Cartwright Governing Board Appoints Steve Watson as Superintendent Despite History of Serious Prior Mismanagement
Watson is taking on a massive challenge as Superintendent for 21 schools. Cartwright seems confident that he is prepared for the challenge, but does his track record support this?
We’re back with another unbelievable education story, one that hits close to home. While State 48 News isn’t just about education, so much of the urgent, local news right now is coming from our schools. So while not every story will be about education, this is the breaking news that not many people are covering. These stories matter because they impact our kids, our families, and our future—and that’s why we’re here to tell them.
In a surprising turn of events, former Maricopa County School Superintendent Steve Watson has been appointed to be the Superintendent within the Cartwright School District. This move comes on the heels of a tumultuous tenure as county superintendent, marked by allegations of financial mismanagement and administrative controversies. The controversial appointment was met with outrage by some members of the community.
Concerns have been raised about potential conflicts of interest within the district’s governing board. Specifically, the simultaneous service of board president Lydia Hernandez and her daughter, Cassandra Hernandez, led to debates about the legality of immediate family members serving together on the same board.
Lydia Hernandez also serves in the Arizona House of Representatives for Legislative District 24.
Is there a conflict of interest on the Cartwright Governing Board?
Arizona Revised Statutes § 15-421 states a clear rule for immediate family members sharing a household:
For governing boards composed of five members, individuals who are immediate family members and have shared the same household within the preceding four years are prohibited from serving simultaneously on the same governing board. A qualified elector who resides in the school district may bring an action in superior court to enforce this state law.
Cassandra Hernández was born on December 6, 2004, making her 20-years-old. She was elected to the Cartwright Elementary School District governing board in November 2024 and began her four-year term on January 1, 2025. Therefore, if she resided in her mother’s home as a minor, under the state statute she should not serve on the school board. AZFamily reported that before the school board meeting, Lydia Hernandez was served with a newly filed civil action by a resident.
The Cartwright School District, located in Phoenix, has not yet released an official statement detailing the rationale behind his appointment. Watson’s deep roots in the Phoenix education community—having attended schools in the Cartwright, Alhambra, Washington, and Glendale Union High School Districts—may have influenced the decision. Political insiders tell State 48 News that Watson may have a friendship with the chair, but we have been unable to independently confirm that report.
Is Watson the Right Person for a Superintendent Position?
Watson, who was first elected as Maricopa County School Superintendent in 2016 and re-elected in 2020, faced serious scrutiny during his time in office. With numerous Arizona schools facing a leadership crisis, we must ask whether Watson is the right choice to lead, given his prior performance. Below is just a sample of some issues while he was Superintendent of Maricopa.
Financial Mismanagement: A May 2024 performance audit of the Maricopa County Regional School District (MCRSD), overseen by Watson, revealed multiple instances of budget mismanagement and suspicious financial activities. The audit highlighted that district administration and plant operations costs exceeded state averages, ineffective budgeting practices led to overspending and cash deficits, and there was non-compliance with state procurement guidelines.
Further compounding these issues, the audit revealed that the district unlawfully sold land and improperly spent $6.4 million from the sale. State statutes require that proceeds from such sales be returned to the originating state fund, potentially obligating the district to repay the amount. Additionally, funds were improperly commingled between the district and the juvenile detention education program, leading to further financial discrepancies.
In response to these findings, the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution in May 2023, expressing their intent to withhold additional funding from the Maricopa County Regional School District due to concerns over Watson’s management. Despite these challenges, Watson maintained his stance, attributing the financial issues to external factors and asserting that efforts were underway to address the audit’s recommendations.
Overspending in Accommodation School District: In 2022, the Maricopa County Accommodation School District, under Watson’s governance, exceeded its budget by $2 million. This significant overspending raised concerns about the district’s financial oversight and budgeting practices.
Controversial School Board Appointments: Watson faced criticism for his approach to filling school board vacancies. In Mesa Public Schools (MPS), he appointed Courtney Davis to a governing board position, bypassing Ed Steele, a strong conservative and community leader who was the runner-up in the 2022 midterm elections. Critics argue that Watson’s appointments may have been influenced by personal or religious affiliations rather than qualifications or community representation.
We previously reported on Watson’s last day and questionable appointments. You can read about that here.
Have you heard about Isaac School District and the financial disaster facing that district? State and county officials revealed that the Isaac School District in Phoenix, Arizona, is drowning in $12.3 million of excess spending, a financial disaster demanding immediate action. We wrote about that story here.
The irony is that Watson knew this school district was in trouble as early as 2022, yet failed to sound the alarm. On December 31, Watson’s last day, he wrote the letter calling for an emergency meeting and in that meeting the District voted on receivership. As the Maricopa Superintendent, it was Watson’s responsibility to oversee the Isaac School District. The massive failure happened under his watch.
State 48 News will be watching for developments.
Ditat Deus - Always Forward, Arizona
WATSON DOES NOT DESERVE OR IS QUALIFIED TO BE A SUPERINTENDENT OF ANY SCHOOL DISTRICT ANYWHERE. HE DOES NOT HOLD A SUPERINTENDENT'S CERTIFICATE, NOR DOES HE HAVE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, OR ABILITIES TO BE IN THIS ROLE. THE ONLY PERSON DUMBER THAN HE IS BOGGS, THE CUREENT MARICOPA COUNTY SCHOOL SUPERINTENDENT. SHE ONLY HAS A HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND ZERO LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. BOTH ARE FOOLS AND ARE AN EMBARRASSMENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOLS IN MARICOPA COUNTY.
WATSON ONLY GOT THE CARTWRIGHT SUPERINTENDENT'S JOB BECASUE HE IS TIGHT WITH THE SCHOOL BOARD PRESIDENT. HE WHINED ENOUGH TO BE "GIVEN" A JOB BECAUSE HE CAN'T EARN ONE. HE ALSO HAD A "CONSOLATION JOB" THAT HORNE GIFTED TO HIM AT ADE, AS WELL. WATSON IS A FOOL AND AN EMBARRASSMENT TO PUBLIC EDUCATION IN MARICOPA COUNTY.