Bill Text: AZ HB2882 | 2024 | Fifty-sixth Legislature 2nd Regular | Introduced
Bill Title: Civics education pilot program; continuation
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-02-08 - House read second time [HB2882 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2024-HB2882-Introduced.html
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REFERENCE TITLE: civics education pilot program; continuation |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-sixth Legislature Second Regular Session 2024
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HB 2882 |
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Introduced by Representative Contreras P
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An Act
amending Laws 2018, chapter 289, section 3, as amended by Laws 2019, chapter 265, section 22; relating to school curricula.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Laws 2018, chapter 289, section 3, as amended by Laws 2019, chapter 265, section 22, is amended to read:
Sec. 3. American civics education pilot program; reporting requirements; fund; delayed repeal
A. The department of education shall develop a five-year ten-year pilot program to begin in the 2019-2020 school year for American civics education in grades nine through twelve to enhance the focus on American civics education in schools selected to participate in the pilot program. The department of education shall develop application procedures and selection criteria for school districts, district schools and charter schools that voluntarily decide to participate in the pilot program for five consecutive years. School districts, district schools and charter schools that participate in the pilot program for the five-year period beginning in the 2019-2020 school year may apply to participate in the pilot program for the five-year period beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. The number of school districts, district schools and charter schools selected to participate in the pilot program for each five-year period shall proportionally reflect the number of school districts, district schools and charter schools in Arizona. School districts that apply to participate in the pilot program may apply for either of the entire school district or one or multiple schools within the school district to participate. For the five-year period beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, the department of education shall update the application procedures and selection criteria to allow juvenile detention centers to apply to participate in the pilot program. The state board of education shall approve each school district, district school, and charter school and juvenile detention center selected by the department of education to participate in the pilot program for each five-year period.
B. The department of education shall consider the extent to which a school district, district school, or charter school or juvenile detention center that applies to participate in the pilot program currently provides American civics education for high school students and shall prioritize school districts, district schools, and charter schools and juvenile detention centers that it determines currently provide fewer instructional hours on American civics education.
C. Each school district, district school, or charter school or juvenile detention center selected to participate in the pilot program shall:
1. Administer the assessment of American civics education selected pursuant to subsection D of this section.
2. Require at least one American civics course lasting at least one school semester. The curriculum for American civics courses offered through the pilot program shall be determined by the individual school or school district and may be administered through a digital software program.
D. The department of education shall:
1. Subject to approval by the state board of education, submit a request for proposals to assessment providers to deliver an assessment of American civics education that the department of education determines to be a more rigorous measure of American civics education than the test that is identical to the civics portion of the naturalization test used by the United States citizenship and immigration services pursuant to section 15-701.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, and that can be made available to pupils in high schools selected to participate in the pilot program.
2. Establish the format of the applications, application procedures and selection criteria for assessment providers that wish to submit a proposal to deliver a qualifying American civics education assessment pursuant to this subsection.
3. Subject to approval by the state board of education, select and award a contract to one assessment provider to deliver the American civics education assessment pursuant to this subsection.
4. Subject to approval by the state board of education, determine the cut score on the assessment selected pursuant to this subsection to determine proficiency in American civics education pursuant to this section.
E. The assessment selected pursuant to subsection D of this section is required to be administered to each pupil attending a participating high school. School districts, district schools, and charter schools and juvenile detention centers selected to participate in the pilot program are exempt from administering the test that is identical to the civics portion of the naturalization test used by the United States citizenship and immigration services pursuant to section 15-701.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, in each school year that the school district, district school, charter school or juvenile detention center participates in the pilot program.
F. If the department of education determines on an annual basis that a school or school district, district school, charter school or juvenile detention center is not adequately educating pupils participating in the pilot program, the department may terminate the participation of a school or the school district, district school, charter school or juvenile detention center in the pilot program, subject to approval by the state board of education. The department of education shall consider the performance of pupils on the assessment selected pursuant to subsection D of this section when considering the termination of the participation of a school or school district, district school, charter school or juvenile detention center in the pilot program.
G. On or before September 31, 2019, the department of education shall submit to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives a progress report on the development and administration of the pilot program established pursuant to this section. The department shall submit a copy of this report to the secretary of state.
H. On or before September 1, 2020 and each year thereafter through the 2023-2024 2029-2030 school year, the department of education shall submit a report detailing pupil results on the American civics education assessment administered pursuant to subsection D of this section to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the state board of education. The department of education shall submit a copy of this report to the secretary of state.
I. The American civics education fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations and other monies transferred to the fund. The department of education shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated. Monies in the fund shall be used for the American civics education pilot program established pursuant to this section. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190, Arizona Revised Statutes, relating to lapsing of appropriations.
J. This section is repealed from and after December 31, 2024 2030.
