【Video】Kimberly Yee Announces Run for State Superintendent of Public Instruction
(Phoenix, AZ) - Today, Kimberly Yee, the highest-ranking Republican elected statewide in Arizona, announced she is running for State Superintendent of Public Instruction. Yee is currently the Arizona Treasurer and is serving in her second and final term of office, which will conclude in January 2027, due to term limits.
"I was born and raised in Arizona, and I love our great state. I have actively represented all of our 15 wonderful counties and built important partnerships around the state during my time as Treasurer," said Kimberly Yee. "On the education front, I will be a statewide advocate alongside parents to build stronger academic schools, an education system that puts the students first, and a vocational pathway to prepare our future workforce in our growing state. We must have educational opportunities for all. I will preserve and strengthen our school choice options so parents can make the best decisions for their child's education."
Yee, the daughter of a public school teacher who taught in Arizona for 38 years, has an extensive background in K-12 and higher education public policy. Since 1996, Yee has served in two gubernatorial administrations, managing education policy, with a portfolio that covered childcare and development, K-12 academic content standards, postsecondary education, and career and technical education. She served as a senior research staff analyst for the Arizona Senate Education Committee. She helped write legislation in the 1990s that included school choice measures such as open enrollment, charter schools, and homeschools.
Serving as an elected member of the Arizona State Legislature from 2010 to 2018, Yee held leadership positions, including Chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, Vice Chairwoman of the House Education Committee, and a legislative member of the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools. Yee also served as Senate Majority Leader from 2017 to 2018, becoming the second female to hold this position, following Sandra Day O'Connor, who was the first female Senate Majority Leader in 1981. Yee was an early sponsor and supporter of legislation creating Empowerment Scholarship Accounts in Arizona.
"We must continue to support our schools and hardworking teachers with a long-term funding plan. I'm proud to have led the Arizona Treasury to its historic, record-high performance in earnings from the state land endowment, which has been distributed to Arizona schools. Under my leadership, Arizona schools have earned and distributed over $2.4 billion. That's more money for students so they can have the tools to achieve higher academic success. We need a leader over education in this state to make sure this happens." As Treasurer, Yee has also promoted financial education in schools.
Growing up in Phoenix, Yee attended public school for the elementary, middle, and high school grades. She is a graduate of Pepperdine University, holding degrees in English and Political Science, and has received a Master's Degree in Public Administration from Arizona State University.
Visit KimberlyYee.com for more information about the campaign. Contributions may be made by check to Kimberly Yee for Arizona and sent to P.O. Box 82071, Phoenix, AZ 85071, or made online through the campaign website.