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Legislation Matters
Arizona State Legislative Website
Below are summaries of the current education related Bills in both the House and Senate. Please click on the Bill name to view the items in greater detail.
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House Bills
HB 2017: SCHOOLS; GUN SAFETY PROGRAM; INSTRUCTORS
Wording that permits instructors certified by "a national association of firearm owners" to teach a gun safety course in schools is changed to those certified by "the National Rifle Association of America."
Status: 2/1 Referred to House Military Affairs & Public Safety Committee
HB 2041: FIREARMS; PEACE OFFICERS; SCHOOL GROUNDS
Statute stating a peace officer may be prohibited from carrying a firearm while consuming alcohol in a licensed liquor establishment operated by a "political subdivision" is clarified to define political subdivision to include school districts, charter schools, community colleges or state universities.
Referred to House Military Affairs & Public Safety; Judiciary Committees
Status: 1/13 HELD in House Military Affairs & Public Safety Committee
HB 2061: TEACHER PERFORMANCE PAY; SPECIAL ASSESSMENT
Retroactive to July 1, 2010, career ladder and other teacher performance incentive programs are repealed. Beginning with FY 2010-2011, school boards may vote for a special assessment for statewide teacher pay of up to 5.5% of the revenue control limit, to be funded by a primary property tax assessment. The special assessment may be used for teacher performance pay, teacher professional development and employment related expenses.
Referred to House Ways & Means; Education Committees
Status: 1/28 WITHDRAWN from House Education Committee; PASSED House Ways & Means as amended. Amendment phases out special assessment ending FY 2013-14; delayed repeal to 7/1/14.
HB 2070: SCHOOL TAX CREDIT; FEES; LIMITATION
Allows extracurricular tax credits to be used for tutoring programs and caps the amount that can be used for character education programs at $500 per child.
Referred to House Ways & Means; Education Committees
Status: 1/21 PASSED House Ways & Means Committee, as amended. Amendment allows credit to begin with 2010-11 year and is retroactive to 12/31/09.
HB 2077 : SCHOOLS; PROFESSIONAL TEACHING STANDARDS BOARD
Effective January 1, 2011, authority to certify and regulate teachers and school administrators is removed from the State Board of Education (SBE) and transferred to the newly created Professional Teaching Standards Board (PTSB). Repeals statutes regulating teacher certification and authorizes the PTSB to establish replacement regulations by rule.
Status: Referred to House Education; Appropriations Committees
HB 2078: SCHOOLS; AMERICAN COMPETITIVENESS PROJECT FUND
Expands the list of academic programs approved for schools to receive money from the American Competitiveness Project Fund to include programs emphasizing philosophy.
Status: 2/3 PASSED House Education and Rules Committees
HB 2080 STUDENTS WITH CHRONIC HEALTH PROBLEMS
Expands the types of health professionals who may certify that a student has a chronic health problem.
Referred to House Education; Health & Human Services Committees
Status: 1/26 PASSED House Education Committee, as amended. Amendment adds chiropractic service to list of health professional able to authorize absences
HB 2127 SCHOOLS; JTED; AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE; LIMITS (was: exchange teachers; technical correction)
This strike-everything amendment to HB 2127 states that the sum of daily attendance and the sum of the fractional student enrollment for a student enrolled in both a member school district and JTED courses provided at a community college or facility owned and/or operated by a JTED that is not located on a site of a member district cannot exceed 1.75.
Status: 2/18 Passed House Committee of the Whole, as amended
HB 2128 JTEDS; OMNIBUS (was private schools; technical correction; now)[same bill as SB 1310] Amended with a strike-everything amendment, this bill makes various changes relating to joint technological education districts. Provisions of this bill include:
- Changes the name of a joint technological education district to a joint technical education district.
- Redefines a joint technical education course as a JTED program course and that is approved by the ADE’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) Division.
- Defines a JTED program as a sequence of courses that is offered by a JTED that meets certain requirements.
- Stipulates that students in a JTED program at a centralized campus do not incur absences for the purposes of school district budgeting and may generate an ADA of 1.0 for attendance hours during any hour of the day, any day of the week, and at any time between July 1 and June 30 of each fiscal year.
- Expands the specifications for an intergovernmental agreement or other contract between the governing board of a JTED and another district to include the individualized education programs pursuant to law relating to special education.
- Stipulates that for any student who is concurrently enrolled in a JTED at a centralized campus and a school district, the ADM must be apportioned between the JTED and the school district based on the total time that the student is enrolled in or in attendance at the JTED centralized campus and the school district.
- Requires the school district and the JTED to determine the apportionment of the daily attendance and student enrollment for a student, except the amount apportioned cannot exceed 1.0 for either entity.
Status: 2/8 PASSED House Education Committee, as amended
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HB 2129: : ARIZONA ONLINE INSTRUCTION PROGRAM (was education; meetings; technical correction)
The Arizona Online Instruction Program (AOI) programs calculate average daily attendance (ADA) based on a daily log of student participation in online instruction. Students can be enrolled in a school district or charter school and also participate in an AOI program. Students enrolled in an AOI program do not incur absences relating to school district budgets, and may generate an ADA of 1.0 for attendance hours during any hour of the day, any day of the week, and any time between July 1 and June 30 of each fiscal year. The average daily membership (ADM) of an AOI program student cannot exceed 1.0, and determines how full-time and part-time students are funded. Students enrolled full-time in AOI are funded at 95% of the base support level that would be calculated if the student were enrolled as a full-time student in a school district or charter school not participating in AOI. Students enrolled part-time in AOI are funded at 85% of the base support level.
Status: 2/8 PASSED House Education Committee, as amended. Amendment clarifies the definitions of full-time and part-time students.
HB 2140: : SCHOOLS; CAREER LADDER PROGRAMS; REPEAL
Repeals statutes authorizing and governing the teacher career ladder program.
Status: 1/19 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2181: : SCHOOLS; SAIS DATA; PENALTY
If more than 15% of the data submitted to the Student Accountability Information System (SAIS) by a school district or charter school is determined to be incorrect, incomplete or inaccurate, the state must withhold up to 10% of state monies that the district or school would otherwise be entitled to receive during that fiscal year
Status: 1/20 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2182: : SCHOOL STUDENTS; LAWFUL STATUS; STATE AID
For the purpose of determining state aid to school districts and charter schools, “average daily attendance,” “average daily membership,” and “student count” do not include children whose parents are unable to prove the child's lawful presence in the United States.
Status: 1/20 Referred to House Education; Appropriations Committee
HB 2183: SCHOOL YEAR; 180 DAYS
Deletes statute permitting school boards to approve a school year with a different number of days than 180 but “an equivalent number of minutes of instruction.”
Status: 1/20 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2184: SCHOOLS; 180 DAYS; CONFORMING CHANGES
Increases the statutory minimum number of school days in a year from 175 to 180.
Status: 1/20 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2185: HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS; ATTENDANCE HOURS
Eliminates the option for high school classes to meet for “the equivalent” of 120 hours per year.
Status:1/20 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2186: HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS; INSTRUCTIONAL HOURS
Beginning FY 2010-11, increases the number of hours of instruction required for high school programs from 700 to 900 hours, and increases the number of subjects that must be taught from 4 to 5. The number of hours each subject class must meet increases from 120 to 150. Also changes formulas for calculating part-time attendance to reflect the new requirements.
Status: 1/20 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2197: SCHOOL BUS INSPECTIONS; RULES
School bus inspections are no longer required to be conducted by the Department of Public Safety. Instead inspections are to be conducted pursuant to rules adopted by the Department of Administration.
Status: 2/17 PASSED House; transmitted to Senate 2/17 and referred to Natural Resources, Infrastructure and Public Debt Committee
HB 2200: SCHOOL FINANCE; AVERAGE DAILY ATTENDANCE
For school finance purposes, “average daily membership” is deleted and replaced with a modified “average daily attendance.” Statutes on determination of student count are repealed. Referred to House Education; Appropriations Committees
Status: 2/8 FAILED to pass House Education Committee 1-9
HB 2209: PUBLIC MEETINGS; NOTICES
Public notices of meetings of public bodies must be conspicuously posted on the public body's website; requires state agencies to annually publish the names of employees designated to assist members of the public (extended to all state agencies; previously applied to state agencies with more than 100 employees).
Status: 1/20 PASSED House Commerce Committee, as amended. Amendment allows option of posting meeting notice location on agency’s own website
HB 2226: SCHOOL DISTRICTS; PERSONNEL DECISIONS
Various statutes related to personnel matters in school districts are amended and then all of those changes are repealed, leaving affected statutes exactly as they were.
Status: 2/23 WITHDRAWN from House Education Committee; 2/24 HELD in Appropriations Committee
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HB 2227: SCHOOLS; TEACHER CONTRACTS; ACCEPTANCE
Reduces the amount of days a teacher has to accept a contract for the ensuing year from 30 days to 15 business days from the date of the teacher’s receipt of the written contract. Other provisions:
- States that the amount of days a teacher has to accept a contract starts from the date of the teacher’s receipt of the written contract.
- Reduces the amount of days a governing board has to give notice to a teacher of its intention to suspend or dismiss from 30 days to 10 days from the date of the service of the notice.
- Reduces the amount of days a school district must allow a teacher to correct inadequate classroom performance from 85 days to 60 days after giving notice of inadequacy.
- Reduces the amount of days a teacher has to file a written request for a hearing after receiving notice that there is cause for dismissal from 30 days to 10 days.
Status: 2/22 PASSED House on a 55-2-3 vote and transmitted to Senate
HB 2235: SCHOOL PERSONNEL; EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION; INVESTIGATIONS
Requires ADE to maintain a confidential database of information on certificated persons who are under investigation for alleged immoral or unprofessional conduct to be made available to schools and school districts; requires schools and districts to check the database at least once a year and before making an employment offer.
Status: 2/9 PASSED House Education Committee
HB 2239: TEACHERS; EVALUATIONS; STUDENT PERFORMANCE
School districts/charters must establish a system for evaluating teacher performance, which must include an objective assessment of the academic performance of students instructed by the teacher.
Status: 1/20 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2250: ARIZONA’S JOB RECOVERY ACT
Establishes a new Arizona Job Training Program; establishes the Arizona Quality Jobs Program and the Arizona Opportunity Fund; expands the type of businesses that qualify for Enterprise Zone tax incentives; reduces the Class 1 business property assessment ratios from 20% to 15% over five years beginning in tax year 2012; phases down the state equalization property tax over three years; decreases the corporate income tax rate from 6.968% to 4.5% over four years beginning in tax year 2011; and lowers the individual income tax by 10% over four years beginning in tax year 2011.
Status: 1/28 PASSED House on 34-25-1 vote; 1/28 transmitted to Senate
HB 2281: SCHOOLS; PROHIBITED COURSES; DISCIPLINE
Prohibits a school district or charter school from including courses or classes that either promote the overthrow of the United States government or promote resentment toward a race or class of people.
Status: 2/16 PASSED House Education Committee with strike-everything amendment; 2/22 WITHDRAWN from Government Committee
HB 2282: GOVERNMENT TRANSPARENCY; POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS
Requires school districts, along with other local governments, to establish and maintain an official website of receipts and expenditures by January 1, 2012.
Status: 1/26 PASSED Government Committee with strike-everything amendment; 2/23 WITHDRAWN from Appropriations Committee
HB 2283: SCHOOLS; EXPENDITURES; CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION
Requires 70% (as introduced) and 60% as amended of school district monies be spent in the classroom. School districts are required to spend at least 75% of operational budgets on “classroom instruction expenditures” (defined). Referred to House Education, Appropriations Committees
Status: 2/15 FAILED in House Education Committee
HB 2298: TEACHER CERTIFICATION; PREPARATION PROVIDERS
Requires SBE to allow a variety of teacher preparation program providers to offer a variety of preparation models and courses of study for alternative certification
Status: 2/24 PASSED House on a 36-22-2 vote; transmitted to Senate
HB 2313: ELL; NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES; EXCEPTION
Students who are bilingual or who are proficient in one or more Native American languages are not considered English learners or limited English proficient students. Due to voter protection, this bill requires the affirmative vote of 3/4 of each house of the Legislature for passage.
Status: 1/19 Referred to House Education, Appropriations Committees
HB 2329: SCHOOLS; AIMS TEST; ADDITIONAL SUBJECTS
Expands the AIMS test to include American and World History, Economics, Government, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Earth Science, and Fine Arts. Removes language stating that students are not required to meet or exceed social studies or science standards to graduate from high school.
Status: 1/21 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2340: GOVERNMENT; GRANT OF PUBLIC MONIES
State departments, state agencies, and political subdivisions cannot award, grant or appropriate public monies to a private entity or sell any property without complying with the procurement code or a similar public bidding process. Does not apply to money awarded by a court or that is part of a settlement agreement.
Status: 1/26 HELD in House Government Committee
HB 2344: PUBLIC EMPLOYEES; LOBBYING; POLITICAL ACTIVITIES
Public employees are prohibited from lobbying a governmental entity or engaging in any political activity during the hours of employment. Does not apply to employees who are registered as public lobbyists who lobby for the employer as part of their official duties. Public entities cannot use taxpayer monies to fund any part of a rally, protest, or lobbying effort.
Status: 2/23 PASSED House Public Employees, Retirement & Entitlement Reform Committee
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HB 2361: SCHOOLS; SEX EDUCATION
Sex education that is "medically accurate [defined] and comprehensive" is required (rather than permitted) to be taught in all school districts. Language prohibiting materials that promote homosexuality or portray homosexuality as a positive alternative lifestyle is deleted.
Status: 1/19 Referred to House Health & Human Services; Education Committees
HB 2382: SCHOOLS; STUDENT DATA COLLECTION
Requires the ADE to collect and compile data concerning students who are enrolled in a public school and who cannot prove lawful presence in the United States. The Department must submit a report of the data by December 15 of each year to the Governor, State Treasurer, and the Legislature.
Status: 2/8 WITHDRAWN from House Education Committee; 2/23 PASSED House Government Committee
HB 2385: SCHOOLS; ADM CALCULATION
For school finance purposes, “average daily attendance” is deleted and replaced with a modified “average daily membership” and modifies the definition of average daily membership as the total enrollment of the fractional students and full-time students who are enrolled on the 30th, 60th, and 90th days in session, divided by three.
Status: 2/1 PASSED House Education Committee, as amended. Amendment modifies the definition of ADM to include a fourth date on the 120th day in session and divides by four instead of three. 2/24 PASSED House Appropriations Committee, as amended to modify the definition of ADM; the definition of fractional students for high schools; the definition of full-time students for high school; and the definition of full-time students for common schools. The adopted Amendment also adds the 180 day school year or the equivalent requirement to the definition of fractional students for common schools; Deletes the definition of full-time instructional program; and adds an effective date of June 30, 2011.
HB 2386: SCHOOL DISTRICT OVERRIDE ELECTIONS
Makes changes to current school district budget override statutes to complement the changes made during the 2009 Special Session.
Status: 2/25 PASSED by Committee of the Whole
HB 2387: PUBLIC RECORDS; NAME REDACTION
Elected or appointed public officers may redact the name, address, telephone number and email address of the sender of an email that is determined to be a public record.
Status: 1/19 Referred to House Government Committee
HB 2391: ASRS; EIGHT FIVE POINTS
increases the sum a member's age and total years of service a person must reach to retire from 80 to 85 beginning with those persons who enter after July 1, 2011.
Status: 1/26 PASSED Public Employees, Retirement and Entitlement Committee
HB 2395: SCHOOLS; PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS; UNION DUES
Prohibits a school district governing board from authorizing an automatic payroll deduction for dues to a recognized certificated teacher and administrator association.
Status: 2/23 PASSED House Government Committee
HB 2401: TEACHER LOAN PROGRAM; GEOGRAPHIC SHORTAGES
Expands the options for the service commitment of a loan recipient under the Mathematics, Science and Special Education Teacher Student Loan Program to include any subject in a public school that is located in a geographic area with a shortage of teachers. Referred to House Education; Appropriations Committees
Status: 1/26 PASSED House Education Committee
HB 2403: NONCERTIFICATED SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; POLICIES
Requires school boards to adopt employment policies for noncertificated employees that include a period of probationary employment, causes for discipline or termination, procedures to evaluate performance and for promotions and transfers, and attendance and leave procedures.
Status: 1/25 Referred to House Public Employees, Retirement & Entitlement Reform; Education Committees
HB 2408: SCHOOLS; MANDATORY DAILY RECESS
Beginning in the 2010-2011 school year, school districts and charter schools must provide at least 30 total minutes of recess each day for students in kindergarten through grade 5, not counting unstructured recess time occurring immediately after lunch periods. Physical education classes may be used to satisfy this requirement.
Status: 1/25 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2413: DIGITAL CURRICULUM INSTITUTE
Requires ADE and ASU to cooperatively establish a digital curriculum institute to evaluate online courses in kindergarten through grade 12 and determine whether those courses meet the academic standards established by the SBE.
Status: 2/22 HELD in House Education Committee
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HB 2485: SCHOOLS; TEACHERS; CONTRACT ISSUANCE
Requires school district to notify a certificated teacher who has been employed by the district for not more than three consecutive school years of its intent to renew the teacher's contract between March 15 and May 15 each year. If a district chooses not to reemploy the teacher for the ensuing school year, and it chooses to notify the teacher by registered or certified mail, the postmark on the letter must be no later than April 15.
Status: 1/25 Referred to House Public Employees, Retirement & Entitlement Reform, Education Committees
HB 2486: SCHOOLS; TEACHERS; REDUCTIONS; REHIRES
Prohibits school district from reducing the salary of a certificated teacher who has not been employed by the district for longer than three school years unless the reduction is part of a general salary reduction applied equitably to all teachers. A certificated teacher dismissed for reasons of economy or to improve efficiency shall have a preferred right of reappointment in the order of original employment if teachers are hired within three years of the teacher's dismissal.
Status: 1/25 Referred to House Public Employees, Retirement & Entitlement Reform, Education Committees
HB 2487: SCHOOLS; TEACHERS; EMPLOYMENT RETENTION
Deletes prohibitions against school districts and charters from adopting personnel policies that prevent tenure or seniority from being used as criteria for retention
Status: 1/25 Referred to House Public Employees, Retirement & Entitlement Reform; Education Committees
HB 2488: SCHOOLS; TEACHERS; COMPENSATION DAYS
Repeals statute prohibiting school districts from including among compensation days those spent on professional association activities
Status: 1/25 Referred to House Public Employees, Retirement & Entitlement Reform; Education Committees
HB 2537: SCHOOLS; ELL MODELS; EXEMPTION
Schools classified as highly performing or excelling that meet or exceed federal achievement objectives for English language earners are exempt from adopting models for structured English immersion that are approved by the Arizona English language learners task force.
Status: 2/2 PASSED House Education Committee
HB 2550: STATE EMPLOYEES; INSURANCE; DEPENDENT DEFINITION
Repeals a section of Laws 2009, Third Special Session, Chapter 10 (HB 2013) that, for the purposes of state employees' health insurance, dependent is defined as a spouse, a child under the age of nineteen, or a child under the age of twenty-three who is a fulltime student.
Status: 1/25 Referred to House Banking & Insurance, Appropriations Committees
HB 2551: EDUCATION AUTHORITY DISTRICTS
Establishes Education Authority Districts in each county to promote achievement within the district by approving grants to assist school districts and to nonprofits to develop and operate educational activities. Activities are paid for thru voter-approved excise taxes on car rentals, transitory lodging, restaurants, amusements, sporting events and general retail sales. A separate vote is required to levy each category of sales tax.
Status: 1/21 Referred to House Ways & Means; Education Committees
HB 2555: FULL-DAY KINDERGARTEN; REPEAL
Repeals statutes governing state subsidies to school districts that opt to provide full-day kindergarten
Status: 1/21 Referred to House Education; Appropriations Committees
HB 2556: SCHOOLS; ADE; REDUCTION; REFORM
Moves hiring/firing decision to the principal of the school rather than the school district governing board, require the district governing board to adopt uniform policies, limits transportation services that a district governing board can provide, and consolidate ADE to no more than 70 persons and limits the role of the county school superintendent. Referred to House Education; Appropriations Committees
Status: 2/22 HELD in House Education Committee
HB 2557: SCHOOLS; NCLB; OPT-OUT
On the effective date of this act, the state officially opts out of the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.
Status: 1/21 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2613: TAX CREDITS; SCHOOLS; CLASSROOM MATERIALS
For the tax years ending December 31, 2012, the list of permitted uses of tax deductible contributions to public schools is expanded to include textbooks, classroom technology or instructional materials. Reporting requirements are changed.
Status: 2/9 Passed House Education Committee, as amended to: reinstate the provision that excludes senior trips or events that are recreational, amusement, or tourist activities from qualifying as extracurricular activities; specifies the exclusion of senior trips or events does not apply to educational and culturally relevant activities to which a student or school is invited to participate; allow taxpayers to claim fees paid or contributions made for tutoring programs under the public school tax credit through TY 2013; requires public school donation reports to include the total dollar amount of fees and contributions spent during the previous calendar year on tutoring programs; and define tutoring programs.
Status: 2/22 HELD in the House Ways & Means Committee.
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HB 2635: PROCUREMENT SERVICES; OUTSOURCING PROHIBITED
Prohibits a unit of state government from awarding a contract or providing development assistance to a vendor or other entity that performs the work of the contract outside the U.S.
Status: 2/2 Referred to House Government; Commerce Committees
HB 2653: INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS; SEPARATE LEGAL ENTITIES
If two or more public agencies establish a separate entity through an intergovernmental agreement (IGA), the new entity has the common powers specified in the agreement and is authorized to exercise them in a manner consistent with the purposes of the agreement. A public officer or elected official of one of the parties to the IGA may also act as a member of the governing body of the new entity.
Status: 2/8 Referred to House Natural Resources & Rural Affairs Committee
HB 2657: SOLAR SCHOOL GRANT PROGRAMS
Establishes a solar school grant program administered by the Energy Office of the Department of Commerce. Grants are distributed to schools to fund solar education programs. Grant money derives from a tax on the delivery of electricity for consumption. Because this bill increases net state revenue, it requires a 2/3 majority in each house for passage per Proposition 108.
Status: 2/8 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2681: SCHOOLS; COMPULSORY ATTENDANCE; AGE
Requires children to attend school through age 18, instead of 16. A child may be excused for completion of grade 11, instead of grade 10. Excuses a child who has obtained a high school diploma or general equivalency diploma, or who has graduated from a home school program.
Status: 2/10 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2682: SCHOOLS; TECHNOLOGY; PERSONNEL TRAINING
Expands the list of purposes for which a school district may issue and sell bonds, subject to voter approval, to include personnel training costs for equipment and technology; restricts to no more than 10% of bond proceeds for personnel training use. Allow school districts to use up to 10% of the soft capital allocation for personnel training costs for equipment and technology acquired with soft capital allocation monies.
Status: 2/10 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2685: HIGH SCHOOLS; U.S. HISTORY COURSE
Requires two years of mandatory instruction (in grades 10 and 11) to be devoted exclusively to U.S. history, including one full semester of instruction devoted to the people who founded the U.S.
Status: 2/9 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2708: SCHOOL DISTRICTS; STATE MANDATES; FUNDING
A school district is not required to implement a state mandate (defined) if the Legislature does not make provisions so that the district can pay for implementation. Provision can be by either appropriation or prescribing a new or increased revenue source.
Status: 2/10 Referred to House Education; Appropriations Committees
HB 2709: HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS; PROFICIENCY EXAMINATIONS
Persons applying for teacher certification are not required to take the proficiency exam if the person has completed a minimum of 24 semester hours of course work in the subject area.
Status: 2/10 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2719: SCHOOL DISTRICT BOUNDARIES; CHANGE
Conditions are prescribed whereby a majority of electors or of property owners who reside in a geographic location may petition to be removed from one school district and to be included within the boundaries of an adjacent school district.
Status: 2/16 Passed House Education Committee
HB 2720: TEACHER CERTIFICATION; RECIPROCITY; POSTSECONDARY CREDITS
A person who has completed, with a grade of C or higher, at least 24 semester hours in a subject at an accredited institution of higher education is not required to take that subject knowledge portion of the teacher certification examination. Reciprocity for teacher certification examinations taken in other states is limited to specific components of the exam that the SBE determines to be equivalent.
Status: 2/22 PASSED House Education Committee, as amended to establish a Digital Curriculum Institute whose purpose is to evaluate online courses and curricula in K - 12 for adherence to SBE academic standards.
HB 2725: EDUCATION; OMNIBUS
Makes various changes to statutes governing education, including
- authorizing schools to sell age-appropriate advertising (previous statute limited advertising sales to the exterior of school buses, athletic facilities, and websites);
- requiring school district open enrollment policies to be posted on the district website and available to the public on request; and
- requiring the Board of Regents to develop and implement a common course numbering system for advance placement and international baccalaureate courses offered in high schools.
Status: 2/22 PASSED House Education Committee, as amended, to:
- State that, in order to qualify for either a basic or standard teaching certificate, a person is not required to take the subject knowledge portion of the examination if the person has completed at least 24 semester hours in that subject and obtained an A, B, or C for each semester hour.
- Stipulate that a person is not required to take a component of the examination if the person has passed a component on a proficiency examination that has been adopted by the SBE or an equivalent agency in another state.
- Reduce the amount of time 7th and 8th graders must be enrolled in an instructional program from 1,068 hours to 1,000 hours beginning in fiscal year 2010-2011.
- Allow a school district to decide whether bonds and soft-capital allocations of the school district can be issued and sold for personnel training costs for equipment and technology; stipulates that no more than 10% of the bond proceeds or soft capital allocation can be used for personnel training.
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HB 2731: HIGH SCHOOLS; GRADUATION; BOARD EXAMINATIONS
This bill is commonly referred to as the “move on when ready” bill and creates the “Grand Canyon Diploma” to enable high school students to choose different educational pathways. Requires the SBE to enter into a 5-year agreement with a private organization to operate/administer a “board examination system” and to develop a Grand Canyon Diploma (GC Diploma), which:
- Is alternative to SBE-approved high school diploma;
- may be awarded at the end of grade 10, 11, or 12; and
- may be offered by districts/charters beginning SY 2012-2013
Students earning a GC Diploma:
- May enroll in community college;
- May remain in high school;
- May enroll in CTE programs;
- are exempt from SBE graduation requirements; and
- are entitled to all rights and privileges of students who graduate with a high school diploma.
Status: 2/16 PASSED House Education Committee, as amended.
HB 2732: SCHOOLS; THIRD GRADE RETENTION
Prohibits the promotion of students from the 3rd grade if the student's score on the reading portion of the AIMS test demonstrates that the student is far below the third grade level.
Status: 2/10 PASSED by House Education Committee, as amended. Amendment delays until 2012-13 (1) competency requirements; (2) intervention strategies; and (3) universal screening of students
HB 2742: STATE EMPLOYEES; DISCIPLINARY ACTION; REPRESENTATION
If a state employee reasonably believes an interview with the employer could result in dismissal, demotion, or suspension, the employee may request to have a representative present at the interview, and is entitled to time to consult with the representative and make a statement. The employer must provide written notice of the specific nature of the investigation, and may require the employee to submit to a polygraph examination under specified circumstances.
Status: 2/15 Referred to House Public Employees, Retirement & Entitlement Reform Committee
HB 2751: SCHOOL BUSES; SEATING CHARTS
Expands the list of items required to be included in the school bus rules to include assigned seating in the front of school buses for children in grades K through 2.
Status: 2/10 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2760: SFB; PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES
The requirement that the School Facilities Board develop routine preventive maintenance guidelines for schools is amplified to enumerate the specific systems (plumbing, electrical, etc.) for which the guidelines must be developed. Language is added indemnifying the board from liability with respect to all decisions made and actions taken pursuant to the guidelines. Situations are delineated in which the guidelines must require a roof inspection to be conducted by a registered contractor.
Status: 2/22 PASSED House Education Committee
HB 2761: EDUCATION BUDGET; DATE OF ENACTMENT
Requires the Legislature to pass the Department of Education’s budget by April 1 of the fiscal year immediately preceding the fiscal year for which the budget was enacted. A failure to do so authorizes school districts and charters to use the current year's budget to determine funding levels for the following year until such time as the budget is conveyed to the Governor.
Status: 2/10 Referred to House Education, Appropriations Committees
HB 2771: HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION; CITIZENSHIP EXAM
Changes the competency requirements for a student to receive a high school diploma to include a passing score on a test that is similar or identical to the civics portion of the naturalization test provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.
Status: 2/10 Referred to House Education Committee
HB 2782: STATE EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE; COVERAGE
The definition of "dependent" in statutes related to health care coverage for state employees is changed to include "child" and "older child" as defined by the Department of Administration's rule as of October 1, 2009, except that neither is intended to include a child of a domestic partner. [This bill is sponsored by Nancy Young Wright.]
Status: 2/10 Referred to House Health & Human Services; Appropriations Committees
HCR 2014:NCLB; OPT-OUT
The Legislature expresses its dissatisfaction with the "deeply flawed" provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act and encourages states to opt out of compliance.
Status: 1/25 Referred to House Education Committee
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HCR 2020: SCHOOLS; CLASSROOM EXPENDITURES
The 2010 general election ballot is to carry the question of whether to amend Title 15 (education) of Arizona Revised Statutes to require school districts to spend a minimum of 70% of its operational budget on classroom instruction (defined). Districts unable to comply may apply for a one-year waiver. After that, a noncompliant district must post on its website a detailed accounting of its expenditures, including the job title of each employee who earns more than $100,000 per year and expenditures paid to consultants, attorneys and organizations.
Status: 2/15 Referred to House Education Committee
HCR 2034: PUBLIC AGENCY LOBBYISTS
The 2010 general election ballot is to carry the question of whether to amend Title 41 (state government) of Arizona Revised Statutes to prohibit public officers or public employees from lobbying the Legislature on behalf of the public entity. Public resources shall likewise not be used to lobby the Legislature.
Status: 2/15 Referred to House Government Committee
Senate Bills
SB 1011: CONCEALED WEAPONS; FACULTY; SCHOOL GROUNDS
Lifts the prohibition against carrying a deadly weapon onto school grounds for firearms carried on the campus of a state university or community college by a faculty member if the person has a valid concealed carry permit.
Status: 2/3 HELD in Senate Public Safety & Human Services Committee
SB 1020: GOVERNMENT CONTRACTS; ARIZONA PREFERENCE
In awarding contracts for services that will be paid with public monies and in cases in which a bid from an Arizona resident is within 5% of the lowest bid, agencies must award the contract to the Arizona resident as long as that person has paid property taxes in this state for at least 2 years prior to submission of the bid.
Status: 1/11 Referred to Senate Government Institutions Committee
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SB 1039: RESTRUCTURING; SCHOOL REPORT CARDS
Reduces school report card reporting requirements by eliminating 10 categories of information, including the school's current expenditures per student for supplies and support, the transportation services available, the social services available, a description of parental responsibilities, etc. Requires schools to make the report cards available to parents electronically.
Status: 1/28 PASSED Senate and transmitted to the House
SB 1040: SCHOOLS; ACHIEVEMENT PROFILES; MAP
Adds Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) to high school achievement school profiles.
Status: 1/25 PASSED Senate on a 28-0 vote and transmitted to House
SB 1092: INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS; SEPARATE LEGAL ENTITIES
If public agencies (including municipalities, counties, and special taxing districts) establish a separate legal entity for the purposes of an intergovernmental agreement, the entity is granted specified powers, including to enter into contracts, hire employees, acquire property and infrastructure, incur debts, and sue or be sued.
Status: 1/19 Referred to Senate Finance Committee
SB 1097: SCHOOLS; DATA; NONCITIZEN STUDENTS
The Department of Education must, to the extent permitted by federal law, collect data from school districts on populations of students who cannot prove lawful residence in the U.S. An annual report to the Legislature and Governor is required. The report must include research on the adverse affects of illegal residents in schools and a "detailed estimate" of the costs of educating illegal residents. If a district does not comply, the Superintendent of Public Instruction is authorized to withhold state aid.
Status: 2/24 PASSED Senate Education Committee
SB 1119: TASK FORCE; K-3 ACCOUNTABILITY; ASSESSMENTS
Establishes a Task Force to examine and evaluate best practices in accountability and assessment measures for schools providing instruction in grades K-3, as well as conduct trial examinations of students
Status: 2/15 PASSED Senate on a 30-0 vote and transmitted to House
SB 1120: TEACHER STUDENT LOAN PROGRAM; EXPANSION
Makes changes to the Teacher Student Loan Program by expanding qualifying institutions to include private postsecondary institutions and places the Program under the supervision of the Commission on Postsecondary Education, rather than the Arizona Board of Regents.
Status: 2/23 approved by Majority & Minority Caucuses
SB 1121: SCHOOL DISTRICTS; CARRY-FORWARD BALANCE
Requires school districts to establish an Impact Aid Fund to separately account for monies received from the federal Impact Aid Program; prohibits comingling with other revenue sources; requires the district to account for Fund monies as prescribed by the Auditor General in accordance to the Uniform System of Financial Records (USFR); requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to separately account for the monies in each districts’ Fund; stipulates Fund expenditures must be in accordance with federal law; designates Fund monies as federal monies and not subject to legislative appropriation. Referred to Senate Education Accountability & Reform; Appropriations Committee
Status: 2/24 PASSED by Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee
SB 1172: SCHOOLS; GUN SAFETY PROGRAMS
Expands authorization for schools to offer a gun safety program course to home schools. Requires the course to include student demonstration of competence with a firearm. Also modifies the list of persons authorized to instruct the course.
Status: 2/15 PASSED Senate 30-0 and transmitted to the House
SB 1187: SCHOOL FACILITIES BOARD; VACANT LAND
Allows the SFB to require a school district to sell land previously purchased with SFB provided funds if the land is no longer needed for a new school or an addition to an existing school within ten years.
Status: 2/22 PASSED Senate on a 28-1-1 vote and transmitted to the House
SB 1249: NONCERTIFICATED SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; POLICIES
Requires school boards to adopt and publish in a handbook employment policies for noncertificated school district employees, including probationary periods, causes for discipline, performance evaluation, attendance procedures and ethical standards.
Status: 1/28 Referred to Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee
SB 1260:: SCHOOL TAX CREDITS; TEMPORARY SUSPENSION
Suspends tax credits for contributions to public schools and school tuition organizations for tax years from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2012.
Status: 1/28 Referred to Senate Education Accountability & Reform; Finance Committees
SB 1263: HIGH SCHOOLS; MILITARY RECRUITING; FORM
Requires the release of student directory information by school districts and charter schools to individuals and entities providing information relating to postsecondary opportunities to take place by October 31 each year; allows individuals wrongfully denied access to directory information to report the violation to the to the U.S. Department of Education.
Status: 2/11 RETAINED by the Senate Committee of the Whole
SB 1264: GOVERNMENTAL INFORMATION; COMPREHENSIVE REPORT
Requires governmental entities (including school districts) to maintain a publicly accessible website with a searchable database containing comprehensive financial data; Requires each agency to establish outcomes-based performance benchmarks for all programs.
Status: WITHDRAWN from Senate Government Institutions Committee; 2/23 PASSED Senate Appropriations Committee
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SB 1271: TEACHERS; LIABILITY INSURANCE
Expands the list of duties of the SBE to include procuring and providing professional liability insurance to certificated teachers (subject to monies being legislatively appropriated for the purpose)
Status: 2/24 HELD in Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee
SB 1284: SCHOOL FINANCE REVISIONS
Requires ADE to apply any change to state law that occurs after the effective date and modifies or impacts the school finance formula so it applies to the entire fiscal year the change became effective
Status: 2/22 PASSED Senate on a 26-4 vote and transmitted to the House
SB 1286: SCHOOLS; ACHIEVEMENT PROFILES; LETTER GRADES
Changes the labels used for school achievement profiles and specifies the data used for their calculation; Requires ADE to establish achievement profiles for each school district using the same methodology utilized for school achievement profiles; requires 50% of school and school district labels consist of academic performance measurements; Directs ADE to phase-out the existing classification system by providing achievement profiles under the existing classifications and the letter-grade classifications for school years 2010-2011 and 2011-2012; contains a delayed effective date of July 1, 2011; Replaces the current classifications used for achievement profiles with a letter-grade system as follows: a) replaces Excelling with a letter grade of “A”;
b) replaces Highly Performing with a letter grade of “B”;
c) replaces Performing with a letter grade of “C”;
d) replaces Underperforming with a letter grade “D”; and
e) replaces Failing to Meet Academic Standards with a letter grade of “F”.
Status: 3/1 PASSED Senate on a 21-8 vote; transmitted to House
SB 1297: ELL PROGRAMS; ALTERNATIVE MODELS
Authorizes the Arizona English Language Learners Task Force to approve models for ELL instruction that are an alternative to structured English immersion models if the alternative has been developed in collaboration with one or more school districts and is recommended by the Department of Education.
Status: 2/1 Referred to Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee
SB 1299: SCHOOL DISTRICT PERSONNEL; DECISIONS
Reinstates many of the changes in school personnel policy implemented in 2009, including permitting school districts to use seniority or tenure to make personnel retention decisions and reinstating the deadlines by which school districts must inform tenured teachers whether their contract will be renewed for the following school year.
Status: 2/1 Referred to Senate Education Accountability & Reform; Appropriations Committees
SB 1308: SCHOOLS; INSTRUCTION; DATING ABUSE (was high school instruction; dating violence)
Requires middle, junior high and high school students to receive instruction on recognizing and preventing dating abuse.
Status: 2/22 PASSED Senate; transmitted to the House
SB 1309: PARENTS; RIGHTS
Establishes a parent's bill of rights which includes right to:
- to direct the education, upbringing and moral/religious education of the minor child;
- to consent in writing before any record of the child's blood or DNA is created; and
- to review all medical records of the child.
Requires schools provide parents with information outlining procedures by which they may learn about instructional materials, rights to opt out of certain assignments, rights to opt out of sex education classes, etc.
Status: 2/18 Passed Senate Public Safety & Human Services Committee, as amended. Amendment adds exemption to parental consent for newborn screening program and specified how telemedicine providers must obtain parental consent
SB 1310: JTEDS; OMNIBUS
Various changes related to JTEDs, including changing the official name to joint technical (formerly: "technological") education districts and redefining the JTED course of education. Also makes changes in the manner by which average daily membership for JTED students is apportioned between a JTED district and a school district or charter
Status: 2/17 PASSED Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee
SB 1319: ELL; EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY; APPROPRIATION
Requires the State Board of Education to request proposals for educational technology for ELL instruction. Appropriates $12 million in FY2011-12 for implementation
Status: 2/1 Referred to Senate Education Accountability & Reform; Appropriations Committees
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SB 1323: SCHOOLS; ADM CALCULATION
Redefines ADM as the average, total enrollment of students who are enrolled on the 20th, 40th, 80th, 100th, 120th, 140th and 160th days
Status: 2/18 PASSED Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee
SB 1335: STUDENT COUNT; FORTIETH DAY; REMOVAL
A strike everything amendment passed by the Senate Finance Committee outlines legislative and agency requirements for authorizing, setting and revising administrative fees.
Status: 2/22 WITHDRAWN Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee; 2/24 passed Senate Finance
SB 1336: SCHOOLS; CURRENT-YEAR FUNDING
For school years beginning in 2010, bases school district funding on the actual average daily membership as reported to the ADE on the 100th or 200th day of session, as applicable. School districts must revise their student count and base level support by May 15 each year.
Status: 2/3 Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee
SB 1374: SCHOOLS; BULLYING POLICIES; ENFORCEMENT
If a school official determined that a student has committed an incident of harassment or bullying, the official must report it to the Department of Economic Security and impose specified disciplinary procedures against the student. If a student, parent, or school employee determines that the official failed to do so, he/she must notify the school board and the school board must place the matter on its agenda for the next regular board meeting. The amount of welfare assistance payments a person would otherwise be entitled to receive is reduced by $50 per incident if the person is the parent or guardian of a child disciplined for bullying or harassment.
Status: 2/4 Referred to Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee
SB 1391: CRIMINAL CLEARANCE CARDS; AUTHORIZED COMPANY
Effective January 1, 2012, the Department of Administration may authorize criminal background investigation companies to conduct criminal history records checks for criminal clearance cards (formerly called fingerprint clearance cards) with background checks done by the Department of Public Safety. Referred to Senate Appropriations; Government Institutions Committees
Status: 2/23 FAILED Senate Appropriations Committee
SB 1406: PROCUREMENT; CONSTRUCTION; SPECIALIZE SERVICES
Makes various changes to the procurement of construction services and professional services by Arizona public entities. For the state and its political subdivisions, it rearranges existing law to separate the processes for the procurement of single and multiple contracts for professional services and construction services. It removes existing authority to procure in a single procurement multiple contracts for construction-manager-at-risk construction services and design-build construction services. The bill also provides for heavy or commuter rail construction services. As amended, specifies what constitutes sequential and concurrent phases within the design and construction services for construction-at-manager-risk and design-build projects; and clarifies that the requirement for a public entity to intend to commence construction within 30 months after execution of a contract refers to the actual construction rather than construction services. (This is applicable to construction-manager-at-risk and design-build construction projects performed at multiple locations.)
Status: 2/22 PASSED Senate Natural Resources, Infrastructure & Public Debt Committee, as amended.
SCR 1001: PUNITIVE DAMAGES; SCHOOLS; TEACHERS; EXEMPTIONS
Refers the question to the 2010 General Election ballot whether to exempt public schools and public school teachers from being subject to punitive damages.
Status: 2/24 HELD in Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee
SCR 1001: TEMPORARY SALES TAX; REPEAL (previous legislative session)
Beginning June 1, 2010, Proposition 100 would amend the Arizona Constitution to temporarily increase the state transaction privilege and use taxes (“state sales tax”) by one cent per one dollar for three years. For most purchases, the state sales tax would increase from the current 5.6 cents per one dollar to 6.6 cents per one dollar. The monies collected from the temporary tax would be separately accounted for in the state general fund and would be allocated as follows:
1. Two-thirds would be appropriated for public primary and secondary education.
2. One-third would be appropriated for health and human services and public
safety purposes.
The temporary tax would also be repealed on May 31, 2013.
SCR 1031: PUBLIC REVENUE EXPENDITURES; BALLOT MEASURES
Places on the 2010 General Election ballot a change to the Arizona Constitution to extend the requirement that an initiative or referendum provide for a revenue source for expenditures required of a political subdivision.
Status: 2/9 PASSED Senate Appropriations Committee
SCR 1032: SCHOOLS; CLASSROOM INSTRUCTION EXPENDITURES
Subject to voter approval, requires school districts to spend a minimum of 65 percent of their operating budget on classroom instruction expenditures.
Status: 2/16 PASSED by Appropriations Committee, as amended. 2/24 HELD in Senate Education Accountability & Reform Committee
SCR 1033: REPEAL 1998 PROPOSITION 105
Refers to the ballot the repeal of Proposition 105 - which provides important protection to voter-approved initiatives, including Proposition 300.
Status: 2/3 PASSED Senate Appropriations Committee
SCR 1036: TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS
Refers to the ballot the question of whether to install a formula to determine the maximum increase in appropriation the Legislature may make from one year to the next. Provisions are made to suspend the limitation upon a vote of the people or if an emergency is declared and 3/4 of each house of the Legislature agrees.
Status: 1/28 Referred to Senate Appropriations Committee
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SCR 1048: PARENTAL RIGHTS
Refers to the ballot the question of whether to establish a parents' bill of rights guaranteeing a parent's rights to raise and educate the minor child without obstruction or interference from any governmental entity or private sector institution in the state.
Status: 2/4 Referred to Senate Public Safety & Human Services Committee
SCR 1054:PUBLIC AGENCY LOBBYISTS
Refers to the ballot the question of whether to prohibit lobbying of the Legislature on behalf of a public agency by any public officer, employee or contractor hired by a public agency. The measure also prohibits the use of public resources to lobby the Legislature.
Status: 2/4 Referred to Senate Government Institutions Committee
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