Office of the Maricopa County School Superintendent, Maricopa County School Superintendent Steve Watson

Stephen earned his bachelor's degree in Spanish from the University of Arizona and his master's degree in education from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He lives with his wife, Tessa, and their 6 children.

Stephen previously worked a career technical education teacher in the Deer Valley Unified School District.

Stephen (Steve) Watson currently serves as County Superintendent of Schools in Maricopa County. He was first elected in 2016 and is serving his second term. 

Candidate website

Believes in being fiscally responsible by focusing dollars on the classroom. Supports prioritizing school funding for direct educational purposes.

Supports prioritizing school funding for direct educational purposes.

Supports providing free educational resources to teachers, encouraging them to "take these materials back to their students" for hands-on learning and reverse engineering.

As Superintendent, helped create a resource center that provides free materials and resources to teachers.

- Supports prioritizing school funding for direct educational purposes.
- As Superintendent, helped create a resource center that provides free materials and resources to teachers.

School Facilities & Resources

Believes in creating a safe and loving classroom environment and supports access to quality mental health care professionals for students.

Advocates for safe classroom environments and supports access to quality mental health care professionals for students.

Believes in emphasizing relationship building and trauma-responsive strategies to support student wellbeing. As an educator, created therapeutic learning environments in classrooms.

As Superintendent, ensured staff members were trained in trauma-response to create safer learning environments.

- Advocates for safe classroom environments and supports access to quality mental health care professionals for students.
- As Superintendent, ensured staff members were trained in trauma-response to create safer learning environments.

Student Wellbeing

Believes focusing on CTE programs does not hinder college attendance. Cites data showing 91% of high school graduates with 2-3 CTE credits enroll in college and CTE students have a 93% graduation rate.

Believes career technical education programs does not have a negative effect on college attendance and Jobs for Arizona Graduates (JAG) program is an important resource for recent high school graduates.

The candidate's website says, "JAG’s mission is to “help young people stay in school and to acquire the academic, personal, leadership and vocational skills they will need to be successful upon graduation.” They do terrific work supporting students as they graduate and then transition out of high school into positive experiences. These experiences may include finding gainful employment or attending college or technical schools. You can find out more about Jobs for Arizona Graduates by clicking here."

Believed the Jobs for Arizona Graduates (JAG) program is important in helping high school graduates transition to the workforce, college, or technical schools. 

Believes academic pressures have shifted focus from the arts to math and science. Supports strong art programs, stating they enhance STEM learning and citing examples like Einstein and Franklin's musical backgrounds.

Advocates for strong art programs in addition to focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). 

Believes in giving students a voice in their education by surveying their interests and developing courses based on their input.

Wants to allow students to give input on their interests and develop courses based on their input.

Believes in providing greater resources for dyslexic students and employing diverse teaching techniques to address individual learning needs. Supports using specific strategies like the Orton Gillingham approach for reading challenges.

Advocates for greater resources for dyslexic students and using diverse teaching techniques to address individual learning needs. 

Believes in diversifying school curriculum by offering innovative classes like robotics. Supports practical, hands-on learning experiences to enhance student engagement and skills.

Believes in diversifying school curriculum by offering innovative classes that will keep students engaged. 

Supports reimagining educational environments in Juvenile Detention Centers.

Supports creating an engaging curriculum for students in juvenile detention centers.

- Believes career technical education programs does not have a negative effect on college attendance and Jobs for Arizona Graduates (JAG) program is an important resource for recent high school graduates.
- Advocates for strong art programs in addition to focusing on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). 
- Wants to allow students to give input on their interests and develop courses based on their input.
- Advocates for greater resources for dyslexic students and using diverse teaching techniques to address individual learning needs. 
- Believes in diversifying school curriculum by offering innovative classes that will keep students engaged. 
- Supports creating an engaging curriculum for students in juvenile detention centers.

School Curriculum

Believes teachers should have autonomy and creativity to inspire students. Supports freeing teachers from programs catering to the "lowest common denominator."

Believes teachers should have more choice and use creativity to inspire students.

Believes in recognizing and sharing successful educational practices to improve teacher training and support. As County Superintendent, worked to highlight exemplary education models in Maricopa County.

Wants teachers, superintendents, legislators, and other leaders to share successful educational practices to improve teacher training and support. 

Believes teachers are "profoundly talented and effective leaders" who should be supported to excel for students. Supports addressing teacher pay, shortages, and training to enhance educational outcomes.

Supports addressing teacher pay, shortages, and training.

- Believes teachers should have more choice and use creativity to inspire students.
- Wants teachers, superintendents, legislators, and other leaders to share successful educational practices to improve teacher training and support. 
- Supports addressing teacher pay, shortages, and training.

Teachers

Believes "school choice is critical" for families to find the best academic environment. Supports allowing families to choose between public, charter, and private schools.

Believes "one size does not fit all" in education and supports school choice for families.

Believes students in rural areas lack awareness of diverse career opportunities. Supports expanding educational access to expose children to various professions beyond their immediate community.

Supports increasing literacy in rural communities by collaborating with the County Library District as part of the Read On Arizona initiative.

Supports increasing literacy in rural communities by collaborating with the Read On Arizona initiative.

- Believes "one size does not fit all" in education and supports school choice for families.
- Supports increasing literacy in rural communities by collaborating with the Read On Arizona initiative.

Access to Education

As of June 20, 2024, Stephen (Steve) Watson’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Endorsements

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Stephen (Steve) Watson

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Nickie was born and raised in Arizona. She has a bachelors degree from Liberty University and a masters degree in education from Arizona State University. She and her husband Marcus have two children. 

Nickie is a Mathematics Teacher at Tolleson Union High School. She has worked in various other teaching roles, and before that was a Congressional Assistant to 
Congressman Schwiekert and a Council Aide to the City of Phoenix. 

Nickie Kelley's campaign for Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools is her first entry into politics. 

Plans to be fiscally conservative in office.

- Plans to be fiscally conservative in office.

As of June 20, 2024, Nickie Kelley’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Opposes teaching Critical Race Theory, believing it rewrites history to focus on mistakes and divides Americans by race and other factors.

Opposes education on race and racism, believing it is divisive and focuses only on historic mistakes. 

- Opposes education on race and racism, believing it is divisive and focuses only on historic mistakes. 

Believes in addressing teacher pay, shortages, and training to ensure students have access to excellent teachers. Supports initiatives to improve teacher compensation and professional development.

 Supports initiatives to improve teacher compensation, training, and professional development to address teacher shortages.

-  Supports initiatives to improve teacher compensation, training, and professional development to address teacher shortages.

Endorsed by former Arizona superintendent of public instruction Diane M. Douglas.

Endorsed by Chairman of the Arizona Corporation Commission Jim O'Connor.

Endorsed by LD-23 Maricopa Precinct Committeemen.

- Endorsed by former Arizona superintendent of public instruction Diane M. Douglas.
- Endorsed by Chairman of the Arizona Corporation Commission Jim O'Connor.
- Endorsed by LD-23 Maricopa Precinct Committeemen.

Nickie Kelley

Shelli grew up in a Mesa and attended Messa High School. She holds a bachelor's degree in secondary education, industrial technology, and business and marketing from the University of Pheonix. She is a mother and has children. 

Shelli currently works as an Arizona state liaison for Moms for America. She is also the founder and CEO for a non-profit organization, Happy Hair Bands. 

Shelli Richardson Boggs currently serves as a member of the East Valley Institute of Technology Governing Board. She was named to this position in 2018. She previously served as Board Vice President, and currently serves as Board President. 

The candidate's website says, "In addition, Shelli spearheaded the effort to secure funding to build a transitional living facility for foster children who were getting aged out of the system and needed somewhere to live so they could finish their education and get qualified with a skillset to enter the workforce."

As a member of the East Valley Institute of Technology, Shelli led efforts to receive funding to build a living facility for foster children to ensure they are provided housing and schooling. 

Plans to stop fiscal mismanagement and ensure taxpayers are not burdened by poor financial decisions.

Promises to be fiscally responsible and ensure fiscal mismanagement does not take place and taxpayers are not burdened by "poor decisions that have left us with a multimillion dollar unaccounted for budget hole."

Promises to be transparent, accountable, and answer to taxpayers.

Believes taxpayers deserve transparency in school funding and proper management of educational resources.

Plans to ensure the county education system is managed adequately and resident tax dollars for county education are spent well. 

Believes in creating a "user friendly" office to track education spending and eliminate wasteful spending.

Promises to develop a "user friendly office" to allow tax funds for education to be tracked to help prevent wasteful spending.

- As a member of the East Valley Institute of Technology, Shelli led efforts to receive funding to build a living facility for foster children to ensure they are provided housing and schooling. 
- Promises to be fiscally responsible and ensure fiscal mismanagement does not take place and taxpayers are not burdened by "poor decisions that have left us with a multimillion dollar unaccounted for budget hole."
- Promises to be transparent, accountable, and answer to taxpayers.
- Plans to ensure the county education system is managed adequately and resident tax dollars for county education are spent well. 
- Promises to develop a "user friendly office" to allow tax funds for education to be tracked to help prevent wasteful spending.

Believes in protecting girls' sports by preventing "biological boys" from competing against female athletes. Plans to safeguard the distinction between boys and girls in school sports.

Opposes allowing student athletes that do not identify with their sex assigned at birth from competing against students that do. 

- Opposes allowing student athletes that do not identify with their sex assigned at birth from competing against students that do. 

Believes schools should prioritize academic success and remove "radical politics" from classrooms.

Plans to prioritize "getting the radical politics out of the classroom...to focus on the academic success of our children and not forcing a political ideology on our children."

Opposes teaching "Critical Race Theory, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion, Gender Studies, or any other 'woke academic policy'" in schools. Believes such policies wrongly teach students they are better or worse based on skin color.

Opposes education on race and racism, saying "I will never tolerate...the radical policies of Critical Race, Theory, Diversity/Inclusion, Gender Studies, or any other woke academic policy into our classrooms..."

Believes schools should focus on teaching reading, writing, math, and critical thinking. Opposes teaching about teachers' personal lives, political opinions, or racial biases.

Believes schools should focus on teaching reading, writing, math, and critical thinking, not "the sexual habits of their teacher...or whether a student and their parents embody evil racist tendencies because of their skin color."

Believes children deserve an education that empowers them for life after school. Supports a curriculum that prepares students for success beyond the classroom.

Supports providing an education aimed to prepare students after graduation. 

- Plans to prioritize "getting the radical politics out of the classroom...to focus on the academic success of our children and not forcing a political ideology on our children."
- Opposes education on race and racism, saying "I will never tolerate...the radical policies of Critical Race, Theory, Diversity/Inclusion, Gender Studies, or any other woke academic policy into our classrooms..."
- Believes schools should focus on teaching reading, writing, math, and critical thinking, not "the sexual habits of their teacher...or whether a student and their parents embody evil racist tendencies because of their skin color."
- Supports providing an education aimed to prepare students after graduation. 

Believes in empowering schools to support teachers and holding politically active teachers accountable.

Believes teachers should focus on education, not political agendas. Supports removing those who prioritize politics over students' learning.

Wants to remove teachers that "advocate for political agendas..." in the classroom. 

The candidate's website says, "I firmly believe that parents and teachers are the core foundation that help build our children into successful adults in the future. It is the combination of morals and principles taught by parents and the academics taught by teachers that will put our children in a good place."

 Supports strong parent and teacher relationships, saying "parents and teachers are the core foundation that help build our children into successful adults..."

- Promises to support county teachers.
- Wants to remove teachers that "advocate for political agendas..." in the classroom. 
-  Supports strong parent and teacher relationships, saying "parents and teachers are the core foundation that help build our children into successful adults..."

Believes in protecting and defending school choice, including support for school vouchers, charter schools, and private schools.

Supports protecting parental school choice, and permitting parents pursuing school vouchers, charter schools, and private schools for their children. 

Believes the conflict between traditional public schools and alternative schools must end. Said, "Our children and their academic success must always come first."

Believes the "war between traditional public schools and alternative schools must stop." saying "their academic success must always come first."

Believes the “one size fits all” approach to education is ineffective due to diverse learning needs. Supports individualized education methods.

Opposes a “one size fits all” approach to education, saying "every child learns differently and has different needs. 

- Supports protecting parental school choice, and permitting parents pursuing school vouchers, charter schools, and private schools for their children. 
- Believes the "war between traditional public schools and alternative schools must stop." saying "their academic success must always come first."
- Opposes a “one size fits all” approach to education, saying "every child learns differently and has different needs. 

Endorsed by state senators Jake Hoffman, Justine Wadsack, Janae Shamp, state representatives, Barbara Parker, Laurin Hendrix, Travis Grantham, Jaqueline Parker, and Austin Smith.

Endorsed by school board members Chad Thompson, Linda Busam, Paul Carver, Richard Hopkins, Amber McAffee, Jennifer Drake, and Sandra Christensen.

- Endorsed by state senators Jake Hoffman, Justine Wadsack, Janae Shamp, state representatives, Barbara Parker, Laurin Hendrix, Travis Grantham, Jaqueline Parker, and Austin Smith.
- Endorsed by school board members Chad Thompson, Linda Busam, Paul Carver, Richard Hopkins, Amber McAffee, Jennifer Drake, and Sandra Christensen.

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Shelli Richardson Boggs

- The county superintendent advises schools and teachers on student data usage, staff development, school curriculum, and technology to improve student performance.
- The county superintendent manages the county's public school budget and ensures proper tracking and reporting. 
- The county superintendent oversees school district board members and helps administer all school elections.
- The superintendent is elected in a partisan election for a four-year term. 