Superintendent Candidates Debate If More Funding Is The Answer

Candidates for state superintendent in California and Arizona lay out their education plans ahead of the November election. Guest host Esther Wickham looks at California’s race for Superintendent of Public Instruction with San Diego Unified board president Richard Barrera against Chino Valley Unified board president Sonja Shaw. Barrera wants more funding directed to classrooms and universal early childhood education. Shaw is focused on phonics, core academics, keeping politics out of classrooms and opting California in to the federal school choice tax credit. In Arizona, former state treasurer Kimberly Yee faces Dr. Teresa Ruiz. Yee wants to expand school options, increase budget transparency and create a teacher mentorship program. Ruiz proposes stricter audits of the Empowerment Scholarship Account program and higher teacher pay.