said participating in these culturally relevant courses has changed his perspective on life, on the world and the impact that he can have. And I thought, isn’t that the purpose of education?” Ruiz said.
The “most innovative” program she came across was in Flagstaff, where students at Killip Elementary School are using maker’s spaces to build ramps and try hands-on experiments.
Ruiz is only the second Democrat to be elected superintendent of Arizona in this century. She would be the first Latina taking the seat.
“As a mom with two college-aged daughters, what does this mean for them and for the million kids across Arizona? Not only because of my ethnicity but coming from very, very humble beginnings in south Phoenix,” she said.
Earlier this year, public school advocacy groups were propped up to pose their ESA reforms on the ballot. They earned the signatures required, but a state Supreme Court decision killed the effort by disqualifying tens of thousands of signatures due to double-counting.
After a long fight with Republicans over the financial and academic accountability standards within the program, it may now be easier for Democrats and public school advocates to make strides in securing more funding for districts.
In response to Ruiz declaring victory, public school advocates with Save Our School Arizona posted on social media that they “look forward to partnering to ensure ALL Arizona students have access to a high quality public education.”
Ruiz said she’s “ready to get to work.”
“I entered this race because I was frustrated and fed up with the attacks on public education and knew that we needed a strong educator’s voice in this role,” Ruiz said.
Ruiz was the only certified teacher running for superintendent this election cycle.
