Superintendent of Public Instruction: 2026 candidates

Kimberly Yee

Republican · Superintendent of Public Instruction

Completed the Agenda's candidate questionnaire

Kimberly Yee has been Arizona's state treasurer since January 2019 and is term-limited after two four-year terms. She defeated incumbent Superintendent Tom Horne in the July 2026 Republican primary, campaigning on his handling of the school voucher program. Yee served in the state Senate from 2013 to 2019, including two years as majority leader, and in the House from 2011 to 2013.

Teresa Ruiz

Democrat · Superintendent of Public Instruction

Completed the Agenda's candidate questionnaire

Teresa Ruiz retired in January 2023 as president of Glendale Community College, after a career in the Maricopa County Community College District. She taught mathematics for more than two decades in K-12 and college classrooms, and later served as a senior vice president at the nonprofit Education Forward Arizona. She has not previously held elected office.