The Cochise County School Superintendent’s Office has announced it will host the 2026 Cochise County Spelling Bee. The event is part of the SCRIPPS National Spelling Bee and aims to promote academic achievement among students.
The competition is open to students in public, charter, private, and home schools across Cochise County, from 2nd through 8th grade. It will take place on Saturday, February 7, 2026, at First Baptist Academy in Sierra Vista. The spelling bee will begin at 10:00 AM.
According to the Cochise County School Superintendent’s Office, “The Cochise County School Superintendent’s Office is honored to host this annual event, nurturing a passion for learning and recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of students from every corner of Cochise County.”
This event comes as many students in the county face challenges with academic proficiency. During the 2022-23 school year, over 70% of students in grades 3 through 8 did not pass the mathematics section of the AASA exam (https://www.azed.gov/). Similarly, more than three-quarters of high schoolers did not pass the mathematics portion of the ACT during that period (https://www.azed.gov/). In English language arts, about 62% of students in grades 3 through 8 failed the AASA exam (https://www.azed.gov/), while approximately two-thirds of high schoolers did not pass the English section of the ACT (https://www.azed.gov/).
Recent results show some improvement. In the most recent academic year, nearly 27% of high schoolers passed the mathematics section of the ACT (https://www.azed.gov/), and about 28.5% of third- through eighth-graders passed math on the AASA exam (https://www.azed.gov/).
Community members are encouraged to attend and support local students participating in this event. For more information about participation or attendance, contact Ms. Cynthia Meyers at CMeyers@cochise.az.gov or call (520)803-3380.
