SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Arizona State Superintendent Tom Horne visited Huachuca Mountain Elementary School in Sierra Vista today, highlighting the school's above-average academic performance as an example of educational excellence in the state.
The elementary school has achieved 49% proficiency in reading and 52% proficiency in math, significantly outperforming the state averages of 40% for reading and 31% for math.
"We need to celebrate excellence. If we celebrate excellence, we'll encourage more excellence," Horne said.
Principal Mary Parez credited the school's success to prioritizing challenging students and staff while maintaining a supportive environment. She noted that positive momentum began building last year.
"This time last year, we really started to see some positive momentum upwards, and I really think that also showed the staff that what we were doing was working," Parez said. "We are 100% public school proud, and so I think sometimes the recognition of excellence in public schools, it's very encouraging to see that recognition coming from the State Department of Ed.”
Parez emphasized the importance of continuous improvement in education.
"Until all kids are learning on grade level, until all kids are learning at high levels, you have to keep pushing and striving to find new strategies, new approaches for that for all kids," Parez said.
The principal also attributed their success to staff retention, having the same teachers year after year. However, Horne acknowledged this presents a statewide challenge as Arizona struggles to maintain competitive teacher salaries.
"We have to raise our teacher salaries, because right now we're losing more teachers that are coming into the profession. So you can imagine, if that continued the same trend, without strong action, we could end up with zero teachers," Horne said.
Horne suggested that Proposition 123, which uses state land funds for education, could help address the salary gap.
"I'm hoping that the legislature and the governor will allocate a certain amount of money to send money directly to teachers to supplement their salaries," Horne said.
The state legislature must make that funding decision this year.
Horne also visited a school in Cochise County and Santa Cruz County as part of his tour of rural Arizona schools.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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