Arizona’s State Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Horne, announced that the U.S. Department of Education (USED) has offered the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) a waiver to recover approximately $29 million in unused federal Title I funds. These funds, which had been under-utilized during the administration of former Superintendent Kathy Hoffman, are targeted for recoupment through a waiver request submitted by ADE covering State Fiscal Years 2021, 2022, and 2023.
On August 8, the USED contacted ADE Title I staff, encouraging them to apply for a Tydings waiver. This waiver would allow the department to utilize excess funds that accrued due to under-allocations starting in Fiscal Year 2020. Before this notification, the USED had not mentioned any request for a waiver to ADE.
Horne expressed his commitment to securing more resources for Arizona’s schools, stating, “I will always fight for more money for schools, so I am happy to submit this waiver request to the federal government. The under-utilization of about $29 million in federal funds began in Fiscal Year 2020 under the previous superintendent, and the employee who incompetently handled these allocations no longer works at this department.”
Horne criticized the current governor’s remarks on the situation, stating that the allegations against his administration are false. He emphasized that the funds should have been distributed to districts and charter schools during the Hoffman administration. Instead, previous staff allowed the funds to accumulate and face potential reversion. Horne assured that the issue is being addressed under his leadership.
If approved, the waiver will enable ADE to enhance funding for the most underserved districts and charter schools, addressing a critical need for educational resources and support across the state.
