Arizona voters are once again being asked to define the future of the state’s education system, this time through a crowded and ideologically diverse race for Superintendent of Public Instruction.
The four candidates currently in the field bring distinct resumes and priorities, reflecting broader debates already playing out across Arizona schools. On one side are candidates emphasizing school choice expansion, stricter oversight of curriculum and cultural issues, and continued legal challenges around education policy. On the other are candidates focused on strengthening public school systems, improving teacher retention, and expanding access and support for all students.
The role itself carries significant influence. The superintendent oversees academic standards, administers major funding programs including Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, and serves as a central figure in how state and federal education policies are interpreted and enforced at the local level.
As the campaign unfolds, the race is expected to center not just on qualifications, but on competing definitions of what Arizona’s education system should prioritize — and who it should serve.
Tom Horne (R)
Tom Horne announces that ESA program has expanded to over 100,000 students in Arizona.
Submitted photo/Arizona Department of Education
Tom Horne enters the 2026 race with one of the more extensive resumes in Arizona education politics, having previously served as Superintendent of Public Instruction from 2003 to 2011, as well as Arizona Attorney General. His current campaign centers on a return to what he frames as “academic fundamentals,” with a strong emphasis on opposing what he describes as politicization in schools.
Horne has lived in Arizona for decades and built his career in Phoenix as both an attorney and educator, including teaching at the university level. He earned his law degree from Harvard Law School and previously served in the Arizona Legislature before first being elected superintendent.
Supporters point to his prior tenure and experience navigating statewide education systems as evidence of his ability to lead. Critics, however, often frame his approach as prioritizing political and ideological conflicts over classroom-level challenges such as teacher retention, funding and student outcomes.
Horne’s campaign presents a continuation of his earlier leadership style: focused on enforcement, legal action and a defined view of academic priorities — positioning him as a candidate aiming to reshape Arizona schools through policy and litigation.
Brett Newby (D)
Brett Newby, a Chandler father and Board Certified Behavior Analyst, is running for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction in 2026, emphasizing equity, inclusion and data-driven education solutions.
Image by/Brett Newby
Brett Newby enters the race with a focus on equity, inclusion and data-driven decision-making in Arizona’s education system. A Chandler-based father of two, Newby frames his campaign through both personal experience and professional work as a board-certified behavior analyst, emphasizing firsthand exposure to the needs of diverse learners.
Born and raised in Arizona, Newby has spent much of his professional life in applied behavioral health and education support services. His work has focused on helping students develop academic, social and life skills through individualized interventions, often collaborating closely with teachers, school staff and parents. That experience has shaped his perspective on how education systems function at the classroom level, particularly for students who require additional support.
His platform centers on ensuring that all students — regardless of background, ability or circumstance — have access to high-quality education. Newby highlights the importance of inclusive learning environments, particularly for students with behavioral or developmental needs and advocates for systems that support both academic growth and social-emotional development.
Newby’s candidacy represents a shift toward student-centered and equity-focused reforms. His approach contrasts with more politically driven narratives, instead prioritizing classroom experience, individualized support, and systemic improvements aimed at closing gaps in opportunity and achievement across Arizona schools.
Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz (D)
Dr. Teresa Leyba Ruiz, a native Arizonan and first-generation college graduate, brings more than three decades of experience across multiple levels of education, from classroom teaching to college leadership, into the 2026 Superintendent race.
Ruiz’s career reflects a steady progression through Arizona’s education system, from the classroom to executive leadership. She went on to serve as a community college president and nonprofit executive, roles that expanded her work beyond instruction into workforce development, access to higher education and community partnerships. Along the way, she has remained connected to students and educators across the state.
Her campaign is rooted in strengthening public education systems. Ruiz emphasizes stabilizing the teacher workforce, expanding access to education, and building stronger support systems to help students meet high academic standards. She also highlights the importance of connecting K–12 education with postsecondary opportunities, including career and technical pathways.
Ruiz positions education as a central driver of economic growth and community stability. Her campaign reflects a systems-oriented approach that prioritizes investment in public schools, educator support and long-term outcomes. She offers a leadership style grounded in experience across sectors, with an emphasis on collaboration and expanding opportunity for Arizona students.
Kimberly Yee (R)
Kimberly Yee, Arizona State Treasurer and former legislative leader on education policy, is running for Superintendent of Public Instruction with a focus on school choice and fiscal management.
Image by/Kimberly Yee
Kimberly Yee brings a track record in both education policy and statewide financial leadership to her campaign for Superintendent of Public Instruction. Currently serving as Arizona State Treasurer, she highlights her management of state assets — reporting more than $6 billion in earnings returned to taxpayers — as evidence of fiscal discipline and executive experience.
Yee’s background in education policy spans decades. She has worked in gubernatorial administrations, served as a senior analyst for the Arizona Senate Education Committee and held leadership roles as chair of the Senate Education Committee and vice chair of the House Education Committee. Her involvement in shaping early charter school legislation and supporting the development of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts places her firmly within Arizona’s school choice movement.
Her campaign emphasizes expanding educational options, strengthening workforce pathways and maintaining high academic standards. She also draws on personal ties to public education, as the daughter of a longtime Arizona teacher, to connect policy with lived experience.
Yee positions herself as a candidate who blends policy expertise with administrative leadership. Her approach suggests a focus on system-level reforms — particularly around school choice, financial stewardship, and long-term planning — rather than classroom-specific interventions. Her candidacy appeals to voters looking for continuity in Arizona’s existing education direction, with an emphasis on choice and governance experience.
As the race moves from early filings to official ballot qualification, the field is expected to narrow. What remains clear is that the outcome will carry significant implications for how Arizona approaches everything from classroom policy to long-term system stability.
Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.
Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter
smantle@iniusa.org
Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.
Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.
Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!
Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.
Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.
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