Higley Unified School District Governing Board Candidates

Supports budget overrides and bonds if all current resources are being managed efficiently.

- Supports budget overrides and bonds if all current resources are being managed efficiently.

School System Budget

Supports retaining school resource officers on campuses.

Supports a balanced cell phone usage policy that allows for limited use during instructional time while ensuring that phones are used responsibly.

- Supports retaining school resource officers on campuses.
- Supports a balanced cell phone usage policy that allows for limited use during instructional time while ensuring that phones are used responsibly.

School Safety & Discipline

Marc has 3 children. He has previously volunteered for the Higley Unified School District. 

Marc is a financial literacy specialist.  He previously served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. 

Marc Garcia’s campaign for school board member is his first run for public office.

Supports a transparent review process for school reading materials, where materials are evaluated for their educational value, appropriateness, and compliance with Arizona statutes such as A.R.S. 13-3506 and A.R.S. 15-120.03, outline specific guidelines for what constitutes objectionable or explicit content in school settings.

- Supports a transparent review process for school reading materials, where materials are evaluated for their educational value, appropriateness, and compliance with Arizona statutes such as A.R.S. 13-3506 and A.R.S. 15-120.03, outline specific guidelines for what constitutes objectionable or explicit content in school settings.

School Curriculum

Supports school vouchers, school choice, and the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program.

- Supports school vouchers, school choice, and the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program.

School Facilities & Resources

Supports allocating more district funds directly toward classroom supplies to reduce the financial burden on teachers.

- Supports allocating more district funds directly toward classroom supplies to reduce the financial burden on teachers.

Teachers

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Marc Garcia

Supports greater accountability from the school board in terms of its resources allocated and decisions made.

Believes that school district must be accountable to the taxpayers.

Supports routine evaluations of school performance using objective measures to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

- Supports greater accountability from the school board in terms of its resources allocated and decisions made.
- Believes that school district must be accountable to the taxpayers.
- Supports routine evaluations of school performance using objective measures to ensure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely.

Believes school district should be transparent with parents about  discipline against faculty, staff, and students.

- Supports a school dress code.
- Believes school district should be transparent with parents about  discipline against faculty, staff, and students.

Taylor grew up outside of Portland, Oregon. He earned his bachelor's degree in science from Brigham Young University. He and his wife have 2 children and currently live in the Phoenix Valley area.

Taylor has as an air traffic controller and as a paid tutor to middle and high school students. 

Taylor Francis's campaign for school board member in Higley Unified School District is his first run for public office.

Opposes teachers discussing their own political beliefs in the classroom.

Believes curriculum should focus on math, science, civics, history, literature, and the arts.

Believes that while schools "play a vital role in fostering healthy societal habits," they should not seek to create social reform.

Advocates for school board to provide students greater support and have increased expectations for better performance on standardized testing.

- Opposes teachers discussing their own political beliefs in the classroom.
- Believes curriculum should focus on math, science, civics, history, literature, and the arts.
- Believes that while schools "play a vital role in fostering healthy societal habits," they should not seek to create social reform.
- Advocates for school board to provide students greater support and have increased expectations for better performance on standardized testing.

As of June 18, 2025, D Taylor Francis’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Supports creating a culture in the district that leads to communication, cooperation, and trust between parents and teachers.

Supports giving teachers the resources and support they need to provide highest level of instruction.

Believes that supporting administrators is the way to support teachers.

- Supports creating a culture in the district that leads to communication, cooperation, and trust between parents and teachers.
- Supports giving teachers the resources and support they need to provide highest level of instruction.
- Believes that supporting administrators is the way to support teachers.

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D Taylor Francis

Kathleen lives in Gilbert, Arizona, with her husband and 2 children.

Kathleen is an experienced teaching artist and nonprofit administrator. She currently serves as a substitute teacher through ESI and has worked in education for over a decade. Additionally, she has spent several years in professional fundraising from both grants and individuals.

Candidate Questionnaire: Kathleen Richards

Kathleen Richards’s campaign for school board member is her first run for public office.

Candidate website

Believes in offering curricula that reflect the knowledge and needs of 2024 and beyond, and emphasizes teaching students to be responsible and safe technology users.

Advocates for teaching students to be responsible and safe technology users.

Believes in offering curricula that reflect the knowledge and needs of 2024 and beyond.

Advocates for a clear, and universally enforced policy regarding cell phones on campuses.

Believes students should learn to use AI responsibly and well.

- Advocates for teaching students to be responsible and safe technology users.
- Believes in offering curricula that reflect the knowledge and needs of 2024 and beyond.
- Advocates for a clear, and universally enforced policy regarding cell phones on campuses.
- Believes students should learn to use AI responsibly and well.
- Supports HUSD parental rights policies.

Supports a budget continuation to provide funding for the district.

- Supports a budget continuation to provide funding for the district.

Advocates for more parent accountability in the schooling of their children.

- Advocates for more parent accountability in the schooling of their children.

Student Wellbeing

Advocates for teacher retention initiatives.

Advocates for easing the burden for teachers who spend their own money on school supplies.

- Advocates for teacher retention initiatives.
- Advocates for easing the burden for teachers who spend their own money on school supplies.

Supports data-driven student retention initiatives.

Believes Arizona has not figured out how to make voucher systems work for students and families.

- Supports data-driven student retention initiatives.
- Believes Arizona has not figured out how to make voucher systems work for students and families.

Access to Education

Kathleen Richards

Sara earned her bachelor's degree in applied science from Utah Tech University. She is married and has 5 children. 

Sara currently works as a holistic healthcare practitioner. 

Ballotpedia, Sara Jarman

Sara Jarman's campaign for school board member is her first run for public office. 

Opposes "pornographic material" in classrooms.

Believes in safeguarding students’ innocence and vulnerability through age-appropriate curriculum.

Believes in safeguarding students’ innocence and vulnerability through an age-appropriate curriculum.

Believes in increasing parental involvement in education.

Believes in promoting rigorous curriculum development, enhancing teacher training, and refining student assessment methods to ensure every student is challenged and well-prepared with critical skills for college and careers.

Believes in promoting rigorous curriculum development and refining student assessment methods to prepare students for success. 

- Opposes "pornographic material" in classrooms.
- Believes in safeguarding students’ innocence and vulnerability through an age-appropriate curriculum.
- Believes in increasing parental involvement in education.
- Believes in promoting rigorous curriculum development and refining student assessment methods to prepare students for success. 

Supports reducing unnecessary spending and prioritizing funding for classroom resources, student programs, and support staff.

Plans to make school board operations more accessible through regular reports on spending, performance metrics, and decision-making processes.

- Supports reducing unnecessary spending and prioritizing funding for classroom resources, student programs, and support staff.
- Plans to make school board operations more accessible through regular reports on spending, performance metrics, and decision-making processes.

As of June 18, 2025, Sara Jarman’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Sara Jarman

As of June 25, 2024, Scott Glover did not have a website or any information online.

Ballotpedia, Scott Glover

Scott holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Richmond and a graduate degree from The Ohio State University. 

Scott Glover previously served as a Higley Unified School District board member. He was elected to this position in 2017 and served for 1 term. Scott ran for State Senate for District 12 in 2014, but did not win. 

As of June 18, 2025, Scott Glover did not have a website or any information online.

GILBERT SUN NEWS, Mascot statue riles some Higley board members

Voted in support of the Higley High School mascot, motivated by the booster club's plans to cover associated costs, not "Higley Unified tax money..."

- Voted in support of the Higley High School mascot, motivated by the booster club's plans to cover associated costs, not "Higley Unified tax money..."

Scott Glover

As of September 18, 2024, Tiffany Shultz did not have a website.

Tiffany Shultz

Tiffany earned her bachelor's degree from Arizona State University.  She is married and has 2 children.  

Tiffany Shultz is a current governing board member of the Higley Unified School District (HUSD).

As of June 18, 2025, Tiffany Shultz did not have a website.

- School board members set district policy, encourage parent involvement, establish budgets, and determine educational goals for your local school district.
- This position is voluntary. School board members are not paid a salary.