Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction

Elected official

Superintendent of Public Instruction of Arizona

Incumbent
Tom Horne

since January 2, 2023

Residence| Phoenix, Arizona
Term length| Four years, can serve two terms
Succession| Fourth
Website| State Website

The Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction is an elected state executive position in the Arizona state government. The superintendent oversees the state of Arizona's public school system and directs the state's Department of Education.

The state superintendent's powers are mostly administrative, with little influence over education policy.[1] While the superintendent oversees teacher certification and administers state policy, other officials and boards exert control over most substantive aspects of education in the state.[1] For example, school funding formulas and appropriations are set by law (as determined by the Arizona Legislature and governor of Arizona, or by voters in ballot questions).[1] The State Board of Education sets curricular and academic standards.[1] The superintendent serves ex officio as one member of the State Board of Education and State Board for Charter Schools, but the other board members are appointed by the governor to staggered terms.[1] Thus, the extent of the state superintendent's influence over state education policy largely depends on his or her ability to persuade the governor, the state boards, and the Legislature.[1]

As of 2017, Arizona's Superintendent of Public Instruction is the lowest paid state education administrator in the United States, being paid $85,000 compared to the national average of $174,000.[2]

The current superintendent is Tom Horne.[3]

The Superintendent of Public Instruction is fourth (behind the Secretary of State, Attorney General, and Treasurer, respectively) in the line of succession to the office of Governor of Arizona.[4]

The Superintendent of Public Education is an ex officio member of the Arizona Board of Regents which oversees public universities in the state.[5]

## Superintendents

[edit]

#  | Name  | Political Party  | Term of Office

|
|
|

1  | Charles O. Case | Democratic  | 1912–1921
2  | Elsie Toles | Republican  | 1921–1923
3  | Charles O. Case | Democratic  | 1933–1941
4  | Herman E. Hendrix | Democratic  | 1933–1941
5  | E. D. Ring | Democratic  | 1941–1947
6  | N. D. Pulliam | Democratic  | 1947–1947
7  | L. D. Klemraedson | Democratic  | 1947–1949
8  | M. L. Brooks | Democratic  | 1949–1955
9  | C. L. "Cliff" Harkins | Democratic  | 1955–1957
10  | M. L. Brooks | Democratic  | 1957–1959
11  | C. L. "Cliff" Harkins | Democratic  | 1955–1959[6]
12  | W. W. "Skipper" Dick | Democratic  | 1959–1967
13  | Sarah Folsum | Republican  | 1967–1971
14  | Weldon P. Shofstall | Republican  | 1971–1975
15  | Carolyn Warner | Democratic  | 1975–1987
16  | C. Diane Bishop | Democratic  | 1987–1995
17  | Lisa Graham Keegan | Republican  | 1995–2001
18  | Jaime Molera | Republican  | 2001–2003
19  | Tom Horne | Republican  | 2003–2011
20  | John Huppenthal | Republican  | 2011–2015
21  | Diane Douglas | Republican  | 2015–2019
22  | Kathy Hoffman | Democratic  | 2019–2023
23  | Tom Horne | Republican  | 2023–present

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f Yana Kunichoff, Arizona superintendent candidates have promised a lot. What can they deliver?, Arizona Republic (November 3, 2022).
2. ^ Cano, Ricardo (September 5, 2017). "Arizona's Diane Douglas is nation's lowest paid state education administrator". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on May 17, 2021. Retrieved May 17, 2021.
3. ^ "Superintendent – The Official Website of the Arizona State Department of Education". www.azed.gov. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
4. ^ "Constitution of Arizona: Article V, Section 6". Arizona Legislature. Retrieved August 22, 2019.
5. ^ Arizona Board of Regents, Board Members Archived August 9, 2017, at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ "State of Arizona official canvass, general election returns". Arizona State Government Publications. State Library of Arizona. Archived from the original on December 20, 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* Official Website
* The Historical Role of Arizona's Superintendent of Public Instruction

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