Democrat Teresa Leyba Ruiz has won the election for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction and will become the first Latina to hold the state’s top public education post. The Associated Press called the race Thursday evening.
When the race was called, Ruiz led Republican Kimberly Yee 52.9% to 46.9%. According to AZFamily, as of 8:50 p.m. Ruiz’s lead was more than 138,000 votes. Voting took place Nov. 3.
Yee is the state treasurer, and Ruiz is a longtime math teacher and former president of Glendale Community College. Yee defeated incumbent Superintendent Tom Horne in the Republican primary in July. Ruiz’s victory means Democrats won all of the major statewide races in Arizona this year.
The campaign centered on the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, the state’s school voucher system. Ruiz called for tougher oversight and stricter eligibility criteria, as well as the same accountability standards for private schools that receive ESA funds as for public schools. She also pledged to end the automatic approval of expenditures of up to $2,000. Yee supports the ESA program and named improving student test scores as a priority.
Ruiz named solving the teacher shortage as her main goal. She also pledged to shut down the Empower Hotline, which allows people to submit anonymous complaints about teachers. The new superintendent will take office amid a staffing shortage, growing financial problems in school districts and challenges related to the voucher program.
In a statement issued before the race was called, Ruiz wrote that the victory is historic for students, teachers and families. She also invited Yee to join an ESA accountability team.
Source: AZFamily, Arizona Mirror
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