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Laura is a life-long resident of Maricopa County. She attended Westwood High School in Mesa and has a bachelors degree in organizational communication and management from Arizona State University, and a doctorate degree in educational leadership from Northern Arizona University. she is certified in Arizona as a school superintendent. Laura and her husband Jeff have children. 

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Laura is a professor of education at Grand Canyon University. Previously, she was the director of early college programs at Mesa Community College, an academic instructor at Arizona State University, an education program supervisor at the Arizona Department of Corrections.

Laura Schaffer is a board member at the East Valley Institute of Technology, representing District 5. 

Candidate website

Believes in providing schools with essential resources, including curriculum and professional development, and plans to support under-resourced schools in Maricopa County.

Supports providing schools with essential resources, including curriculum and professional development, and plans to support under-resourced schools in Maricopa County.

Believes in reinstating a Citizen Advisory Panel to ensure school district operations and fiscal decisions comply with laws. Plans to work with the Superintendent of Schools for better oversight.

Aims to reinstate a Citizen Advisory Panel which will work with the Superintendent of Schools to ensure school district operations and fiscal decisions comply with laws. 

Believes in partnering with county organizations to ensure timely and appropriate support for schools and students. Plans to connect schools and families to necessary services and supports.

Plans to partner with county organizations to connect students and schools to essential services and supports. 

- Supports providing schools with essential resources, including curriculum and professional development, and plans to support under-resourced schools in Maricopa County.
- Aims to reinstate a Citizen Advisory Panel which will work with the Superintendent of Schools to ensure school district operations and fiscal decisions comply with laws. 
- Plans to partner with county organizations to connect students and schools to essential services and supports. 

School Facilities & Resources

As of June 12, 2025, Laura Schaffer Metcalfe’s website did not contain information on this issue.

Student Wellbeing

Believes in enhancing school curriculum by integrating career and technical education. Plans to collaborate with local unions and state apprenticeship organizations to achieve this goal.

Supports integrating career and technical education into the curriculum. Plans to collaborate with local unions and state apprenticeship organizations to achieve this goal.

Believes innovation in school curriculum includes professional learning, instructional coaching, and partnerships with businesses and apprenticeship programs to meet educational needs.

Supports innovation in school curriculum using professional learning, instructional coaching, and partnerships with businesses and apprenticeship programs to meet educational needs.

- Supports integrating career and technical education into the curriculum. Plans to collaborate with local unions and state apprenticeship organizations to achieve this goal.
- Supports innovation in school curriculum using professional learning, instructional coaching, and partnerships with businesses and apprenticeship programs to meet educational needs.

School Curriculum

Teachers

Supports providing educational resources to overlooked schools, including Tribal Schools, detention education schools, and adult education learning centers. Plans to assist schools not part of large districts, such as Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind and sheriff's schools.

- Supports providing educational resources to overlooked schools, including Tribal Schools, detention education schools, and adult education learning centers. Plans to assist schools not part of large districts, such as Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind and sheriff's schools.

Access to Education

Endorsed by West and Southeast Realtors of the Valley, Scottsdale Realtors, Arizona List, National Organization for Women Arizona PAC, Southwest Carpenters, Communication Workers of America, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal employees, Ironworkers Arizona Local 75, Maricopa County Young Democrats, and Moms Demand Action.

Endorsed by Arizona (AZ) attorney general Kris Mayes, U.S. senator Greg Stanton, former AZ attorney general Terry Goddard, Maricopa County Community College District board members Kelli Butler and Linda Thor, and Mesa councilwoman Jen Duff.

Endorsed by Arizona house representatives Lorena Austin, Seth Blattman, Patty Contreras, Quantá Crews, Analise Ortiz, Judy Schweibert, and Stacy Travers.

Endorsed by Arizona senators Anna Hernandes, minority leader Mitzi Epstein, and minority whip Eva Burch.

- Endorsed by West and Southeast Realtors of the Valley, Scottsdale Realtors, Arizona List, National Organization for Women Arizona PAC, Southwest Carpenters, Communication Workers of America, the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal employees, Ironworkers Arizona Local 75, Maricopa County Young Democrats, and Moms Demand Action.
- Endorsed by Arizona (AZ) attorney general Kris Mayes, U.S. senator Greg Stanton, former AZ attorney general Terry Goddard, Maricopa County Community College District board members Kelli Butler and Linda Thor, and Mesa councilwoman Jen Duff.
- Endorsed by Arizona house representatives Lorena Austin, Seth Blattman, Patty Contreras, Quantá Crews, Analise Ortiz, Judy Schweibert, and Stacy Travers.
- Endorsed by Arizona senators Anna Hernandes, minority leader Mitzi Epstein, and minority whip Eva Burch.

Endorsements

Laura Schaffer Metcalfe

Shelli grew up in a Mesa and attended Messa High School. She holds a bachelor's degree in secondary education, industrial technology, and business and marketing from the University of Pheonix. She is a mother and has children. 

Shelli currently works as an Arizona state liaison for Moms for America. She is also the founder and CEO for a non-profit organization, Happy Hair Bands. 

Shelli Richardson Boggs currently serves as a member of the East Valley Institute of Technology Governing Board. She was named to this position in 2018. She previously served as Board Vice President, and currently serves as Board President. 

The candidate's website says, "In addition, Shelli spearheaded the effort to secure funding to build a transitional living facility for foster children who were getting aged out of the system and needed somewhere to live so they could finish their education and get qualified with a skillset to enter the workforce."

As a member of the East Valley Institute of Technology, Shelli led efforts to receive funding to build a living facility for foster children to ensure they are provided housing and schooling. 

Plans to stop fiscal mismanagement and ensure taxpayers are not burdened by poor financial decisions.

Promises to be fiscally responsible and ensure fiscal mismanagement does not take place and taxpayers are not burdened by "poor decisions that have left us with a multimillion dollar unaccounted for budget hole."

Promises to be transparent, accountable, and answer to taxpayers.

Believes taxpayers deserve transparency in school funding and proper management of educational resources.

Plans to ensure the county education system is managed adequately and resident tax dollars for county education are spent well. 

Believes in creating a "user friendly" office to track education spending and eliminate wasteful spending.

Promises to develop a "user friendly office" to allow tax funds for education to be tracked to help prevent wasteful spending.

- As a member of the East Valley Institute of Technology, Shelli led efforts to receive funding to build a living facility for foster children to ensure they are provided housing and schooling. 
- Promises to be fiscally responsible and ensure fiscal mismanagement does not take place and taxpayers are not burdened by "poor decisions that have left us with a multimillion dollar unaccounted for budget hole."
- Promises to be transparent, accountable, and answer to taxpayers.
- Plans to ensure the county education system is managed adequately and resident tax dollars for county education are spent well. 
- Promises to develop a "user friendly office" to allow tax funds for education to be tracked to help prevent wasteful spending.

Believes in protecting girls' sports by preventing "biological boys" from competing against female athletes. Plans to safeguard the distinction between boys and girls in school sports.

Opposes allowing student athletes that do not identify with their sex assigned at birth from competing against students that do. 

- Opposes allowing student athletes that do not identify with their sex assigned at birth from competing against students that do. 

Believes schools should prioritize academic success and remove "radical politics" from classrooms.

Plans to prioritize "getting the radical politics out of the classroom...to focus on the academic success of our children and not forcing a political ideology on our children."

Opposes teaching "Critical Race Theory, Diversity/Equity/Inclusion, Gender Studies, or any other 'woke academic policy'" in schools. Believes such policies wrongly teach students they are better or worse based on skin color.

Opposes education on race and racism, saying "I will never tolerate...the radical policies of Critical Race, Theory, Diversity/Inclusion, Gender Studies, or any other woke academic policy into our classrooms..."

Believes schools should focus on teaching reading, writing, math, and critical thinking. Opposes teaching about teachers' personal lives, political opinions, or racial biases.

Believes schools should focus on teaching reading, writing, math, and critical thinking, not "the sexual habits of their teacher...or whether a student and their parents embody evil racist tendencies because of their skin color."

Believes children deserve an education that empowers them for life after school. Supports a curriculum that prepares students for success beyond the classroom.

Supports providing an education aimed to prepare students after graduation. 

- Plans to prioritize "getting the radical politics out of the classroom...to focus on the academic success of our children and not forcing a political ideology on our children."
- Opposes education on race and racism, saying "I will never tolerate...the radical policies of Critical Race, Theory, Diversity/Inclusion, Gender Studies, or any other woke academic policy into our classrooms..."
- Believes schools should focus on teaching reading, writing, math, and critical thinking, not "the sexual habits of their teacher...or whether a student and their parents embody evil racist tendencies because of their skin color."
- Supports providing an education aimed to prepare students after graduation. 

Believes in empowering schools to support teachers and holding politically active teachers accountable.

Believes teachers should focus on education, not political agendas. Supports removing those who prioritize politics over students' learning.

Wants to remove teachers that "advocate for political agendas..." in the classroom. 

The candidate's website says, "I firmly believe that parents and teachers are the core foundation that help build our children into successful adults in the future. It is the combination of morals and principles taught by parents and the academics taught by teachers that will put our children in a good place."

 Supports strong parent and teacher relationships, saying "parents and teachers are the core foundation that help build our children into successful adults..."

- Promises to support county teachers.
- Wants to remove teachers that "advocate for political agendas..." in the classroom. 
-  Supports strong parent and teacher relationships, saying "parents and teachers are the core foundation that help build our children into successful adults..."

Believes in protecting and defending school choice, including support for school vouchers, charter schools, and private schools.

Supports protecting parental school choice, and permitting parents pursuing school vouchers, charter schools, and private schools for their children. 

Believes the conflict between traditional public schools and alternative schools must end. Said, "Our children and their academic success must always come first."

Believes the "war between traditional public schools and alternative schools must stop." saying "their academic success must always come first."

Believes the “one size fits all” approach to education is ineffective due to diverse learning needs. Supports individualized education methods.

Opposes a “one size fits all” approach to education, saying "every child learns differently and has different needs. 

- Supports protecting parental school choice, and permitting parents pursuing school vouchers, charter schools, and private schools for their children. 
- Believes the "war between traditional public schools and alternative schools must stop." saying "their academic success must always come first."
- Opposes a “one size fits all” approach to education, saying "every child learns differently and has different needs. 

Endorsed by state senators Jake Hoffman, Justine Wadsack, Janae Shamp, state representatives, Barbara Parker, Laurin Hendrix, Travis Grantham, Jaqueline Parker, and Austin Smith.

Endorsed by school board members Chad Thompson, Linda Busam, Paul Carver, Richard Hopkins, Amber McAffee, Jennifer Drake, and Sandra Christensen.

- Endorsed by state senators Jake Hoffman, Justine Wadsack, Janae Shamp, state representatives, Barbara Parker, Laurin Hendrix, Travis Grantham, Jaqueline Parker, and Austin Smith.
- Endorsed by school board members Chad Thompson, Linda Busam, Paul Carver, Richard Hopkins, Amber McAffee, Jennifer Drake, and Sandra Christensen.

Twitter

Shelli Richardson Boggs

- The county superintendent advises schools and teachers on student data usage, staff development, school curriculum, and technology to improve student performance.
- The county superintendent manages the county's public school budget and ensures proper tracking and reporting. 
- The county superintendent oversees school district board members and helps administer all school elections.
- The superintendent is elected in a partisan election for a four-year term. 