Bill Text: AZ HB2475 | 2017 | Fifty-third Legislature 1st Regular | Introduced


Bill Title: Education; statutory language; removal; repeals

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)

Status: (Failed) 2017-02-13 - House ED Committee action: Held, voting: (0-0-0-0-0-0) [HB2475 Detail]

Download: Arizona-2017-HB2475-Introduced.html

 

 

 

REFERENCE TITLE: education; statutory language; removal; repeals

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-third Legislature

First Regular Session

2017

 

 

HB 2475

 

Introduced by

Representatives Kern: Boyer, Norgaard

 

 

AN ACT

 

amending section 13-3411, Arizona Revised Statutes; repealing section 15‑154.01, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending sections 15‑183, 15‑203, 15‑211, 15‑341 and 15‑342, Arizona Revised Statutes; repealing sections 15‑342.02, 15‑706, 15‑712, 15‑712.01, 15‑713, 15‑714, 15‑714.01, 15‑716 and 15‑717, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending section 15‑718.01, Arizona Revised Statutes; repealing sections 15‑719, 15‑720 and 15‑720.02, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to education.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Section 13-3411, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE13-3411.  Possession, use, sale or transfer of marijuana, peyote, prescription drugs, dangerous drugs or narcotic drugs or manufacture of dangerous drugs in a drug free school zone; violation; classification; definitions

A.  It is unlawful for a person to do any of the following:

1.  Intentionally be present in a drug free school zone to sell or transfer marijuana, peyote, prescription‑only drugs, dangerous drugs or narcotic drugs.

2.  Possess or use marijuana, peyote, dangerous drugs or narcotic drugs in a drug free school zone.

3.  Manufacture dangerous drugs in a drug free school zone.

B.  A person who violates subsection A of this section is guilty of the same class of felony that the person would otherwise be guilty of had the violation not occurred within a drug free school zone, except that the presumptive, minimum and maximum sentence shall be increased by one year.  The additional sentence imposed under this subsection is in addition to any enhanced punishment that may be applicable under section 13‑703, section 13‑704, section 13‑708, subsection D or any provision in this chapter.  A person is not eligible for suspension of sentence, probation, pardon or release from confinement on any basis except pursuant to section 31‑233, subsection A or B until the sentence imposed by the court has been served or commuted.

C.  In addition to any other penalty prescribed by this title, the court shall order a person who is convicted of a violation of this section to pay a fine of not less than two thousand dollars or three times the value as determined by the court of the drugs involved in or giving rise to the charge, whichever is greater, and not more than the maximum authorized by chapter 8 of this title.  A judge shall not suspend any part or all of the imposition of any fine required by this subsection.

D.  Each school district's governing board or its designee, or the chief administrative officer in the case of a nonpublic school, shall place and maintain permanently affixed signs located in a visible manner at the main entrance of each school that identifies the school and its accompanying grounds as a drug free school zone.

E.  The drug free school zone map prepared pursuant to title 15 shall constitute an official record as to the location and boundaries of each drug free school zone.  The school district's governing board or its designee, or the chief administrative officer in the case of any nonpublic school, shall promptly notify the county attorney of any changes in the location and boundaries of any school property and shall file with the county recorder the original map prepared pursuant to title 15.

F.  E.  All school personnel who observe a violation of this section shall immediately report the violation to a school administrator.  The administrator shall immediately report the violation to a peace officer.  It is unlawful for any school personnel or school administrator to fail to report a violation as prescribed in this section.

G.  F.  School personnel having custody or control of school records of a student involved in an alleged violation of this section shall make the records available to a peace officer upon on written request signed by a magistrate.  Records disclosed pursuant to this subsection are confidential and may be used only in a judicial or administrative proceeding.  A person furnishing records required under this subsection or a person participating in a judicial or administrative proceeding or investigation resulting from the furnishing of records required under this subsection is immune from civil or criminal liability by reason of such an action unless the person acted with malice.

H.  G.  A person who violates subsection E of this section is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor.

I.  H.  For the purposes of this section:

1.  "Drug free school zone" means the area within three hundred feet of a school or its accompanying grounds, any public property within one thousand feet of a school or its accompanying grounds, a school bus stop or on any school bus or bus contracted to transport pupils to any school.

2.  "School" means any public or nonpublic kindergarten program, common school or high school. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.  Repeal

Section 15-154.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is repealed.

Sec. 3.  Section 15-183, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-183.  Charter schools; application; requirements; immunity; exemptions; renewal of application; reprisal; fee; funds; annual reports

A.  An applicant seeking to establish a charter school shall submit a written application to a proposed sponsor as prescribed in subsection C of this section.  The application, application process and application time frames shall be posted on the sponsor's website and shall include the following, as specified in the application adopted by the sponsor:

1.  A detailed educational plan.

2.  A detailed business plan.

3.  A detailed operational plan.

4.  Any other materials required by the sponsor.

B.  The sponsor of a charter school may contract with a public body, private person or private organization for the purpose of establishing a charter school pursuant to this article.

C.  The sponsor of a charter school may be either the state board of education, the state board for charter schools, a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents, a community college district or a group of community college districts, subject to the following requirements:

1.  An applicant may not submit an application for sponsorship to any person or entity other than those prescribed in this subsection.

2.  The applicant may submit the application to the state board of education or the state board for charter schools.  Notwithstanding any other law, neither the state board for charter schools nor the state board of education shall grant a charter to a school district governing board for a new charter school that begins initial operations after June 30, 2013 or for the conversion of an existing district public school to a charter school that begins initial operations after June 30, 2013.  The state board of education or the state board for charter schools may approve the application if the application meets the requirements of this article and may approve the charter if the proposed sponsor determines, within its sole discretion, that the applicant is sufficiently qualified to operate a charter school and that the applicant is applying to operate as a separate charter holder by considering factors such as whether:

(a)  The schools have separate governing bodies, governing body membership, staff, facilities and student population.

(b)  Daily operations are carried out by different administrators.

(c)  The applicant intends to have an affiliation agreement for the purpose of providing enrollment preferences.

(d)  The applicant's charter management organization has multiple charter holders serving varied grade configurations on one physical site or nearby sites serving one community.

(e)  It is reconstituting an existing school site population at the same or new site.

(f)  It is reconstituting an existing grade configuration from a prior charter holder with at least one grade remaining on the original site with the other grade or grades moving to a new site.  The state board of education or the state board for charter schools may approve any charter schools transferring charters.  If the state board of education or the state board for charter schools rejects the preliminary application, the state board of education or the state board for charter schools shall notify the applicant in writing of the reasons for the rejection and of suggestions for improving the application.  An applicant may submit a revised application for reconsideration by the state board of education or the state board for charter schools.  The applicant may request, and the state board of education or the state board for charter schools may provide, technical assistance to improve the application.

3.  The applicant may submit the application to a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents, a community college district or a group of community college districts.  A university, a community college district or a group of community college districts shall not grant a charter to a school district governing board for a new charter school that begins initial operations after June 30, 2013 or for the conversion of an existing district public school to a charter school that begins initial operations after June 30, 2013.  A university, a community college district or a group of community college districts may approve the application if it meets the requirements of this article and if the proposed sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that the applicant is sufficiently qualified to operate a charter school.

4.  Each applicant seeking to establish a charter school shall submit a full set of fingerprints to the approving agency for the purpose of obtaining a state and federal criminal records check pursuant to section 41‑1750 and Public Law 92‑544.  If an applicant will have direct contact with students, the applicant shall possess a valid fingerprint clearance card that is issued pursuant to title 41, chapter 12, article 3.1.  The department of public safety may exchange this fingerprint data with the federal bureau of investigation.  The criminal records check shall be completed before the issuance of a charter.

5.  All persons engaged in instructional work directly as a classroom, laboratory or other teacher or indirectly as a supervisory teacher, speech therapist or principal shall have a valid fingerprint clearance card that is issued pursuant to title 41, chapter 12, article 3.1, unless the person is a volunteer or guest speaker who is accompanied in the classroom by a person with a valid fingerprint clearance card.  A charter school shall not employ a teacher whose certificate has been surrendered or revoked, unless the teacher's certificate has been subsequently reinstated by the state board of education.  All other personnel shall be fingerprint checked pursuant to section 15‑512, or the charter school may require those personnel to obtain a fingerprint clearance card issued pursuant to title 41, chapter 12, article 3.1.  Before employment, the charter school shall make documented, good faith efforts to contact previous employers of a person to obtain information and recommendations that may be relevant to a person's fitness for employment as prescribed in section 15‑512, subsection F.  The charter school shall notify the department of public safety if the charter school or sponsor receives credible evidence that a person who possesses a valid fingerprint clearance card is arrested for or is charged with an offense listed in section 41‑1758.03, subsection B.  Charter schools may hire personnel that who have not yet received a fingerprint clearance card if proof is provided of the submission of an application to the department of public safety for a fingerprint clearance card and if the charter school that is seeking to hire the applicant does all of the following:

(a)  Documents in the applicant's file the necessity for hiring and placement of the applicant before receiving a fingerprint clearance card.

(b)  Ensures that the department of public safety completes a statewide criminal records check on the applicant.  A statewide criminal records check shall be completed by the department of public safety every one hundred twenty days until the date that the fingerprint check is completed or the fingerprint clearance card is issued or denied.

(c)  Obtains references from the applicant's current employer and the two most recent previous employers except for applicants who have been employed for at least five years by the applicant's most recent employer.

(d)  Provides general supervision of the applicant until the date that the fingerprint card is obtained.

(e)  Completes a search of criminal records in all local jurisdictions outside of this state in which the applicant has lived in the previous five years.

(f)  Verifies the fingerprint status of the applicant with the department of public safety.

6.  A charter school that complies with the fingerprinting requirements of this section shall be deemed to have complied with section 15‑512 and is entitled to the same rights and protections provided to school districts by section 15‑512.

7.  If a charter school operator is not already subject to a public meeting or hearing by the municipality in which the charter school is located, the operator of a charter school shall conduct a public meeting at least thirty days before the charter school operator opens a site or sites for the charter school.  The charter school operator shall post notices of the public meeting in at least three different locations that are within three hundred feet of the proposed charter school site.

8.  7.  A person who is employed by a charter school or who is an applicant for employment with a charter school, who is arrested for or charged with a nonappealable offense listed in section 41‑1758.03, subsection B and who does not immediately report the arrest or charge to the person's supervisor or potential employer is guilty of unprofessional conduct and the person shall be immediately dismissed from employment with the charter school or immediately excluded from potential employment with the charter school.

9.  8.  A person who is employed by a charter school and who is convicted of any nonappealable offense listed in section 41‑1758.03, subsection B or is convicted of any nonappealable offense that amounts to unprofessional conduct under section 15‑550 shall immediately do all of the following:

(a)  Surrender any certificates issued by the department of education.

(b)  Notify the person's employer or potential employer of the conviction.

(c)  Notify the department of public safety of the conviction.

(d)  Surrender the person's fingerprint clearance card.

D.  An entity that is authorized to sponsor charter schools pursuant to this article has no legal authority over or responsibility for a charter school sponsored by a different entity.  This subsection does not apply to the state board of education's duty to exercise general supervision over the public school system pursuant to section 15‑203, subsection A, paragraph 1.

E.  The charter of a charter school shall do all of the following:

1.  Ensure compliance with federal, state and local rules, regulations and statutes relating to health, safety, civil rights and insurance.  The department of education shall publish a list of relevant rules, regulations and statutes to notify charter schools of their responsibilities under this paragraph.

2.  Ensure that it is nonsectarian in its programs, admission policies and employment practices and all other operations.

3.  Ensure that it provides a comprehensive program of instruction for at least a kindergarten program or any grade between grades one and twelve, except that a school may offer this curriculum with an emphasis on a specific learning philosophy or style or certain subject areas such as mathematics, science, fine arts, performance arts or foreign language.

4.  Ensure that it designs a method to measure pupil progress toward the pupil outcomes adopted by the state board of education pursuant to section 15‑741.01, including participation in the Arizona instrument to measure standards test and the nationally standardized norm‑referenced achievement test as designated by the state board and the completion and distribution of an annual report card as prescribed in chapter 7, article 3 of this title.

5.  Ensure that, except as provided in this article and in its charter, it is exempt from all statutes and rules relating to schools, governing boards and school districts.

6.  Ensure that, except as provided in this article, it is subject to the same financial and electronic data submission requirements as a school district, including the uniform system of financial records as prescribed in chapter 2, article 4 of this title, procurement rules as prescribed in section 15‑213 and audit requirements.  The auditor general shall conduct a comprehensive review and revision of the uniform system of financial records to ensure that the provisions of the uniform system of financial records that relate to charter schools are in accordance with commonly accepted accounting principles used by private business.  A school's charter may include exceptions to the requirements of this paragraph that are necessary as determined by the university, the community college district, the group of community college districts, the state board of education or the state board for charter schools.  The department of education or the office of the auditor general may conduct financial, program or compliance audits.

7.  Ensure compliance with all federal and state laws relating to the education of children with disabilities in the same manner as a school district.

8.  Ensure that it provides for a governing body for the charter school that is responsible for the policy decisions of the charter school.  Notwithstanding section 1‑216, if there is a vacancy or vacancies on the governing body, a majority of the remaining members of the governing body constitute a quorum for the transaction of business, unless that quorum is prohibited by the charter school's operating agreement.

9.  Ensure that it provides a minimum of one hundred eighty instructional days before June 30 of each fiscal year unless it is operating on an alternative calendar approved by its sponsor.  The superintendent of public instruction shall adjust the apportionment schedule accordingly to accommodate a charter school utilizing an alternative calendar.

F.  A charter school shall keep in the personnel file of all current employees who provide instruction to pupils at the charter school information about the employee's educational and teaching background and experience in a particular academic content subject area.  A charter school shall inform parents and guardians of the availability of the information and shall make the information available for inspection on request of parents and guardians of pupils enrolled at the charter school.  This subsection does not require any charter school to release personally identifiable information in relation to any teacher or employee, including the teacher's or employee's address, salary, social security number or telephone number.

G.  The charter of a charter school may be amended at the request of the governing body of the charter school and on the approval of the sponsor.

H.  Charter schools may contract, sue and be sued.

I.  The charter is effective for fifteen years from the first day of the fiscal year as specified in the charter, subject to the following:

1.  At least eighteen months before the expiration of the charter, the sponsor shall notify the charter school that the charter school may apply for renewal and shall make the renewal application available to the charter school.  A charter school that elects to apply for renewal shall file a complete renewal application at least fifteen months before the expiration of the charter.  A sponsor shall give written notice of its intent not to renew the charter school's request for renewal to the charter school at least twelve months before the expiration of the charter.  The sponsor shall make data used in making renewal decisions available to the school and the public and shall provide a public report summarizing the evidence basis for each decision.  The sponsor may deny the request for renewal if, in its judgment, the charter holder has failed to do any of the following:

(a)  Meet or make sufficient progress toward the academic performance expectations set forth in the performance framework.

(b)  Meet the operational performance expectations set forth in the performance framework or any improvement plans.

(c)  Complete the obligations of the contract.

(d)  Comply with this article or any provision of law from which the charter school is not exempt.

2.  A charter operator may apply for early renewal.  At least nine months before the charter school's intended renewal consideration, the operator of the charter school shall submit a letter of intent to the sponsor to apply for early renewal.  The sponsor shall review fiscal audits and academic performance data for the charter school that are annually collected by the sponsor, review the current contract between the sponsor and the charter school and provide the qualifying charter school with a renewal application.  On submission of a complete application, the sponsor shall give written notice of its consideration of the renewal application.  The sponsor may deny the request for early renewal if, in the sponsor's judgment, the charter holder has failed to do any of the following:

(a)  Meet or make sufficient progress toward the academic performance expectations set forth in the performance framework.

(b)  Meet the operational performance expectations set forth in the performance framework or any improvement plans.

(c)  Complete the obligations of the contract.

(d)  Comply with this article or any provision of law from which the charter school is not exempt.

3.  A sponsor shall review a charter at five‑year intervals using a performance framework adopted by the sponsor and may revoke a charter at any time if the charter school breaches one or more provisions of its charter or if the sponsor determines that the charter holder has failed to do any of the following:

(a)  Meet or make sufficient progress toward the academic performance expectations set forth in the performance framework.

(b)  Meet the operational performance expectations set forth in the performance framework or any improvement plans.

(c)  Comply with this article or any provision of law from which the charter school is not exempt.

4.  In determining whether to renew or revoke a charter holder, the sponsor must consider making sufficient progress toward the academic performance expectations set forth in the sponsor's performance framework as one of the most important factors.

5.  At least sixty days before the effective date of the proposed revocation, the sponsor shall give written notice to the operator of the charter school of its intent to revoke the charter.  Notice of the sponsor's intent to revoke the charter shall be delivered personally to the operator of the charter school or sent by certified mail, return receipt requested, to the address of the charter school.  The notice shall incorporate a statement of reasons for the proposed revocation of the charter.  The sponsor shall allow the charter school at least sixty days to correct the problems associated with the reasons for the proposed revocation of the charter.  The final determination of whether to revoke the charter shall be made at a public hearing called for such purpose.

J.  The charter may be renewed for successive periods of twenty years.

K.  A charter school that is sponsored by the state board of education, the state board for charter schools, a university, a community college district or a group of community college districts may not be located on the property of a school district unless the district governing board grants this authority.

L.  A governing board or a school district employee who has control over personnel actions shall not take unlawful reprisal against another employee of the school district because the employee is directly or indirectly involved in an application to establish a charter school.  A governing board or a school district employee shall not take unlawful reprisal against an educational program of the school or the school district because an application to establish a charter school proposes the conversion of all or a portion of the educational program to a charter school.  For the purposes of this subsection, "unlawful reprisal" means an action that is taken by a governing board or a school district employee as a direct result of a lawful application to establish a charter school and that is adverse to another employee or an education program and:

1.  With respect to a school district employee, results in one or more of the following:

(a)  Disciplinary or corrective action.

(b)  Detail, transfer or reassignment.

(c)  Suspension, demotion or dismissal.

(d)  An unfavorable performance evaluation.

(e)  A reduction in pay, benefits or awards.

(f)  Elimination of the employee's position without a reduction in force by reason of lack of monies or work.

(g)  Other significant changes in duties or responsibilities that are inconsistent with the employee's salary or employment classification.

2.  With respect to an educational program, results in one or more of the following:

(a)  Suspension or termination of the program.

(b)  Transfer or reassignment of the program to a less favorable department.

(c)  Relocation of the program to a less favorable site within the school or school district.

(d)  Significant reduction or termination of funding for the program.

M.  Charter schools shall secure insurance for liability and property loss.  The governing body of a charter school that is sponsored by the state board of education or the state board for charter schools may enter into an intergovernmental agreement or otherwise contract to participate in an insurance program offered by a risk retention pool established pursuant to section 11‑952.01 or 41‑621.01 or the charter school may secure its own insurance coverage.  The pool may charge the requesting charter school reasonable fees for any services it performs in connection with the insurance program.

N.  Charter schools do not have the authority to acquire property by eminent domain.

O.  A sponsor, including members, officers and employees of the sponsor, is immune from personal liability for all acts done and actions taken in good faith within the scope of its authority.

P.  Charter school sponsors and this state are not liable for the debts or financial obligations of a charter school or persons who operate charter schools.

Q.  The sponsor of a charter school shall establish procedures to conduct administrative hearings on determination by the sponsor that grounds exist to revoke a charter.  Procedures for administrative hearings shall be similar to procedures prescribed for adjudicative proceedings in title 41, chapter 6, article 10.  Except as provided in section 41‑1092.08, subsection H, final decisions of the state board of education and the state board for charter schools from hearings conducted pursuant to this subsection are subject to judicial review pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6.

R.  The sponsoring entity of a charter school shall have oversight and administrative responsibility for the charter schools that it sponsors.  In implementing its oversight and administrative responsibilities, the sponsor shall ground its actions in evidence of the charter holder's performance in accordance with the performance framework adopted by the sponsor.  The performance framework shall be publicly available, shall be placed on the sponsoring entity's website and shall include:

1.  The academic performance expectations of the charter school and the measurement of sufficient progress toward the academic performance expectations.

2.  The operational expectations of the charter school, including adherence to all applicable laws and obligations of the charter contract.

3.  Intervention and improvement policies.

S.  Charter schools may pledge, assign or encumber their assets to be used as collateral for loans or extensions of credit.

T.  All property accumulated by a charter school shall remain the property of the charter school.

U.  Charter schools may not locate a school on property that is less than one‑fourth mile from agricultural land regulated pursuant to section 3‑365, except that the owner of the agricultural land may agree to comply with the buffer zone requirements of section 3‑365.  If the owner agrees in writing to comply with the buffer zone requirements and records the agreement in the office of the county recorder as a restrictive covenant running with the title to the land, the charter school may locate a school within the affected buffer zone.  The agreement may include any stipulations regarding the charter school, including conditions for future expansion of the school and changes in the operational status of the school that will result in a breach of the agreement.

V.  A transfer of a charter to another sponsor, a transfer of a charter school site to another sponsor or a transfer of a charter school site to a different charter shall be completed before the beginning of the fiscal year that the transfer is scheduled to become effective.  An entity that sponsors charter schools may accept a transferring school after the beginning of the fiscal year if the transfer is approved by the superintendent of public instruction.  The superintendent of public instruction shall have the discretion to consider each transfer during the fiscal year on a case by case case‑by‑case basis.  A charter holder seeking to transfer sponsors shall comply with the current charter terms regarding assignment of the charter.  A charter holder transferring sponsors shall notify the current sponsor that the transfer has been approved by the new sponsor.

W.  Notwithstanding subsection V of this section, a charter holder on an improvement plan must notify parents or guardians of registered students of the intent to transfer the charter and the timing of the proposed transfer.  On the approved transfer, the new sponsor shall enforce the improvement plan but may modify the plan based on performance.

X.  Notwithstanding subsection Y of this section, the state board for charter schools shall charge a processing fee to any charter school that amends its contract to participate in Arizona online instruction pursuant to section 15‑808.  The charter Arizona online instruction processing fund is established consisting of fees collected and administered by the state board for charter schools.  The state board for charter schools shall use monies in the fund only for the processing of contract amendments for charter schools participating in Arizona online instruction.  Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated.

Y.  The sponsoring entity may not charge any fees to a charter school that it sponsors unless the sponsor has provided services to the charter school and the fees represent the full value of those services provided by the sponsor.  On request, the value of the services provided by the sponsor to the charter school shall be demonstrated to the department of education.

Z.  Charter schools may enter into an intergovernmental agreement with a presiding judge of the juvenile court to implement a law related law‑related education program as defined in section 15‑154.  The presiding judge of the juvenile court may assign juvenile probation officers to participate in a law related law‑related education program in any charter school in the county.  The cost of juvenile probation officers who participate in the program implemented pursuant to this subsection shall be funded by the charter school.

AA.  The sponsor of a charter school shall modify previously approved curriculum requirements for a charter school that wishes to participate in the board examination system prescribed in chapter 7, article 6 of this title.

BB.  If a charter school decides not to participate in the board examination system prescribed in chapter 7, article 6 of this title, pupils enrolled at that charter school may earn a Grand Canyon diploma by obtaining a passing score on the same board examinations.

CC.  Notwithstanding subsection Y of this section, a sponsor of charter schools may charge a new charter application processing fee to any applicant.  The application fee shall fully cover the cost of application review and any needed technical assistance.  Authorizers may approve policies that allow a portion of the fee to be returned to the applicant whose charter is approved.

DD.  A charter school may choose to provide a preschool program for children with disabilities pursuant to section 15‑771.

EE.  Pursuant to the prescribed graduation requirements adopted by the state board of education, the governing body of a charter school operating a high school may approve a rigorous computer science course that would fulfill a mathematics course required for graduation from high school.  The governing body may approve a rigorous computer science course only if the rigorous computer science course includes significant mathematics content and the governing body determines the high school where the rigorous computer science course is offered has sufficient capacity, infrastructure and qualified staff, including competent teachers of computer science.

FF.  A charter school may permit the use of school property, including school buildings, grounds, buses and equipment, by any person, group or organization for any lawful purpose, including a recreational, educational, political, economic, artistic, moral, scientific, social, religious or other civic or governmental purpose.  The charter school may charge a reasonable fee for the use of the school property.

GG.  A charter school and its employees, including the governing body, or chief administrative officer, are immune from civil liability with respect to all decisions made and actions taken to allow the use of school property, unless the charter school or its employees are guilty of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.  This subsection does not limit any other immunity provisions that are prescribed by law.

HH.  Sponsors authorized pursuant to this section shall submit an annual report to the auditor general on or before October 1.  The report shall include:

1.  The current number of charters authorized and the number of schools operated by authorized charter holders.

2.  The academic and operational performance of the sponsor's charter portfolio as measured by the sponsor's adopted performance framework.

3.  For the prior year, the number of new charters approved, the number of charter schools closed and the reason for the closure.

4.  The sponsor's application, amendment, renewal and revocation processes, charter contract template and current performance framework as required by this section.

II.  The auditor general shall prescribe the format for the annual report required by subsection HH of this section and may require that the annual report be submitted electronically.  The auditor general shall review the submitted annual reports to ensure that the reports include the required items in subsection HH of this section and shall make the annual reports available upon on request.  If the auditor general finds significant noncompliance or if a sponsor fails to submit the annual report required by subsection HH of this section, on or before December 31 of each year the auditor general shall report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the chairs of the senate and house education committees or their successor committees, and the legislature shall consider revoking the sponsor's authority to sponsor charter schools. END_STATUTE

Sec. 4.  Section 15-203, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-203.  Powers and duties

A.  The state board of education shall:

1.  Exercise general supervision over and regulate the conduct of the public school system and adopt any rules and policies it deems necessary to accomplish this purpose.

2.  Keep a record of its proceedings.

3.  Make rules for its own government.

4.  Determine the policy and work undertaken by it.

5.  Subject to title 41, chapter 4, article 4, employ staff.

6.  Prescribe and supervise the duties of its employees pursuant to title 41, chapter 4, article 4, if not otherwise prescribed by statute.

7.  Delegate to the superintendent of public instruction the execution of board policies and rules.

8.  Recommend to the legislature changes or additions to the statutes pertaining to schools.

9.  Prepare, publish and distribute reports concerning the educational welfare of this state.

10.  Prepare a budget for expenditures necessary for proper maintenance of the board and accomplishment of its purposes and present the budget to the legislature.

11.  Aid in the enforcement of laws relating to schools.

12.  Prescribe a minimum course of study in the common schools, minimum competency requirements for the promotion of pupils from the third grade and minimum course of study and competency requirements for the promotion of pupils from the eighth grade.  The state board of education shall prepare a fiscal impact statement of any proposed changes to the minimum course of study or competency requirements and, on completion, shall send a copy to the director of the joint legislative budget committee and the executive director of the school facilities board.  The state board of education shall not adopt any changes in the minimum course of study or competency requirements in effect on July 1, 1998 that will have a fiscal impact on school capital costs.

13.  Prescribe minimum course of study and competency requirements for the graduation of pupils from high school.  The state board of education shall prepare a fiscal impact statement of any proposed changes to the minimum course of study or competency requirements and, on completion, shall send a copy to the director of the joint legislative budget committee and the executive director of the school facilities board.  The state board of education shall not adopt any changes in the minimum course of study or competency requirements in effect on July 1, 1998 that will have a fiscal impact on school capital costs.

14.  Supervise and control the certification of persons engaged in instructional work directly as any classroom, laboratory or other teacher or indirectly as a supervisory teacher, speech therapist, principal or superintendent in a school district, including school district preschool programs for children with disabilities, or any other educational institution below the community college, college or university level, and prescribe rules for certification, including rules for certification of teachers who have teaching experience and who are trained in other states, that are not unnecessarily restrictive and are substantially similar to the rules prescribed for the certification of teachers trained in this state.  The rules:

(a)  Shall allow a variety of alternative teacher and administrator preparation programs, with variations in program sequence and design, to apply for program approval.  The state board shall adopt rules pursuant to this subdivision designed to allow for a variety of formats and shall not require a prescribed answer or design from the program provider in order to obtain approval from the state board.  The state board shall evaluate each program provider based on the program's ability to prepare teachers and administrators and to recruit teachers and administrators with a variety of experiences and talents.  The state board shall permit universities under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents, community colleges in this state, private postsecondary institutions licensed by this state, school districts, charter schools and professional organizations to apply for program approval and shall create application procedures and certification criteria that are less restrictive than those for traditional preparation programs.  Alternative preparation program graduates shall:

(i)  Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited postsecondary education institution.

(ii)  Demonstrate professional knowledge and subject knowledge proficiency pursuant to section 15‑533.

(iii)  Obtain a fingerprint clearance card pursuant to section 15‑534.

(iv)  Complete training in structured English immersion as prescribed by the state board.

(v)  Complete training in research‑based systematic phonics instruction as prescribed in subdivision (b) of this paragraph.

(vi)  Demonstrate the required proficiency in the Constitutions of the United States and Arizona as prescribed in section 15‑532.

(b)  Shall require applicants for all certificates for common school instruction to complete a minimum of forty‑five classroom hours or three college level credit hours, or the equivalent, of training in research‑based systematic phonics instruction from a public or private provider.

(c)  Shall not require a teacher to obtain a master's degree or to take any additional graduate courses as a condition of certification or recertification.

(d)  Shall allow a general equivalency diploma to be substituted for a high school diploma in the certification of emergency substitute teachers.

(e)  Shall allow but shall not require the superintendent of a school district to obtain certification from the state board of education.

(f)  Shall provide for the issuance of a specialized teaching certificate to classroom teachers with expertise in either science, technology, engineering or mathematics.  Teachers who are certified pursuant to this subdivision shall complete training in structured English immersion as prescribed by the state board.  Teachers who are certified pursuant to this subdivision are exempt from the professional knowledge and subject knowledge proficiency requirements prescribed in section 15‑533 and from the proficiency requirements prescribed in section 15‑532 on the Constitutions of the United States and Arizona.  A teacher who obtains a specialized teaching certificate pursuant to this subdivision may provide instruction in the teacher's field of expertise in grades six through twelve at any public school in this state.  This subdivision does not require a teacher who has obtained another type of teaching certificate from the state board to obtain a specialized teaching certificate pursuant to this subdivision in order to provide instruction in grades six through twelve in a science, technology, engineering or mathematics course.  A classroom teacher is eligible for a specialized teaching certificate pursuant to this subdivision if the teacher meets all of the following requirements:

(i)  Has taught science, technology, engineering or mathematics courses for the last two consecutive years and for a total of at least three years at one or more regionally or nationally accredited public or private postsecondary institutions.  An applicant shall demonstrate compliance with this requirement by providing the state board with written proof of employment for specific durations from one or more qualifying postsecondary institutions.

(ii)  Has either a baccalaureate degree, a master's degree or a doctorate doctoral degree in an academic subject that is specific to science, technology, engineering or mathematics or has obtained a passing score on a statewide educator assessment in science, technology, engineering or mathematics that is recognized by the state board.

(iii)  Obtains a valid fingerprint clearance card that is issued pursuant to title 41, chapter 12, article 3.1.

(g)  Notwithstanding section 15‑533, may exempt persons applying for a secondary education certificate from the subject knowledge portion of the proficiency examination if the state board determines that the person has work experience in science, technology, engineering or mathematics and can demonstrate adequate knowledge of a particular subject through a postsecondary education degree or twenty‑four credit hours of relevant coursework.

(h)  Shall allow for a standard certificate issued to a person pursuant to this section to be renewed for at least eight years and may not require more than fifteen hours of continuing education credits each year in order to renew any certificate issued pursuant to this section.

15.  Adopt a list of approved tests for determining special education assistance to gifted pupils as defined in and as provided in chapter 7, article 4.1 of this title.  The adopted tests shall provide separate scores for quantitative reasoning, verbal reasoning and nonverbal reasoning and shall be capable of providing reliable and valid scores at the highest ranges of the score distribution.

16.  Adopt rules governing the methods for the administration of all proficiency examinations.

17.  Adopt proficiency examinations for its use.  The state board of education shall determine the passing score for the proficiency examinations.

18.  Include within its budget the cost of contracting for the purchase, distribution and scoring of the examinations as provided in paragraphs 16 and 17 of this subsection.

19.  Supervise and control the qualifications of professional nonteaching school personnel and prescribe standards relating to qualifications.  The standards shall not require the business manager of a school district to obtain certification from the state board of education.

20.  Impose such disciplinary action, including the issuance of a letter of censure, suspension, suspension with conditions or revocation of a certificate, on a finding of immoral or unprofessional conduct.

21.  Establish an assessment, data gathering and reporting system for pupil performance as prescribed in chapter 7, article 3 of this title.

22.  Adopt a rule to promote braille literacy pursuant to section 15‑214.

23.  Adopt rules prescribing procedures for the investigation by the department of education of every written complaint alleging that a certificated person has engaged in immoral conduct.

24.  For purposes of federal law, serve as the state board for vocational and technological education and meet at least four times each year solely to execute the powers and duties of the state board for vocational and technological education.

25.  Develop and maintain a handbook for use in the schools of this state that provides guidance for the teaching of moral, civic and ethical education.  The handbook shall promote existing curriculum frameworks and shall encourage school districts to recognize moral, civic and ethical values within instructional and programmatic educational development programs for the general purpose of instilling character and ethical principles in pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through twelve.

26.  Require pupils to recite the following passage from the declaration of independence for pupils in grades four through six at the commencement of the first class of the day in the schools, except that a pupil shall not be required to participate if the pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian objects:

We hold these truths to be self‑evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  That to secure these rights, governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. . . .

27.  Adopt rules that provide for educator certification reciprocity.  The rules for issuance of a comparable reciprocal educator certificate shall include a requirement that the applicant possess a comparable valid certification from another state that included passing that state's subject knowledge and professional exams and be in good standing with that other state.  An applicant who possesses a valid certification from another state and a fingerprint clearance card pursuant to section 15‑534 and who is in good standing with that other state shall be issued a standard teaching certificate without any other requirements from the state board of education or the department of education.  A person who is issued a certificate pursuant to this paragraph is not required to meet any requirement prescribed in section 15‑533.

28.  Adopt rules that provide for the presentation of an honorary high school diploma to a person who has never obtained a high school diploma and who meets both of the following requirements:

(a)  Currently resides in this state.

(b)  Provides documented evidence from the department of veterans' services that the person enlisted in the armed forces of the United States and served in World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict or the Vietnam conflict.

29.  Cooperate with the Arizona‑Mexico commission in the governor's office and with researchers at universities in this state to collect data and conduct projects in the United States and Mexico on issues that are within the scope of the duties of the department of education and that relate to quality of life, trade and economic development in this state in a manner that will help the Arizona‑Mexico commission to assess and enhance the economic competitiveness of this state and of the Arizona‑Mexico region.

30.  Adopt rules to define and provide guidance to schools as to the activities that would constitute immoral or unprofessional conduct of certificated persons.

31.  Adopt guidelines to encourage pupils in grades nine, ten, eleven and twelve to volunteer for twenty hours of community service before graduation from high school.  A school district that complies with the guidelines adopted pursuant to this paragraph is not liable for damages resulting from a pupil's participation in community service unless the school district is found to have demonstrated wanton or reckless disregard for the safety of the pupil and other participants in community service.  For the purposes of this paragraph, "community service" may include service learning. The guidelines shall include the following:

(a)  A list of the general categories in which community service may be performed.

(b)  A description of the methods by which community service will be monitored.

(c)  A consideration of risk assessment for community service projects.

(d)  Orientation and notification procedures of community service opportunities for pupils entering grade nine, including the development of a notification form.  The notification form shall be signed by the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian, except that a pupil shall not be required to participate in community service if the parent or guardian notifies the principal of the pupil's school in writing that the parent or guardian does not wish the pupil to participate in community service.

(e)  Procedures for a pupil in grade nine to prepare a written proposal that outlines the type of community service that the pupil would like to perform and the goals that the pupil hopes to achieve as a result of community service.  The pupil's written proposal shall be reviewed by a faculty advisor, a guidance counselor or any other school employee who is designated as the community service program coordinator for that school.  The pupil may alter the written proposal at any time before performing community service.

(f)  Procedures for a faculty advisor, a guidance counselor or any other school employee who is designated as the community service program coordinator to evaluate and certify the completion of community service performed by pupils.

32.  To facilitate the transfer of military personnel and their dependents to and from the public schools of this state, pursue, in cooperation with the Arizona board of regents, reciprocity agreements with other states concerning the transfer credits for military personnel and their dependents.  A reciprocity agreement entered into pursuant to this paragraph shall:

(a)  Address procedures for each of the following:

(i)  The transfer of student records.

(ii)  Awarding credit for completed coursework.

(iii)  Permitting a student to satisfy the graduation requirements prescribed in section 15‑701.01 through the successful performance on comparable exit-level assessment instruments administered in another state.

(b)  Include appropriate criteria developed by the state board of education and the Arizona board of regents.

33.  Adopt guidelines that school district governing boards shall use in identifying pupils who are eligible for gifted programs and in providing gifted education programs and services.  The state board of education shall adopt any other guidelines and rules that it deems necessary in order to carry out the purposes of chapter 7, article 4.1 of this title.

34.  For each of the alternative textbook formats of human‑voiced audio, large‑print and braille, designate alternative media producers to adapt existing standard print textbooks or to provide specialized textbooks, or both, for pupils with disabilities in this state.  Each alternative media producer shall be capable of producing alternative textbooks in all relevant subjects in at least one of the alternative textbook formats.  The board shall post the designated list of alternative media producers on its website.

35.  Adopt a list of approved professional development training providers for use by school districts as provided in section 15‑107, subsection J.  The professional development training providers shall meet the training curriculum requirements determined by the state board of education in at least the areas of school finance, governance, employment, staffing, inventory and human resources, internal controls and procurement.

36.  Adopt rules to prohibit a person who violates the notification requirements prescribed in section 15‑183, subsection C, paragraph 7 or section 15‑550, subsection C from certification pursuant to this title until the person is no longer charged or is acquitted of any offenses listed in section 41‑1758.03, subsection B.  The board shall also adopt rules to prohibit a person who violates the notification requirements, certification surrender requirements or fingerprint clearance card surrender requirements prescribed in section 15‑183, subsection C, paragraph 8 or section 15‑550, subsection D from certification pursuant to this title for at least ten years after the date of the violation.

37.  Adopt rules for the alternative certification of teachers of nontraditional foreign languages that allow for the passing of a nationally accredited test to substitute for the education coursework required for certification.

38.  Adopt and maintain a model framework for a teacher and principal evaluation instrument that includes quantitative data on student academic progress that accounts for between thirty‑three percent and fifty percent of the evaluation outcomes.  The framework shall include four performance classifications, designated as highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective, and guidelines for school districts and charter schools to use in their evaluation instruments.  The state board of education shall adopt best practices for professional development and evaluator training.  The state board of education may periodically make adjustments to align the model framework for teacher and principal evaluations with assessment or data changes at the state level.  School districts and charter schools shall use an instrument that meets the data requirements established by the state board of education to annually evaluate individual teachers and principals.  School districts and charter schools shall adopt definitions for the performance classifications adopted by the state board of education in a public meeting and apply the performance classifications to their evaluation instruments in a manner designed to improve principal and teacher performance.  For charter holders, the principal evaluation instrument applies to each charter school's instructional leader whose primary responsibility is to oversee the academic performance of the charter school.  This paragraph does not apply to an officer, director, member or partner of the charter holder.  The school district governing board shall discuss at a public meeting at least annually its aggregate performance classifications of principals and teachers.

39.  Adopt rules to define competency‑based educational pathways for college and career readiness that may be used by schools.  The rules shall include the following components:

(a)  The establishment of learning outcomes that will be expected for students in a particular subject.

(b)  A process and criteria by which assessments may be identified or established to determine if students have reached the desired competencies in a particular subject.

(c)  A mechanism to allow pupils in grades seven through twelve who have demonstrated competency in a subject to immediately obtain credit for the mastery of that subject.  The rules shall include a list of applicable subjects, including the level of competency required for each subject.

40.  In consultation with the department of health services, the department of education, medical professionals, school health professionals, school administrators and an organization that represents school nurses in this state, adopt rules that prescribe the following for school districts and charter schools:

(a)  Annual training in the administration of auto‑injectable epinephrine, as directed on the prescription protocol, for designated medical and nonmedical school personnel.  The annual training prescribed in this subdivision is optional during any fiscal year in which sufficient monies are not appropriated by the legislature during that fiscal year to provide for the purchase of two juvenile doses and two adult doses of epinephrine auto‑injectors at each public school in this state and if the school does not stock two juvenile doses and two adult doses of epinephrine auto‑injectors at the school during that fiscal year.

(b)  Annual training for all school site personnel on the recognition of anaphylactic shock symptoms and the procedures to follow when anaphylactic shock occurs, following the national guidelines of the American academy of pediatrics.  The annual training prescribed in this subdivision is optional during any fiscal year in which sufficient monies are not appropriated by the legislature during that fiscal year to provide for the purchase of two juvenile doses and two adult doses of epinephrine auto‑injectors at each public school in this state and if the school does not stock two juvenile doses and two adult doses of epinephrine auto‑injectors at the school during that fiscal year.

(c)  Procedures for the administration of epinephrine auto‑injectors in emergency situations, as directed on the prescription protocol.

(d)  Procedures for annually requesting a standing order for epinephrine auto‑injectors pursuant to section 15‑157 from the chief medical officer of the department of health services, the chief medical officer of a county health department, a doctor of medicine licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or a doctor of osteopathy licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 17.

(e)  Procedures for reporting the use of epinephrine auto‑injectors to the department of health services. 

B.  The state board of education may:

1.  Contract.

2.  Sue and be sued.

3.  Distribute and score the tests prescribed in chapter 7, article 3 of this title.

4.  Provide for an advisory committee to conduct hearings and screenings to determine whether grounds exist to impose disciplinary action against a certificated person, whether grounds exist to reinstate a revoked or surrendered certificate and whether grounds exist to approve or deny an initial application for certification or a request for renewal of a certificate.  The board may delegate its responsibility to conduct hearings and screenings to its advisory committee.  Hearings shall be conducted pursuant to title 41, chapter 6, article 6.

5.  Proceed with the disposal of any complaint requesting disciplinary action or with any disciplinary action against a person holding a certificate as prescribed in subsection A, paragraph 14 of this section after the suspension or expiration of the certificate or surrender of the certificate by the holder.

6.  Assess costs and reasonable attorney fees against a person who files a frivolous complaint or who files a complaint in bad faith.  Costs assessed pursuant to this paragraph shall not exceed the expenses incurred by the department of education in the investigation of the complaint.

C.  Placement decisions of teaching intern certificate holders issued pursuant to subsection A, paragraph 14, subdivision (a) of this section and section 15‑552 shall be based on agreements between the teacher preparation provider, the provider's partner organizations and the local education agency.  The practices of the department of education and the rules and policies of the state board of education may not restrict placement of teaching intern certification holders based on local education agency instructional models and may only consider the academic quality of the school, the effectiveness of the teaching intern certification holder's on‑site mentor and the opportunity for a wide variety of schools and school models to access teaching intern certification holders. END_STATUTE

Sec. 5.  Section 15-211, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-211.  K-3 reading program; receipt and use of monies; additional funding; program termination

A.  The department of education shall administer a K‑3 reading program to improve the reading proficiency of pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one, two and three in the public schools of this state.

B.  Each school district and charter school shall submit to the department of education a plan for improving the reading proficiency of its pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one, two and three.  The plan shall include baseline data on the reading proficiency of its pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one, two and three and a budget for spending monies from both the K‑3 support level weight and the K‑3 reading support level weight established in section 15‑943.  Each school district and charter school shall annually submit to the department of education on or before October 1 an updated K‑3 reading program plan that includes data on program expenditures and results, except that beginning in fiscal year 2016‑2017, a school district or charter school that is assigned a letter grade of A or B pursuant to section 15‑241 shall submit this plan only in odd-numbered years.

C.  B.  School districts and charter schools shall use monies generated by the K‑3 reading support level weight established in section 15‑943 only on reading programs for pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one, two and three with particular emphasis on pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one and two.

D.  Each school district and charter school that is assigned a letter grade of C, D or F pursuant to section 15‑241 or that has more than ten percent of its pupils in grade three reading far below the third grade level according to the reading portion of the Arizona instrument to measure standards test, or a successor test, shall receive monies generated by the K‑3 reading support level weight established in section 15‑943 only after the K‑3 reading program plan of the school district or charter school has been reviewed and recommended for approval by the department of education and approved by the state board of education.

E.  C.  Pupils in a charter school that is in its first year of operation and that is sponsored by the state board of education, the state board for charter schools, a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents, a community college district or a group of community college districts are eligible for the K-3 reading support level weight.

F.  D.  The department of education shall solicit gifts, grants and donations from any lawful public or private source in order to provide additional funding for the K‑3 reading program.

G.  E.  The state board of education may establish rules and policies for the K‑3 reading program, including

1.  the proper use of monies in accordance with subsection B of this section.

2.  The distribution of monies by the department of education in accordance with subsection B of this section.

3.  The compliance of reading proficiency plans submitted pursuant to subsection B of this section with section 15‑704.

H.  F.  The program established by this section ends on July 1, 2022 pursuant to section 41‑3102. END_STATUTE

Sec. 6.  Section 15-341, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-341.  General powers and duties; immunity; delegation

A.  The governing board shall:

1.  Prescribe and enforce policies and procedures for the governance of the schools, not inconsistent with law or rules prescribed by the state board of education.

2.  Exclude from schools all books, publications, papers or audiovisual materials of a sectarian, partisan or denominational character.  This paragraph shall not be construed to prohibit the elective course permitted by section 15‑717.01.

3.  Manage and control the school property within its district.

4.  Acquire school furniture, apparatus, equipment, library books and supplies for the use of the schools.

5.  Prescribe the curricula and criteria for the promotion and graduation of pupils as provided in sections 15‑701 and 15‑701.01.

6.  Furnish, repair and insure, at full insurable value, the school property of the district.

7.  Construct school buildings on approval by a vote of the district electors.

8.  Make in the name of the district conveyances of property belonging to the district and sold by the board.

9.  Purchase school sites when authorized by a vote of the district at an election conducted as nearly as practicable in the same manner as the election provided in section 15‑481 and held on a date prescribed in section 15‑491, subsection E, but such authorization shall not necessarily specify the site to be purchased and such authorization shall not be necessary to exchange unimproved property as provided in section 15‑342, paragraph 23.

10.  Construct, improve and furnish buildings used for school purposes when such buildings or premises are leased from the national park service.

11.  Purchase school sites or construct, improve and furnish school buildings from the proceeds of the sale of school property only on approval by a vote of the district electors.

12.  Hold pupils to strict account for disorderly conduct on school property.

13.  Discipline students for disorderly conduct on the way to and from school.

14.  Except as provided in section 15‑1224, deposit all monies received by the district as gifts, grants and devises with the county treasurer who shall credit the deposits as designated in the uniform system of financial records.  If not inconsistent with the terms of the gifts, grants and devises given, any balance remaining after expenditures for the intended purpose of the monies have been made shall be used for reduction of school district taxes for the budget year, except that in the case of accommodation schools the county treasurer shall carry the balance forward for use by the county school superintendent for accommodation schools for the budget year.

15.  Provide that, if a parent or legal guardian chooses not to accept a decision of the teacher as provided in section paragraph 42 41 of this subsection, the parent or legal guardian may request in writing that the governing board review the teacher's decision.  This paragraph shall not be construed to release school districts from any liability relating to a child's promotion or retention.

16.  Provide for adequate supervision over pupils in instructional and noninstructional activities by certificated or noncertificated personnel.

17.  Use school monies received from the state and county school apportionment exclusively for payment of salaries of teachers and other employees and contingent expenses of the district.

18.  Make an annual report to the county school superintendent on or before October 1 in the manner and form and on the blanks prescribed by the superintendent of public instruction or county school superintendent.  The board shall also make reports directly to the county school superintendent or the superintendent of public instruction whenever required.

19.  Deposit all monies received by school districts other than student activities monies or monies from auxiliary operations as provided in sections 15‑1125 and 15‑1126 with the county treasurer to the credit of the school district except as provided in paragraph 20 of this subsection and sections 15‑1223 and 15‑1224, and the board shall expend the monies as provided by law for other school funds.

20.  Establish bank accounts in which the board during a month may deposit miscellaneous monies received directly by the district.  The board shall remit monies deposited in the bank accounts at least monthly to the county treasurer for deposit as provided in paragraph 19 of this subsection and in accordance with the uniform system of financial records.

21.  Prescribe and enforce policies and procedures for disciplinary action against a teacher who engages in conduct that is a violation of the policies of the governing board but that is not cause for dismissal of the teacher or for revocation of the certificate of the teacher.  Disciplinary action may include suspension without pay for a period of time not to exceed ten school days.  Disciplinary action shall not include suspension with pay or suspension without pay for a period of time longer than ten school days.  The procedures shall include notice, hearing and appeal provisions for violations that are cause for disciplinary action.  The governing board may designate a person or persons to act on behalf of the board on these matters.

22.  Prescribe and enforce policies and procedures for disciplinary action against an administrator who engages in conduct that is a violation of the policies of the governing board regarding duties of administrators but that is not cause for dismissal of the administrator or for revocation of the certificate of the administrator.  Disciplinary action may include suspension without pay for a period of time not to exceed ten school days.  Disciplinary action shall not include suspension with pay or suspension without pay for a period of time longer than ten school days.  The procedures shall include notice, hearing and appeal provisions for violations that are cause for disciplinary action.  The governing board may designate a person or persons to act on behalf of the board on these matters.  For violations that are cause for dismissal, the provisions of notice, hearing and appeal in chapter 5, article 3 of this title shall apply.  The filing of a timely request for a hearing suspends the imposition of a suspension without pay or a dismissal pending completion of the hearing.

23.  Notwithstanding sections 13‑3108 and 13‑3120, prescribe and enforce policies and procedures that prohibit a person from carrying or possessing a weapon on school grounds unless the person is a peace officer or has obtained specific authorization from the school administrator.

24.  Prescribe and enforce policies and procedures relating to the health and safety of all pupils participating in district sponsored practice sessions or games or other interscholastic athletic activities, including:

(a)  The provision of water.

(b)  Guidelines, information and forms, developed in consultation with a statewide private entity that supervises interscholastic activities, to inform and educate coaches, pupils and parents of the dangers of concussions and head injuries and the risks of continued participation in athletic activity after a concussion.  The policies and procedures shall require that, before a pupil participates in an athletic activity, the pupil and the pupil's parent must sign an information form at least once each school year that states that the parent is aware of the nature and risk of concussion.  The policies and procedures shall require that a pupil who is suspected of sustaining a concussion in a practice session, game or other interscholastic athletic activity be immediately removed from the athletic activity.  A coach from the pupil's team or an official or a licensed health care provider may remove a pupil from play.  A team parent may also remove the parent's own child from play.  A pupil may return to play on the same day if a health care provider rules out a suspected concussion at the time the pupil is removed from play.  On a subsequent day, the pupil may return to play if the pupil has been evaluated by and received written clearance to resume participation in athletic activity from a health care provider who has been trained in the evaluation and management of concussions and head injuries.  A health care provider who is a volunteer and who provides clearance to participate in athletic activity on the day of the suspected injury or on a subsequent day is immune from civil liability with respect to all decisions made and actions taken that are based on good faith implementation of the requirements of this subdivision, except in cases of gross negligence or wanton or wilful neglect.  A school district, school district employee, team coach, official or team volunteer or a parent or guardian of a team member is not subject to civil liability for any act, omission or policy undertaken in good faith to comply with the requirements of this subdivision or for a decision made or an action taken by a health care provider.  A group or organization that uses property or facilities owned or operated by a school district for athletic activities shall comply with the requirements of this subdivision.  A school district and its employees and volunteers are not subject to civil liability for any other person or organization's failure or alleged failure to comply with the requirements of this subdivision.  This subdivision does not apply to teams that are based in another state and that participate in an athletic activity in this state.  For the purposes of this subdivision, athletic activity does not include dance, rhythmic gymnastics, competitions or exhibitions of academic skills or knowledge or other similar forms of physical noncontact activities, civic activities or academic activities, whether engaged in for the purposes of competition or recreation.  For the purposes of this subdivision, "health care provider" means a physician who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or 17, an athletic trainer who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 41, a nurse practitioner who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 15, and a physician assistant who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 25.

25.  Establish an assessment, data gathering and reporting system as prescribed in chapter 7, article 3 of this title.

26.  Provide special education programs and related services pursuant to section 15‑764, subsection A to all children with disabilities as defined in section 15‑761.

27.  Administer competency tests prescribed by the state board of education for the graduation of pupils from high school.

28.  Ensure that insurance coverage is secured for all construction projects for purposes of general liability, property damage and workers' compensation and secure performance and payment bonds for all construction projects.

29.  Keep in the personnel file of all current and former employees who provide instruction to pupils at a school information about the employee's educational and teaching background and experience in a particular academic content subject area.  A school district shall inform parents and guardians of the availability of the information and shall make the information available for inspection on request of parents and guardians of pupils enrolled at a school.  This paragraph shall not be construed to require any school to release personally identifiable information in relation to any teacher or employee, including the teacher's or employee's address, salary, social security number or telephone number.

30.  Report to local law enforcement agencies any suspected crime against a person or property that is a serious offense as defined in section 13‑706 or that involves a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument or serious physical injury and any conduct that poses a threat of death or serious physical injury to employees, students or anyone on the property of the school.  This paragraph does not limit or preclude the reporting by a school district or an employee of a school district of suspected crimes other than those required to be reported by this paragraph.  For the purposes of this paragraph, "dangerous instrument", "deadly weapon" and "serious physical injury" have the same meanings prescribed in section 13‑105.

31.  In conjunction with local law enforcement agencies and emergency response agencies, develop an emergency response plan for each school in the school district in accordance with minimum standards developed jointly by the department of education and the division of emergency management within the department of emergency and military affairs.

32.  Provide written notice to the parents or guardians of all students enrolled in the school district at least ten days prior to a public meeting to discuss closing a school within the school district.  The notice shall include the reasons for the proposed closure and the time and place of the meeting.  The governing board shall fix a time for a public meeting on the proposed closure no less than ten days before voting in a public meeting to close the school.  The school district governing board shall give notice of the time and place of the meeting.  At the time and place designated in the notice, the school district governing board shall hear reasons for or against closing the school.  The school district governing board is exempt from this paragraph if it is determined by the governing board that the school shall be closed because it poses a danger to the health or safety of the pupils or employees of the school.  A governing board may consult with the school facilities board for technical assistance and for information on the impact of closing a school.  The information provided from the school facilities board shall not require the governing board to take or not take any action.

33.  Incorporate instruction on Native American history into appropriate existing curricula.

34.  Prescribe and enforce policies and procedures:

(a)  Allowing pupils who have been diagnosed with anaphylaxis by a health care provider licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13, 14, 17 or 25 or by a registered nurse practitioner licensed and certified pursuant to title 32, chapter 15 to carry and self-administer emergency medications, including epinephrine auto‑injectors, while at school and at school‑sponsored activities.  The pupil's name on the prescription label on the medication container or on the medication device and annual written documentation from the pupil's parent or guardian to the school that authorizes possession and self-administration is sufficient proof that the pupil is entitled to the possession and self‑administration of the medication.  The policies shall require a pupil who uses an epinephrine auto‑injector while at school and at school‑sponsored activities to notify the nurse or the designated school staff person of the use of the medication as soon as practicable.  A school district and its employees are immune from civil liability with respect to all decisions made and actions taken that are based on good faith implementation of the requirements of this subdivision, except in cases of wanton or wilful neglect.

(b)  For the emergency administration of epinephrine auto‑injectors by a trained employee of a school district pursuant to section 15‑157.

35.  Allow the possession and self-administration of prescription medication for breathing disorders in handheld inhaler devices by pupils who have been prescribed that medication by a health care professional licensed pursuant to title 32.  The pupil's name on the prescription label on the medication container or on the handheld inhaler device and annual written documentation from the pupil's parent or guardian to the school that authorizes possession and self-administration shall be sufficient proof that the pupil is entitled to the possession and self‑administration of the medication.  A school district and its employees are immune from civil liability with respect to all decisions made and actions taken that are based on a good faith implementation of the requirements of this paragraph.

36.  Prescribe and enforce policies and procedures to prohibit pupils from harassing, intimidating and bullying other pupils on school grounds, on school property, on school buses, at school bus stops, at school‑sponsored events and activities and through the use of electronic technology or electronic communication on school computers, networks, forums and mailing lists that include the following components:

(a)  A procedure for pupils, parents and school district employees to confidentially report to school officials incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying.  The school shall make available written forms designed to provide a full and detailed description of the incident and any other relevant information about the incident.

(b)  A requirement that school district employees report in writing suspected incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying to the appropriate school official and a description of appropriate disciplinary procedures for employees who fail to report suspected incidents that are known to the employee.

(c)  A requirement that, at the beginning of each school year, school officials provide all pupils with a written copy of the rights, protections and support services available to a pupil who is an alleged victim of an incident reported pursuant to this paragraph.

(d)  If an incident is reported pursuant to this paragraph, a requirement that school officials provide a pupil who is an alleged victim of the incident with a written copy of the rights, protections and support services available to that pupil.

(e)  A formal process for the documentation of reported incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying and for the confidentiality, maintenance and disposition of this documentation.  School districts shall maintain documentation of all incidents reported pursuant to this paragraph for at least six years.  The school shall not use that documentation to impose disciplinary action unless the appropriate school official has investigated and determined that the reported incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying occurred.  If a school provides documentation of reported incidents to persons other than school officials or law enforcement, all individually identifiable information shall be redacted.

(f)  A formal process for the investigation by the appropriate school officials of suspected incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying, including procedures for notifying the alleged victim on completion and disposition of the investigation.

(g)  Disciplinary procedures for pupils who have admitted or been found to have committed incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying.

(h)  A procedure that sets forth consequences for submitting false reports of incidents of harassment, intimidation or bullying.

(i)  Procedures designed to protect the health and safety of pupils who are physically harmed as the result of incidents of harassment, intimidation and bullying, including, if appropriate, procedures to contact emergency medical services or law enforcement agencies, or both.

(j)  Definitions of harassment, intimidation and bullying.

37.  36.  Prescribe and enforce policies and procedures regarding changing or adopting attendance boundaries that include the following components:

(a)  A procedure for holding public meetings to discuss attendance boundary changes or adoptions that allows public comments.

(b)  A procedure to notify the parents or guardians of the students affected.

(c)  A procedure to notify the residents of the households affected by the attendance boundary changes.

(d)  A process for placing public meeting notices and proposed maps on the school district's website for public review, if the school district maintains a website.

(e)  A formal process for presenting the attendance boundaries of the affected area in public meetings that allows public comments.

(f)  A formal process for notifying the residents and parents or guardians of the affected area as to the decision of the governing board on the school district's website, if the school district maintains a website.

(g)  A formal process for updating attendance boundaries on the school district's website within ninety days of an adopted boundary change.  The school district shall send a direct link to the school district's attendance boundaries website to the department of real estate.

38.  37.  If the state board of education determines that the school district has committed an overexpenditure as defined in section 15‑107, provide a copy of the fiscal management report submitted pursuant to section 15‑107, subsection H on its website and make copies available to the public on request.  The school district shall comply with a request within five business days after receipt.

39.  38.  Ensure that the contract for the superintendent is structured in a manner in which up to twenty percent of the total annual salary included for the superintendent in the contract is classified as performance pay.  This paragraph shall not be construed to require school districts to increase total compensation for superintendents.  Unless the school district governing board votes to implement an alternative procedure at a public meeting called for this purpose, the performance pay portion of the superintendent's total annual compensation shall be determined as follows:

(a)  Twenty‑five percent of the performance pay shall be determined based on the percentage of academic gain determined by the department of education of pupils who are enrolled in the school district compared to the academic gain achieved by the highest ranking of the fifty largest school districts in this state.  For the purposes of this subdivision, the department of education shall determine academic gain by the academic growth achieved by each pupil who has been enrolled at the same school in a school district for at least five consecutive months measured against that pupil's academic results in the 2008‑2009 school year.  For the purposes of this subdivision, of the fifty largest school districts in this state, the school district with pupils who demonstrate the highest statewide percentage of overall academic gain measured against academic results for the 2008‑2009 school year shall be assigned a score of 100 and the school district with pupils who demonstrate the lowest statewide percentage of overall academic gain measured against academic results for the 2008‑2009 school year shall be assigned a score of 0.

(b)  Twenty‑five percent of the performance pay shall be determined by the percentage of parents of pupils who are enrolled at the school district who assign a letter grade of "A" to the school on a survey of parental satisfaction with the school district.  The parental satisfaction survey shall be administered and scored by an independent entity that is selected by the governing board and that demonstrates sufficient expertise and experience to accurately measure the results of the survey.  The parental satisfaction survey shall use standard random sampling procedures and provide anonymity and confidentiality to each parent who participates in the survey.  The letter grade scale used on the parental satisfaction survey shall direct parents to assign one of the following letter grades:

(i)  A letter grade of "A" if the school district is excellent.

(ii)  A letter grade of "B" if the school district is above average.

(iii)  A letter grade of "C" if the school district is average.

(iv)  A letter grade of "D" if the school district is below average.

(v)  A letter grade of "F" if the school district is a failure.

(c)  Twenty‑five percent of the performance pay shall be determined by the percentage of teachers who are employed at the school district and who assign a letter grade of "A" to the school on a survey of teacher satisfaction with the school.  The teacher satisfaction survey shall be administered and scored by an independent entity that is selected by the governing board and that demonstrates sufficient expertise and experience to accurately measure the results of the survey.  The teacher satisfaction survey shall use standard random sampling procedures and provide anonymity and confidentiality to each teacher who participates in the survey.  The letter grade scale used on the teacher satisfaction survey shall direct teachers to assign one of the following letter grades:

(i)  A letter grade of "A" if the school district is excellent.

(ii)  A letter grade of "B" if the school district is above average.

(iii)  A letter grade of "C" if the school district is average.

(iv)  A letter grade of "D" if the school district is below average.

(v)  A letter grade of "F" if the school district is a failure.

(d)  Twenty‑five percent of the performance pay shall be determined by other criteria selected by the governing board.

40.  39.  Maintain and store permanent public records of the school district as required by law.  Notwithstanding section 39‑101, the standards adopted by the Arizona state library, archives and public records for the maintenance and storage of school district public records shall allow school districts to elect to satisfy the requirements of this paragraph by maintaining and storing these records either on paper or in an electronic format, or a combination of a paper and electronic format.

41.  40.  Adopt in a public meeting and implement by school year 2013‑2014 policies for principal evaluations.  Before the adoption of principal evaluation policies, the school district governing board shall provide opportunities for public discussion on the proposed policies.  The policies shall describe:

(a)  The principal evaluation instrument, including the four performance classifications adopted by the governing board pursuant to section 15‑203, subsection A, paragraph 38.

(b)  Alignment of professional development opportunities to the principal evaluations.

(c)  Incentives for principals in one of the two highest performance classifications pursuant to section 15‑203, subsection A, paragraph 38, which may include:

(i)  Multiyear contracts pursuant to section 15‑503.

(ii)  Incentives to work at schools that are assigned a letter grade of D or F pursuant to section 15‑241.

(d)  Transfer and contract processes for principals designated in the lowest performance classification pursuant to section 15‑203, subsection A, paragraph 38.

42.  41.  Prescribe and enforce policies and procedures that define the duties of principals and teachers.  These policies and procedures shall authorize teachers to take and maintain daily classroom attendance, make the decision to promote or retain a pupil in a grade in common school or to pass or fail a pupil in a course in high school, subject to review by the governing board in the manner provided in section 15‑342, paragraph 11.

43.  42.  Prescribe and enforce policies and procedures for the emergency administration by an employee of a school district pursuant to section 36‑2267 of naloxone hydrochloride or any other opioid antagonist approved by the United States food and drug administration.

B.  Notwithstanding subsection A, paragraphs 7, 9 and 11 of this section, the county school superintendent may construct, improve and furnish school buildings or purchase or sell school sites in the conduct of an accommodation school.

C.  If any school district acquires real or personal property, whether by purchase, exchange, condemnation, gift or otherwise, the governing board shall pay to the county treasurer any taxes on the property that were unpaid as of the date of acquisition, including penalties and interest.  The lien for unpaid delinquent taxes, penalties and interest on property acquired by a school district:

1.  Is not abated, extinguished, discharged or merged in the title to the property.

2.  Is enforceable in the same manner as other delinquent tax liens.

D.  The governing board may not locate a school on property that is less than one‑fourth mile from agricultural land regulated pursuant to section 3‑365, except that the owner of the agricultural land may agree to comply with the buffer zone requirements of section 3‑365.  If the owner agrees in writing to comply with the buffer zone requirements and records the agreement in the office of the county recorder as a restrictive covenant running with the title to the land, the school district may locate a school within the affected buffer zone.  The agreement may include any stipulations regarding the school, including conditions for future expansion of the school and changes in the operational status of the school that will result in a breach of the agreement.

E.  A school district, its governing board members, its school council members and its employees are immune from civil liability for the consequences of adoption and implementation of policies and procedures pursuant to subsection A of this section and section 15‑342.  This waiver does not apply if the school district, its governing board members, its school council members or its employees are guilty of gross negligence or intentional misconduct.

F.  A governing board may delegate in writing to a superintendent, principal or head teacher the authority to prescribe procedures that are consistent with the governing board's policies.

G.  Notwithstanding any other provision of this title, a school district governing board shall not take any action that would result in a reduction of pupil square footage unless the governing board notifies the school facilities board established by section 15‑2001 of the proposed action and receives written approval from the school facilities board to take the action.  A reduction includes an increase in administrative space that results in a reduction of pupil square footage or sale of school sites or buildings, or both.  A reduction includes a reconfiguration of grades that results in a reduction of pupil square footage of any grade level.  This subsection does not apply to temporary reconfiguration of grades to accommodate new school construction if the temporary reconfiguration does not exceed one year.  The sale of equipment that results in a reduction that falls below the equipment requirements prescribed in section 15‑2011, subsection B is subject to commensurate withholding of school district district additional assistance monies pursuant to the direction of the school facilities board.  Except as provided in section 15‑342, paragraph 10, proceeds from the sale of school sites, buildings or other equipment shall be deposited in the school plant fund as provided in section 15‑1102.

H.  Subsections C through G of this section apply to a county board of supervisors and a county school superintendent when operating and administering an accommodation school. END_STATUTE

Sec. 7.  Section 15-342, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-342.  Discretionary powers

The governing board may:

1.  Expel pupils for misconduct.

2.  Exclude from grades one through eight children under six years of age.

3.  Make such separation of groups of pupils as it deems advisable.

4.  Maintain such special schools during vacation as deemed necessary for the benefit of the pupils of the school district.

5.  Permit a superintendent or principal or representatives of the superintendent or principal to travel for a school purpose, as determined by a majority vote of the board.  The board may permit members and members‑elect of the board to travel within or without the school district for a school purpose and receive reimbursement.  Any expenditure for travel and subsistence pursuant to this paragraph shall be as provided in title 38, chapter 4, article 2.  The designated post of duty referred to in section 38‑621 shall be construed, for school district governing board members, to be the member's actual place of residence, as opposed to the school district office or the school district boundaries.  Such expenditures shall be a charge against the budgeted school district funds.  The governing board of a school district shall prescribe procedures and amounts for reimbursement of lodging and subsistence expenses.  Reimbursement amounts shall not exceed the maximum amounts established pursuant to section 38‑624, subsection C.

6.  Construct or provide in rural districts housing facilities for teachers and other school employees that the board determines are necessary for the operation of the school.

7.  Sell or lease to the state, a county, a city, another school district or a tribal government agency any school property required for a public purpose, provided the sale or lease of the property will not affect the normal operations of a school within the school district.

8.  Annually budget and expend funds for membership in an association of school districts within this state.

9.  Enter into leases or lease‑purchase agreements for school buildings or grounds, or both, as lessor or as lessee, for periods of less than ten years subject to voter approval for construction of school buildings as prescribed in section 15‑341, subsection A, paragraph 7.

10.  Subject to chapter 16 of this title, sell school sites or enter into leases or lease‑purchase agreements for school buildings and grounds, as lessor or as lessee, for a period of ten years or more, but not to exceed ninety‑nine years, if authorized by a vote of the school district electors in an election called by the governing board as provided in section 15‑491, except that authorization by the school district electors in an election is not required if one of the following requirements is met:

(a)  The market value of the school property is less than fifty thousand dollars or the property is procured through a renewable energy development agreement, an energy performance contract, which among other items includes a renewable energy power service agreement, or a simplified energy performance contract pursuant to section 15‑213.01.

(b)  The buildings and sites are completely funded with monies distributed by the school facilities board.

(c)  The transaction involves the sale of improved or unimproved property pursuant to an agreement with the school facilities board in which the school district agrees to sell the improved or unimproved property and transfer the proceeds of the sale to the school facilities board in exchange for monies from the school facilities board for the acquisition of a more suitable school site.  For a sale of property acquired by a school district prior to July 9, 1998, a school district shall transfer to the school facilities board that portion of the proceeds that equals the cost of the acquisition of a more suitable school site.   If there are any remaining proceeds after the transfer of monies to the school facilities board, a school district shall only use those remaining proceeds for future land purchases approved by the school facilities board, or for capital improvements not funded by the school facilities board for any existing or future facility.

(d)  The transaction involves the sale of improved or unimproved property pursuant to a formally adopted plan and the school district uses the proceeds of this sale to purchase other property that will be used for similar purposes as the property that was originally sold, provided that the sale proceeds of the improved or unimproved property are used within two years after the date of the original sale to purchase the replacement property.  If the sale proceeds of the improved or unimproved property are not used within two years after the date of the original sale to purchase replacement property, the sale proceeds shall be used towards payment of any outstanding bonded indebtedness.  If any sale proceeds remain after paying for outstanding bonded indebtedness, or if the district has no outstanding bonded indebtedness, sale proceeds shall be used to reduce the district's primary tax levy.  A school district shall not use this subdivision unless all of the following conditions exist:

(i)  The school district is the sole owner of the improved or unimproved property that the school district intends to sell.

(ii)  The school district did not purchase the improved or unimproved property that the school district intends to sell with monies that were distributed pursuant to chapter 16 of this title.

(iii)  The transaction does not violate section 15‑341, subsection G.

11.  Review the decision of a teacher to promote a pupil to a grade or retain a pupil in a grade in a common school or to pass or fail a pupil in a course in high school.  The pupil has the burden of proof to overturn the decision of a teacher to promote, retain, pass or fail the pupil.  In order to sustain the burden of proof, the pupil shall demonstrate to the governing board that the pupil has mastered the academic standards adopted by the state board of education pursuant to sections 15‑701 and 15‑701.01.  If the governing board overturns the decision of a teacher pursuant to this paragraph, the governing board shall adopt a written finding that the pupil has mastered the academic standards.  Notwithstanding title 38, chapter 3, article 3.1, the governing board shall review the decision of a teacher to promote a pupil to a grade or retain a pupil in a grade in a common school or to pass or fail a pupil in a course in high school in executive session unless a parent or legal guardian of the pupil or the pupil, if emancipated, disagrees that the review should be conducted in executive session and then the review shall be conducted in an open meeting.  If the review is conducted in executive session, the board shall notify the teacher of the date, time and place of the review and shall allow the teacher to be present at the review.  If the teacher is not present at the review, the board shall consult with the teacher before making its decision.  Any request, including the written request as provided in section 15‑341, the written evidence presented at the review and the written record of the review, including the decision of the governing board to accept or reject the teacher's decision, shall be retained by the governing board as part of its permanent records.

12.  Provide transportation or site transportation loading and unloading areas for any child or children if deemed for the best interest of the district, whether within or without the district, county or state.

13.  Enter into intergovernmental agreements and contracts with school districts or other governing bodies as provided in section 11‑952. Intergovernmental agreements and contracts between school districts or between a school district and other governing bodies as provided in section 11‑952 are exempt from competitive bidding under the procurement rules adopted by the state board of education pursuant to section 15‑213.

14.  Include in the curricula it prescribes for high schools in the school district career and technical education, vocational education and technology education programs and career and technical, vocational and technology program improvement services for the high schools, subject to approval by the state board of education.  The governing board may contract for the provision of career and technical, vocational and technology education as provided in section 15‑789.

15.  Suspend a teacher or administrator from the teacher's or administrator's duties without pay for a period of time of not to exceed ten school days, if the board determines that suspension is warranted pursuant to section 15‑341, subsection A, paragraphs 21 and 22.

16.  Dedicate school property within an incorporated city or town to such city or town or within a county to that county for use as a public right‑of‑way if both of the following apply:

(a)  Pursuant to an ordinance adopted by such city, town or county, there will be conferred upon the school district privileges and benefits that may include benefits related to zoning.

(b)  The dedication will not affect the normal operation of any school within the district.

17.  Enter into option agreements for the purchase of school sites.

18.  Donate surplus or outdated learning materials, educational equipment and furnishings to nonprofit community organizations where the governing board determines that the anticipated cost of selling the learning materials, educational equipment or furnishings equals or exceeds the estimated market value of the materials.

19.  Prescribe policies for the assessment of reasonable fees for students to use district‑provided parking facilities.  The fees are to be applied by the district solely against costs incurred in operating or securing the parking facilities.  Any policy adopted by the governing board pursuant to this paragraph shall include a fee waiver provision in appropriate cases of need or economic hardship.

20.  Establish alternative educational programs that are consistent with the laws of this state to educate pupils, including pupils who have been reassigned pursuant to section 15‑841, subsection E or F.

21.  Require a period of silence to be observed at the commencement of the first class of the day in the schools.  If a governing board chooses to require a period of silence to be observed, the teacher in charge of the room in which the first class is held shall announce that a period of silence not to exceed one minute in duration will be observed for meditation, and during that time no activities shall take place and silence shall be maintained.

22.  Require students to wear uniforms.

23.  Exchange unimproved property or improved property, including school sites, where the governing board determines that the improved property is unnecessary for the continued operation of the school district without requesting authorization by a vote of the school district electors if the governing board determines that the exchange is necessary to protect the health, safety or welfare of pupils or when the governing board determines that the exchange is based on sound business principles for either:

(a)  Unimproved or improved property of equal or greater value.

(b)  Unimproved property that the owner contracts to improve if the value of the property ultimately received by the school district is of equal or greater value.

24.  For common and high school pupils, assess reasonable fees for optional extracurricular activities and programs conducted when the common or high school is not in session, except that no fees shall be charged for pupils' access to or use of computers or related materials.  For high school pupils, the governing board may assess reasonable fees for fine arts and vocational education courses and for optional services, equipment and materials offered to the pupils beyond those required to successfully complete the basic requirements of any other course, except that no fees shall be charged for pupils' access to or use of computers or related materials.  Fees assessed pursuant to this paragraph shall be adopted at a public meeting after notice has been given to all parents of pupils enrolled at schools in the district and shall not exceed the actual costs of the activities, programs, services, equipment or materials.  The governing board shall authorize principals to waive the assessment of all or part of a fee assessed pursuant to this paragraph if it creates an economic hardship for a pupil.  For the purposes of this paragraph, "extracurricular activity" means any optional, noncredit, educational or recreational activity that supplements the education program of the school, whether offered before, during or after regular school hours.

25.  Notwithstanding section 15‑341, subsection A, paragraphs 7 and 9, construct school buildings and purchase or lease school sites, without a vote of the school district electors, if the buildings and sites are totally funded from one or more of the following:

(a)  Monies in the unrestricted capital outlay fund, except that the estimated cost shall not exceed two hundred fifty thousand dollars for a district that utilizes section 15‑949.

(b)  Monies distributed from the school facilities board established by section 15‑2001.

(c)  Monies specifically donated for the purpose of constructing school buildings.

This paragraph shall not be construed to eliminate the requirement for an election to raise revenues for a capital outlay override pursuant to section 15‑481 or a bond election pursuant to section 15‑491.

26.  Conduct a background investigation that includes a fingerprint check conducted pursuant to section 41‑1750, subsection G for certificated personnel and personnel who are not paid employees of the school district, as a condition of employment.  A school district may release the results of a background check to another school district for employment purposes.  The school district may charge the costs of fingerprint checks to its fingerprinted employee, except that the school district may not charge the costs of fingerprint checks for personnel who are not paid employees of the school district.

27.  Unless otherwise prohibited by law, sell advertising as follows:

(a)  Advertisements shall be age appropriate and not contain promotion of any substance that is illegal for minors such as alcohol, tobacco and drugs or gambling.  Advertisements shall comply with the state sex education policy of abstinence.

(b)  Advertising approved by the governing board for the exterior of school buses may appear only on the sides of the bus in the following areas:

(i)  The signs shall be below the seat level rub rail and not extend above the bottom of the side windows.

(ii)  The signs shall be at least three inches from any required lettering, lamp, wheel well or reflector behind the service door or stop signal arm.

(iii)  The signs shall not extend from the body of the bus so as to allow a handhold or present a danger to pedestrians.

(iv)  The signs shall not interfere with the operation of any door or window.

(v)  The signs shall not be placed on any emergency doors.

(c)  The school district shall establish an advertisement fund that is composed of revenues from the sale of advertising.  The monies in an advertisement fund are not subject to reversion. 

28.  Assess reasonable damage deposits to pupils in grades seven through twelve for the use of textbooks, musical instruments, band uniforms or other equipment required for academic courses.  The governing board shall adopt policies on any damage deposits assessed pursuant to this paragraph at a public meeting called for this purpose after providing notice to all parents of pupils in grades seven through twelve in the school district.  Principals of individual schools within the district may waive the damage deposit requirement for any textbook or other item if the payment of the damage deposit would create an economic hardship for the pupil.  The school district shall return the full amount of the damage deposit for any textbook or other item if the pupil returns the textbook or other item in reasonably good condition within the time period prescribed by the governing board.  For the purposes of this paragraph, "in reasonably good condition" means the textbook or other item is in the same or a similar condition as it was when the pupil received it, plus ordinary wear and tear.

29.  Notwithstanding section 15‑1105, expend surplus monies in the civic center school fund for maintenance and operations or unrestricted capital outlay, if sufficient monies are available in the fund after meeting the needs of programs established pursuant to section 15‑1105.

30.  Notwithstanding section 15‑1143, expend surplus monies in the community school program fund for maintenance and operations or unrestricted capital outlay, if sufficient monies are available in the fund after meeting the needs of programs established pursuant to section 15‑1142.

31.  Adopt guidelines for standardization of the format of the school report cards required by section 15‑746 for schools within the district.

32.  Adopt policies that require parental notification when a law enforcement officer interviews a pupil on school grounds.  Policies adopted pursuant to this paragraph shall not impede a peace officer from the performance of the peace officer's duties.  If the school district governing board adopts a policy that requires parental notification:

(a)  The policy may provide reasonable exceptions to the parental notification requirement.

(b)  The policy shall set forth whether and under what circumstances a parent may be present when a law enforcement officer interviews the pupil, including reasonable exceptions to the circumstances under which a parent may be present when a law enforcement officer interviews the pupil, and shall specify a reasonable maximum time after a parent is notified that an interview of a pupil by a law enforcement officer may be delayed to allow the parent to be present.

33.  Enter into voluntary partnerships with any party to finance with funds other than school district funds and cooperatively design school facilities that comply with the adequacy standards prescribed in section 15‑2011 and the square footage per pupil requirements pursuant to section 15‑2041, subsection D, paragraph 3, subdivision (b).  The design plans and location of any such school facility shall be submitted to the school facilities board for approval pursuant to section 15‑2041, subsection 0.  If the school facilities board approves the design plans and location of any such school facility, the party in partnership with the school district may cause to be constructed and the district may begin operating the school facility before monies are distributed from the school facilities board pursuant to section 15‑2041.  Monies distributed from the new school facilities fund to a school district in a partnership with another party to finance and design the school facility shall be paid to the school district pursuant to section 15‑2041.  The school district shall reimburse the party in partnership with the school district from the monies paid to the school district pursuant to section 15‑2041, in accordance with the voluntary partnership agreement.  Before the school facilities board distributes any monies pursuant to this subsection, the school district shall demonstrate to the school facilities board that the facilities to be funded pursuant to section 15‑2041, subsection O meet the minimum adequacy standards prescribed in section 15‑2011.  If the cost to construct the school facility exceeds the amount that the school district receives from the new school facilities fund, the partnership agreement between the school district and the other party shall specify that, except as otherwise provided by the other party, any such excess costs shall be the responsibility of the school district.  The school district governing board shall adopt a resolution in a public meeting that an analysis has been conducted on the prospective effects of the decision to operate a new school with existing monies from the school district's maintenance and operations budget and how this decision may affect other schools in the school district.  If a school district acquires land by donation at an appropriate school site approved by the school facilities board and a school facility is financed and built on the land pursuant to this paragraph, the school facilities board shall distribute an amount equal to twenty per cent percent of the fair market value of the land that can be used for academic purposes.  The school district shall place the monies in the unrestricted capital outlay fund and increase the unrestricted capital budget limit by the amount of the monies placed in the fund.  Monies distributed under this paragraph shall be distributed from the new school facilities fund pursuant to section 15-2041.  If a school district acquires land by donation at an appropriate school site approved by the school facilities board and a school facility is financed and built on the land pursuant to this paragraph, the school district shall not receive monies from the school facilities board for the donation of real property pursuant to section 15-2041, subsection F. It is unlawful for:

(a)  A county, city or town to require as a condition of any land use approval that a landowner or landowners that entered into a partnership pursuant to this paragraph provide any contribution, donation or gift, other than a site donation, to a school district.  This subdivision only applies to the property in the voluntary partnership agreement pursuant to this paragraph.

(b)  A county, city or town to require as a condition of any land use approval that the landowner or landowners located within the geographic boundaries of the school subject to the voluntary partnership pursuant to this paragraph provide any donation or gift to the school district except as provided in the voluntary partnership agreement pursuant to this paragraph.

(c)  A community facilities district established pursuant to title 48, chapter 4, article 6 to be used for reimbursement of financing the construction of a school pursuant to this paragraph.

(d)  A school district to enter into an agreement pursuant to this paragraph with any party other than a master planned community party.  Any land area consisting of at least three hundred twenty acres that is the subject of a development agreement with a county, city or town entered into pursuant to section 9‑500.05 or 11‑1101 shall be deemed to be a master planned community.  For the purposes of this subdivision, "master planned community" means a land area consisting of at least three hundred twenty acres, which may be noncontiguous, that is the subject of a zoning ordinance approved by the governing body of the county, city or town in which the land is located that establishes the use of the land area as a planned area development or district, planned community development or district, planned unit development or district or other land use category or district that is recognized in the local ordinance of such county, city or town and that specifies the use of such land is for a master planned development.

34.  Enter into an intergovernmental agreement with a presiding judge of the juvenile court to implement a law related law‑related education program as defined in section 15‑154.  The presiding judge of the juvenile court may assign juvenile probation officers to participate in a law related law‑related education program in any school district in the county.  The cost of juvenile probation officers who participate in the program implemented pursuant to this paragraph shall be funded by the school district.

35.  Offer to sell outdated learning materials, educational equipment or furnishings at a posted price commensurate with the value of the items to pupils who are currently enrolled in that school district before those materials are offered for public sale.

36.  If the school district is a small school district as defined in section 15‑901, and if permitted by federal law, opt out of federal grant opportunities if the governing board determines that the federal requirements impose unduly burdensome reporting requirements.

37.  Prescribe and enforce policies and procedures to prohibit pupils from harassing, intimidating and bullying other pupils on school grounds, on school property, on school buses, at school bus stops, at school‑sponsored events and activities and through the use of electronic technology or electronic communication on school computers, networks, forums and mailing lists. END_STATUTE

Sec. 8.  Repeal

Sections 15-342.02, 15-706, 15-712, 15-712.01, 15‑713, 15-714, 15‑714.01, 15‑716 and 15-717, Arizona Revised Statutes, are repealed.

Sec. 9.  Section 15-718.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-718.01.  Instruction on cardiopulmonary resuscitation; exemptions; definition

A.  On or before July 1, 2019, School districts and charter schools shall may provide public school pupils with one or more training sessions in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, through the use of psychomotor skills in an age-appropriate manner, during high school.  This training shall be based on the most current national evidence‑based emergency cardiovascular care guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.  A school district or charter school may assign homework to satisfy the requirements of this subsection and subsections B and E of this section if the completion of the homework is verified by a teacher or parent.

B.  School district or charter school instruction that results in cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification must be provided by a certified cardiopulmonary resuscitation trainer.  This subsection does not require a teacher or administrator who facilitates, provides or oversees the instruction to be an authorized trainer of cardiopulmonary resuscitation if the instruction does not result in cardiopulmonary resuscitation certification.

C.  The instruction provided under subsection A of this section must include the hands‑on practicing of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, except for students who are enrolled in an online school as defined in section 15‑808.

D.  A pupil shall be excused from the instruction on cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the request of either:

1.  The pupil's parent.

2.  A pupil who provides written documentation that the pupil has previously received training in or is currently certified in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

3.  If the pupil is a child with a disability as defined in section 15‑731, the pupil's individualized education program team if the individualized education program team makes a determination to excuse the pupil from the instruction.

E.  A school district or charter school may accept from any person, public entity or other legal entity in‑kind donations of materials, equipment or services that may be used in the instruction on cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

F.  A school district or charter school may use any of the following persons to provide instruction and training pursuant to this section:

1.  Emergency medical technicians.

2.  Paramedics.

3.  Fire department personnel.

4.  Police officers.

5.  Representatives of the American heart association.

6.  Representatives of the American red cross.

7.  Teachers.

8.  Other school employees.

9.  Other similarly qualified persons.

G.  For the purposes of this section, "psychomotor skills" means sequences of physical actions that are practiced in a manner that supports cognitive learning. END_STATUTE

Sec. 10.  Repeal

Section 15-719, 15-720 and 15-720.02, Arizona Revised Statutes, are repealed.

Sec. 11.  Conforming legislation

The legislative council staff shall prepare proposed legislation conforming the Arizona Revised Statutes to the provisions of this act for consideration in the fifty‑third legislature, second regular session.

feedback