The Arizona State Board of Education on Monday approved removing diversity, equity and inclusion teaching standards to comply with a federal executive order and avoid the potential loss of $866 million in federal education funding.
During the meeting, board members heard testimony from parents, educators and members of the public who raised concerns about removing the standards. Yet the board approved to start the process of reviewing statewide teaching standards related to DEI.
In a Nov. 25 letter to the board, eight state lawmakers joined Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne in calling for immediate revisions to the Structured English Immersion framework.
The letter argues that the current standards contain DEI language that violates state law, undermines classroom neutrality and jeopardizes federal funds.
Horne warned that Arizona could lose the funding in 2026 if the state does not comply with Executive Order 14151, issued in January by the Trump administration to cut DEI requirements in education.
“All people should be judged based on their character and ability, not their race or ethnicity. DEI language and programs promote the exact opposite, and they have no place in the classroom. These terms do not belong in teaching standards,” Horne said in a statement.
