A Win for Democracy!
Happy Friday! The 57th Legislative Session is well underway, and both the House and Senate Education Committees have made significant strides this week. Among the key pieces of legislation passed are HB2018, HB2019, HB2020, HB2069, SB1028, and SB1041. A big win for democracy came with the unanimous passage of SB1041, which allows school governing board candidates to collect electronic signatures through a secure online portal. This bill provides rural candidates with an efficient way to reach voters across vast school districts, just like other elected officials.
Additionally, Superintendent Horne presented his State of Education to both the House and Senate Education Committees, focusing on school safety, Proposition 123, and a solution for the aggregate expenditure limit. Stay tuned for more updates as we continue to track the progress of important education-related legislation this session.
Bill Action Recap:
HB2018 private universities; Arizona teachers academy
Passed
Vote: 7-3-0-2-0-0
HB2019 schools; water safety; information; resources
Passed as amended
Vote: 10-0-0-2-0-0
Requires that before the 2025-2026 school year, the Department of Education (ADE) compile and make accessible on ADE’s website both of the following:
Information about how water safety education courses and swimming lessons are saving lives
A list of local providers of water safety courses or swimming lessons, or both, that result in an acceptable form of certification
Includes providers that offer water safety courses or swimming lessons, or both, for free or at a discounted rate
Requires that each school district and charter school provide to each parent the webpage address for the information and resources compiled by ADE beginning on the 2025-2026 school year
Defines “water safety course” as age-appropriate education that is intended to promote safety in, on, or around bodies of water, for the purpose of reducing risk of injury or drowning
HB2069 instructional time models; posting requirements (Taylor)
Passed
Vote: 10-0-0-2-0-0
Eliminates a provision in Section 15-901.08 Arizona Revised Statutes that provided that during the 2021-2022 school year, a school may provide up to 50% of its total instructional time in a remote setting without impacting the school’s funding
Eliminates the part of the provision in Section 15-901.08 that reads: “Beginning in school year 2022-2023 and each school year thereafter” in regard to schools that may provide up to 40% of its total instructional time in a remote setting without impacting the school’s funding
Establishes that each school district and charter school that adopts an instructional time model under this section must submit the adopted model to the Department of Education
Establishes that the Department of Education is required to:
Post all submitted instructional time models on its website
Include information about each model's impact on the school's funding, if applicable
Makes technical corrections
SB1028 high school graduation; requirements (Kavanagh)
Passed
4-3-0-0
Requires the state board of education to establish competency requirements for high school graduation that incorporate academic standards in the subjects of reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies, along with a minimum performance level requirement
Requires the department of education to do the following:
Develop a method and standard to determine the minimum performance level on the statewide assessment, required for high school graduation
Notwithstanding section 15-741 subsection b Arizona Revised Statutes, establish a schedule for administering the statewide assessment to high school students
This schedule must provide students with at least two opportunities to take the assessment during both their eleventh and twelfth-grade years
Establishes that, notwithstanding title 15 chapter 7, article 3 Arizona Revised Statutes and section 15-701.01 subsection A, a student is not required to pass an assessment in grades eleven or twelve to graduate from high school if the student either:
Achieves a passing score on a technical skills assessment test for a career and technical education program approved by the department
Earns an industry certification through a career and technical education program approved by the department
Establishes that a student with an individualized education program (IEP) or a Section 504 plan is not required to pass the statewide assessment to graduate from high school
Requires the student's IEP or Section 504 plan to include any necessary testing accommodations
Requires the governing board of a school district to establish criteria for high school graduation within the school district, including the following:
Meeting academic standards in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies as determined by district assessments
Either achieving the minimum performance level on the statewide assessment, or satisfaction of the requirements under subsection C of section 15-701.01 Arizona Revised Statutes
Establishes that the governing board of a school district may do the following:
Establish the high school course of study and competency requirements that exceed or add to those set by the state board of education
Offer students in grades nine or ten, or both, the instruction, materials, or other resources needed to prepare for the statewide assessment
Makes technical corrections
SB1041 School board candidates; electronic signatures (Kavanagh)
Passed
7-0-0-0
Requires the secretary of state to create a system that allows qualified electors to sign nomination petitions for candidates running for city or town office, county office, school board office, and precinct committeeman through a secure internet portal.
Establishes that the purpose of this system is to ensure that only eligible electors can sign petitions for a specific candidate, verify the elector's identity, and allow the secretary of state to send the filings, or copies of the filings, to the appropriate election officer.
Establishes that until 2024, candidates may choose to collect the minimum required number of nomination petition signatures using this online system
Provides that starting in 2025, candidates may collect up to 110% of the required number of nomination petition signatures using the same online system
Clarifies that this section applies only to candidates for city or town elected office, county office, school board office and the office of precinct committeeman
Mark your calendar! Here’s what’s coming up in next week’s committee meetings:
Tuesday, January 28th, 2025 @ 2:00 PM
House Education Committee
The following bills will be heard:
HB2058 – school immunizations; exemption; adult students (Fink)
HB2063 – parental notification; school immunization exemptions (Fink)
HB2170 – individualized education programs; dyslexia diagnosis (Gress)
HB2171 – law enforcement; families; tuition scholarships (Gress)
HB2172 – parent training; schools; K-8 students (Willoughby)
HB2196 – schools; AEDs; CPR training; requirements (Willoughby)
HB2213 – appropriation; free school meals (Gutierrez)
HB2375 – children with disabilities; evaluation; deadline (Carter P)
Wednesday, January 29th, 2025 @ 2:00 PM
Senate Education Committee
The following bills will be heard:
SB1002 – pronouns; biological sex; school policies (Kavanagh)
SB1003 – public schools; restrooms; reasonable accommodations (Kavanagh)
SB1090 – schools; libraries; explicit materials; classification (Hoffman)
SB1091 – school districts; bonds; overrides; ballots (Hoffman)
SB1105 – medical marijuana dispensaries; location (Bolick)
SB1133 – history of communism; instruction requirement (Rogers)