Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne visits Yuma

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Tom Horne, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction, visited Yuma on Monday to discuss what his office is doing to raise academic achievement and have a workforce ready by the time students graduate with local community members.

Some of the biggest topics that were discussed were how money was being allocated and testing students to create a positive ripple effect.

He used the state of Mississippi as an example after they made sure to take test-taking more seriously and hold kids back who are not ready.

"We have to raise that standard, we have to be serious about holding kids back, because what happens, what Mississippi found is, if you really mean you’re going to hold the kids back in third grade, everyone gets into the act. Starting in Kindergarten to be sure everyone can read because they didn’t want to see the kids held back. If you dont have that consequence kids slip through social promotion and you end up with illiterate kids.”

Tom Horne