Arizona Voters Will Elect Superintendent in November 2026
Candidates propose changes to school funding and voucher oversight that could impact your family's educational choices.
Updated on Oct. 12, 2026 in Administration
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Arizona voters will choose a new Superintendent of Public Instruction in November 2026. This election features candidate Teresa Leyba Ruiz and current State Treasurer Kimberly Yee, who will compete to lead the state's department overseeing K-12 education policy.
Why it matters
The outcome will shape how public schools are funded and how programs like Empowerment Scholarship Accounts are managed. Changes to these department policies may directly affect school district resources and the oversight of educational spending for families across the state.
The current Department of Education automatically approves Empowerment Scholarship Accounts purchases of $2,000 or less. Candidate Teresa Leyba Ruiz has proposed a third-party audit of this program.
The players
Teresa Leyba Ruiz
A candidate for Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction and former administrator at Glendale Community College.
Kimberly Yee
The current Arizona State Treasurer and a candidate for the Superintendent of Public Instruction position.
Tom Horne
The current Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction overseeing existing department policies.
The details
Teresa Leyba Ruiz has proposed closing the state's Empower Hotline, which allows for the reporting of classroom lessons on specific topics such as race. She also advocates for a third-party audit of the Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program, citing concerns that small purchases are currently being automatically approved due to department understaffing.
Timeline
Ruiz brings 25 years of teaching experience to her campaign.
The superintendent debate took place last month.
Arizona voters will head to the polls in November 2026.
The Home Front
The upcoming election marks a critical juncture for the administration of the state's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts program. Policy shifts regarding voucher oversight and school funding transparency are central to the debate as voters weigh the future of state-level education management.
Families should review the current status of state education programs to understand how potential administrative changes might affect school funding. Keep an eye on candidate platforms regarding the Empower Hotline and voucher protocols to see how they align with your household educational priorities.
The takeaway
This election serves as a reminder to track how administrative changes in the state department can impact daily school operations. Voters should monitor upcoming debates and policy updates to understand how the next superintendent might alter current classroom oversight and voucher approval processes.
Further reading
Learn more about the state's Administration and how it shapes local school oversight.
Source note: This article includes information reported by abc15 Arizona.
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