After ignoring the pleas of parents, teachers, and education activists to act on behalf of children and stop the roll out of the statewide assessment test, AZMerit, Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas announced that she is leaving her bunker in an undisclosed location to launch the “We Are Listening” tour.
Douglas says she is doing Gov. Doug Ducey bidding. “He has asked the board to conduct a thorough review of Arizona’s current standards for English language arts and mathematics. In addition to that effort, the Superintendent’s statewide “We Are Listening” tour will provide annual feedback from the public,” according to her press release.
In other words, the dynamic duo must save face for letting HB2190; repeal and replace Common Core standards.
To that end, the Superintendent and Senate Education Chairman Kelli Ward will kick off the tour in Kingman, Ariz. on Thursday, April 23. Ward will act as Co-Chair for the meeting, which is being hosted by Mohave County School Superintendent Michael File. The public meeting will take place from 5-7:30 p.m. at the Mohave County Administration building, 700 W. Beale St., Kingman.
The “We Are Listening” tour will make a total of 14 stops around the state through the end of June. Members of the public also can submit their feedback via email at HearingEveryVoice@azed.gov, online at www.azed.gov/HearingEveryVoice, or via the @azedschools Twitter account using #HearingEveryVoice.
Douglas released the Arizona Continuous Improvement Standards Process chart:
2015 “We Are Listening” Tour Stops
| Time | Date | Location |
| 5-7:30 p.m. | Thursday, April 23 | Mohave County Administrative Building, Kingman |
| 9-11:30 a.m. | Saturday, April 25 | Mohave Community College, Lake Havasu City |
| 5-7:30 p.m. | Thursday, April 30 | Arizona Western College, Yuma |
| 9-11:30 a.m. | Saturday, May 2 | Glendale High School, Glendale |
| 5-7:30 p.m. | Thursday, May 7 | Coronado High School, Scottsdale |
| 9-11:30 a.m. | Saturday, May 9 | Chandler High School Center for the Arts, Chandler |
| 5-7:30 p.m. | Thursday, May 28 | Pima Community College Center for the Arts, Tucson |
| 9-11:30 a.m. | Saturday, May 30 | Buena Performing Arts Center, Sierra Vista |
| 5-7:30 p.m. | Thursday, June 4 | Gila Community College, Globe |
| 9-11:30 a.m. | Saturday, June 6 | Casa Grande High School, Casa Grande |
| 5-7:30 p.m. | Thursday, June 11 | Prescott High School, Prescott |
| 9-11:30 a.m. | Saturday, June 13 | Location to be determined, Flagstaff |
| 5-7:30 p.m. | Thursday, June 18 | Navajo Nation Council Chambers, Window Rock |
| 9-11:30 a.m. | Saturday, June 20 | Round Valley Dome, Springerville |