As many Arizonans know, the state of Arizona has historically ranked very low in education in comparison to other states across the country. The November election is quickly approaching and could play a key role in bettering the state’s education system.
Arizona ranked 49 in education and was reported to have one of the highest school dropout rates in the U.S., according to WalletHub, an economic analysis website.
Elected officials in education-related positions play a key role in helping to change these statistics and strengthen school districts.
On this year’s November General Election ballot, voters in downtown Phoenix will see a multitude of candidates running for education positions and, if elected, could make the difference in bettering the school system in Maricopa County and contributing to academic growth in Arizona.
Understanding exactly who is on the ballot is the first step in making informed voting decisions. Listed below are the candidates running for education-related roles included in the downtown Phoenix ballot.
For more of Downtown Devil’s coverage of what is on the downtown Phoenix ballot, see: Prop 207 and Prop 208.
See what is on your ballot here.
Maricopa County School Superintendent
The Maricopa County School Superintendent supports school board elections, maintains home-school records, and oversees all of the schools in the Maricopa County School District. Not to be confused with Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, which is currently held by Kathy Hoffman. (R= Republican, D= Democrat, NP= Nonpartisan)
Steve Watson (R) – Watson is the current Maricopa County School Superintendent. Before assuming the position of Superintendent, he taught career technical education to middle and high school students for the Deer Valley Unified School District, according to information from the official County Superintendent website. Watson also serves in Legislative District 15 as a precinct committeeman and is active in his church community and involved in Boy Scouts.
Jeanne Casteen (D) – Casteen is an educator from Phoenix, AZ, and an ASU graduate. She is the current President of Creighton School Board and currently works as a teacher in Phoenix Union High School District. Casteen has been a teacher for the past 12 years and has served on the school board for eight years. “Everything I do is grounded in the idea of equity, and my guiding principle is to lead with my most vulnerable students in mind,” said Casteen. “A strong public education system can lift up a child and entire communities, and I’ve witnessed the systematic degradation in our public education system that is designed to benefit the few while ignoring the needs of the many.”
Maricopa County Community College District Governing Board At-large
Those on the governing board of the Maricopa County Community College District sets tuition rates and can approve annual budgets that affect property taxes. (R= Republican, D= Democrat, NP= Nonpartisan)
Linda Thor (NP) – Thor is running for re-election to the Maricopa Community Colleges’ Governing Board in the countywide seat. She spent 41 years working in community colleges and was President of Rio Salado College for nearly 20 years. Her goals include addressing enrollment decline and revenue shortfall resulting from the pandemic, and advocating for the restoration of state funding to Maricopa Community Colleges. “I know from personal experience that community colleges change people’s lives,” Thor told Downtown Devil. “Personally, I was the first member of my family to earn a college degree and that has made all the difference in my life and my family’s lives.”
Shelli Richardson Boggs (NP) – Boggs is a lifelong Arizona resident and teacher. She was inducted into the Mesa Sports Hall of Fame for her success on the 1988 Mesa High Girls Softball Team, as stated on her campaign site. Boggs currently serves on the East Valley Institute of Technology Governing Board and is also the creator of Happy Hair Bands.
Phoenix Elementary School District Governing Board At-large
Those on downtown’s Phoenix Elementary School District Governing Board adopt all policies needed and are in charge of the evaluation and oversight of this district. (R= Republican, D= Democrat, NP= Nonpartisan)
Jessica Bueno (NP) – Bueno has lived in Phoenix for eight years and volunteered at Capitol Elementary assisting 3rd graders with their reading assignments. “Jessica is running for Phoenix Elementary School District Governing Board to ensure that children growing up in the Phoenix Elementary School District have access to high quality public education by retaining the best teachers, live in prosperous communities and for families to have access to necessary resources,” according to her campaign website. She is also the co-owner of Xanadu Coffee Shop in Phoenix.
Regional Carrillo (NP) – Carrillo is an Arizona native and attended GCU and ASU and was a first-generation college student. His experience is with students aged K-8th grade and is currently a middle school history teacher, as reported on his campaign page. “He continues to advocate for Arizona’s undocumented student population regarding the removal of Prop 300,” said the campaign website.
Quanta Crews (NP) – Crews is a community educator from Michigan who moved to Arizona in 2005 to pursue a bachelor’s degree at GCU. She previously held a position as an appraiser with the Maricopa County Assessor’s Office where she helped increase money coming into local schools by working with the school districts to reassess property values, in accordance with information from Crew’s campaign website. She is also an ordained minister and mother to three sons.
Elisia Jasso (NP) – Jasso is a native Phoenician and ASU alumna. She helped to organize the Arizona Mujeres Mercado in 2019 where she found her passion for giving underserved communities an opportunity to succeed, as stated on her website. “If I am elected to the Governing Board, I will fight to ensure that all students have access to the resources and digital technology needed to be successful,” she wrote on her site. “I am tired of seeing Arizona being labeled as some of the worst testing schools in our nation. I know we can and will do better!”
Nik Martin (NP) – Martin is a teacher who has worked in Title 1 schools and is currently working toward his second Master’s degree in special education. His record includes leading a successful campaign that secured $170 million for his school district and serving on the Arizona Education Association schools safety reopening committee, according to his campaign website. Didn’t receive a response.
Alicia Vink (Nonpartisan) – Dr. Alicia Vink has a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership and is the mother of a first-grader and previous foster parent to nine children. She served as the President of the Parent Teacher Organization and as a member of the site council at Emerson School in the Phoenix Elementary #1 District. “As a first-generation college student I am passionate about education because I believe learning creates opportunities for students to grow and contribute to society in more meaningful ways,” Dr. Vink told Downtown Devil. “I am running for governing board to ensure parent voices are heard and our schools are equitable for ALL students, teachers, and families.”
Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board At-large
Those on the downtown’s Phoenix Union High School District Governing Board adopt budgets and policies to change and improve learning. (R= Republican, D= Democrat, NP= Nonpartisan)
Lela Alston (D) – Alston is the incumbent member of the PUHSD governing board and is running for reelection since she assumed office in 2008. She is a Phoenix native and attended the University of Arizona for her undergraduate degree and ASU for her masters. Before being elected to the PUHSD Governing Board in 2008, she taught in the district for 34 years, according to her website. She is also a member of the Arizona State Senate, representing District 24. “As a product of public education, I strongly believe in and credit Arizona’s kindergarten through university educational system for making the difference in my ability to help others,” Alston wrote on her site.
Girmar Anwar (NP) – Anwar has been an educator in Phoenix for 18 years, 10 of those years in the PUHSD. He was forced to retire early due to the COVID-19 pandemic but is still looking to contribute to the district, according to the campaign website.
Debbie Cross (NP) – Cross has 20 years of experience in the finance industry and 22 years of classroom teaching under her belt. She has lived in Phoenix since 1972 and has been a member of the Phoenix Union Certified Teachers Association (CTA) for 22 years, as stated on her campaign website. “I believe each student has a seed of greatness. A caring environment will motivate and inspire students to achieve their full potential,” she said on her site. Her campaign message includes adding more career and technology classes to schools and lowering the teacher to student ratio.
Aaron Marquez (NP) – Marquez was raised in Arizona and attended public schools from kindergarten through high school. He also served on AmeriCorps and in the U.S. Army, according to his campaign website. “I will work to expand service-learning and project-based learning opportunities so that we teach our students how to solve problems right here in Phoenix and around the world,” Marquez wrote in the about section on his website. “Right now we have a president and governor that have failed our schools and communities.”
Nedra Sheppard (NP) – Sheppard has over 25 years of experience teaching in the Phoenix Union High School District. She is currently teaching at South Mountain High School, according to her website. “Ms. Sheppard has served as Department Chair, Unit Chair, she has served on the Executive Board for the Teacher Association, an Arizona Educators Association and a National Educators Association Representative,” it said on her site. Sheppard is also a founding member of the Black Teacher Alliance.
Contact the reporter at mmjaskow@asu.edu.
