The Arizona State Board of Education voted this week to begin removing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) language from the state’s classroom standards and teacher training guidelines to align with a Trump administration executive order aimed at eliminating DEI requirements across federally funded programs. The action reflects growing conservative efforts to prioritize academic merit and classroom focus while responding to federal directives tied to education funding.
The board’s vote initiates revisions to Arizona’s Structured English Immersion (SEI) curriculum and the Arizona Professional Teaching Standards, eliminating DEI baselines that critics argue introduce political ideology into core education. Board members acted after pressure from state legislators and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne, who warned that non-compliance with the executive order could jeopardize approximately $866 million in federal education funding for Arizona schools.
Superintendent Horne framed the move as a defense of educational quality and financial stability for Arizona districts, stating concerns that DEI language shifts focus from traditional instruction to social policy. The board had previously delayed action to seek clarification on compliance parameters, but ultimately voted to move ahead with the revision process this month.
Supporters praised the board’s decision as a necessary rollback of terms they say have strayed from their original meaning and introduced ideological pressures into classrooms. They argue removing DEI references will refocus teaching standards on academic excellence and individual merit rather than group outcomes.
Opposition came from educators and professional groups such as the Arizona Education Association (AEA), which warned that eliminating DEI language could undermine efforts to support diverse student needs and cultural competence in teaching. The AEA urged board members to protect existing standards and resist political interference in education.
The board’s decision sets in motion a process to establish committees of stakeholders who will recommend specific changes. Final revisions to the standards are expected over the coming months as the state works to define compliance with the federal executive order and revise its teacher preparation frameworks accordingly.
The vote in Arizona mirrors broader conservative priorities nationwide to curtail DEI in public education and ensure that federal funds support what advocates describe as non-ideological, research-based instruction. Schools and policymakers will watch closely as Arizona’s revisions unfold and as legal and federal policy debates over DEI continue.
