Rachel Walden, vice chair of the Arizona Corporation Commission, said on April 2 that school curriculums have shifted away from core instruction in reading and math, while a vast majority of students perform below grade level.
Walden’s comments come amid ongoing concerns about student achievement in Arizona. She said, “I’m frustrated at a lot of the curriculum that schools use, where they actually aren’t that focused on the core instruction. They’re trying to teach kids anything and everything, and that’s very idealistic. We’ve got a vast majority of our students that are below grade level that can’t read the basics that can’t do math,” according to her remarks during public discussions on Arizona education outcomes. Walden highlighted concerns about curriculum priorities and emphasized the need to strengthen instruction in foundational skills to address persistent performance shortfalls. Her remarks reflect ongoing statewide efforts to refocus teaching on literacy and mathematics fundamentals. Although Arizona has implemented several literacy initiatives, proficiency rates have shown only limited improvement, according to Read On Arizona.
Recent data from the Arizona Department of Education showed that only 39% of third graders were proficient in reading in 2024, down from 41% the previous year. The results underscore ongoing challenges in early literacy development and indicate that many students struggle with essential reading skills needed for academic progress, according to Read On Arizona.
The 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress revealed that 26% of Arizona fourth graders and 25% of eighth graders reached reading proficiency. Math proficiency rates were 34% for fourth graders and 26% for eighth graders, placing Arizona near or below national averages in core academic subjects, as reported by azcentral.com.
Arizona students continue to score below the national average in fourth-grade reading, with mixed results in mathematics, according to NAEP data. Statewide literacy initiatives have produced only modest gains. Education advocates say returning to foundational instruction is essential to closing achievement gaps and supporting long-term student outcomes, according to azcentral.com.
Walden serves as vice chair after winning election in 2024. She previously spent more than a decade in the financial industry, including a leadership role at Vanguard managing institutional accounts. Walden earned her Bachelor of Science with honors from Arizona State University and pursued graduate studies there as well. She is a lifelong resident raised in Mesa with a background emphasizing self-reliance and public service.
