Anti-DEI vote pushed off until December after State Board of Education disagreed about urgency

PHOENIX – The Arizona State Board of Education has pushed off two votes that would have revised diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) language in the state teacher standards and English immersion course guidelines.

The Oct. 27 vote was moved to December after board members requested more details about what the revisions would include and who would make up the revision committees.

According to the Arizona Department of Education, the state could lose $866 million dollars in federal funding if the state is found to be non-compliant with President Trump’s anti-DEI executive order issued in January.

State Superintendent Tom Horne disagrees with the decision to hold off on the vote, explaining why he is hesitant about pushing the revision process off for so long.

“We’re facing the possibility of an axe falling on $800 million and something that would typically take eight months and not knowing how quickly the federal government is going to act, all we’re asking is we get started doing the work,” he said.

According to Associate Superintendent Sid Bailey, the revision process can take anywhere from 9 months to 2 years depending on the length of the standards and guidelines being reviewed.

Board member Daniel Corr shared concerns about removing language about student’s native languages, adding it could be a step over the line if the revisions are not done carefully and clearly.

“I work and live and serve a border town. [For] 55% of our students at Arizona Western College, English is not their native language… we have a very real possibility of overshooting. Going just too far and being destructive,” he said.

Other board members asked for clarity regarding how the revision committee would be selected, emphasizing the importance of a group of educators from around the state with differing views and experiences.

The vote will now take place at the board’s Dec. 8 meeting.

Funding for this journalism is made possible by the Arizona Local News Foundation.

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