Steve King Biography

Educational Beliefs:

• Strong Schools, Strong Families, Strong Communities = Strong Kids
• Schools should work in partnership with families and communities to provide the opportunities for students to realize their potential and help build their vision for their future and their role as Americans
• Building mutual respect to find solutions to the challenges of today and the future
• Service oriented supporting teachers, classrooms and schools
• Local control and decision-making for schools

Education:

Steve has spent the last fifty years in Arizona schools as a student and educator; attending elementary school and high school in Phoenix.  He graduated from Northern Arizona University and completed the Superintendent’s Program at the University of Arizona. He believes in being a lifelong learner and because of his parents and teachers is a veracious reader on a wide variety of topics.

Family:

Steve’s family first came to Arizona in 1942, and to Yavapai County in 1955 with his grandparents settling in Cottonwood.  In 2001, Steve and his young family, returned to the Verde Valley and for the past twenty-five years have lived in Camp Verde.  Steve and his wife Stephanie, also an educator, have raised their two daughters who have also attended Arizona public and charter schools and gone on to U of A and ASU.

Work Experience:

Steve King has served in pre-K through community college level public, charter and private schools in Arizona for the past thirty years as a teacher’s aide, teacher, assistant principal, technology director, principal, assistant superintendent and superintendent.  He has broad experience in school safety, law, finance, curriculum and instruction, special and alternative education, building projects, transportation, and community collaborations. He believes in the power of education in helping students to find their place and role as Americans and contributing members of our society.  In November of 2024 Steve was elected Yavapai County School Superintendent to serve a four-year term. He has a passion for creating opportunities for children to discover their gifts and talents and is committed to growing and enhancing schools and programs.

Board Service:

Steve has also served on the board for Verde Valley Forum for Public Affairs, First Things First Regional Council, Rainbow Acres Governing Board, Yavapai Apache Education Council, Yavapai County Forest Fees Management Association, Rotary, AZ Historical Society, Chaplain Thousand Trails RV Park, Fort Verde Historical Preservation Foundation, Yavapai County Education Foundation, Gladys Gardner Teacher Scholarships, Forest Fee Management Association, Yavapai County Educational Technology Consortium, Arizona Association of County School Superintendents.

Email:  steve.king@yavapaiaz.gov