A.R.S. § 15-1444 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 12 / Article 3 / Section 1444
15-1444 General powers and duties of district boards
Status: in_force

15-1444. General powers and duties of district boards

A. Except as otherwise provided, each district board shall:

1. Maintain each community college under its jurisdiction for a period of at least eight months in each year and, if the monies of the district are sufficient, maintain each community college for a longer period.

2. Adopt policies in a public forum to offer programs that meet the educational needs of the population served by the community college.

3. Enforce the courses of study prescribed by the district board.

4. Visit each community college under its jurisdiction and examine carefully into its management, conditions and needs.

5. Exclude from each community college all books, publications or papers of a sectarian, partisan or denominational character intended for use as textbooks.

6. Appoint and employ a chancellor or chancellors, vice chancellors, a president or presidents, vice presidents, deans, professors, instructors, lecturers, fellows and such other officers and employees it deems necessary. The district board may enter into employment contracts with chancellors, vice chancellors and presidents for a duration of more than one year but not more than five years.

7. Determine the salaries of persons it appoints and employs. A district may not compensate an employee for work performed on behalf of an elected employee representative organization and may not provide more favorable terms and conditions of employment to any employee because that individual belongs to an elected employee representative organization.

8. Remove any officer or employee if in its judgment the interests of education in this state require the removal.

9. Award degrees, certificates and diplomas on the completion of courses and curricula as it deems appropriate.

10. Appoint or employ, if it deems necessary, police officers who shall have the authority and power of peace officers.  The police officers who have received a certificate from the Arizona peace officer standards and training board are eligible for membership in and benefits under either title 38, chapter 5, article 2 or the public safety personnel retirement system under title 38, chapter 5, article 4.

11. Determine the location within the district of a community college and purchase, receive, hold, make and take leases of, sell and convey real or personal property for the benefit of the community colleges under its jurisdiction.

12. Obtain insurance or be self-insured, or a combination of insurance and self-insurance, against loss, to the extent it is determined necessary on community college buildings of the district. The local district shall have an insurable interest in the buildings.

B. The district board may:

1. Administer trusts declared or created for the district and receive by gift or devise and hold in trust or otherwise property wheresoever located, and if not otherwise provided, dispose of the property for the benefit of the district.

2. Lease real property, as lessor or as lessee.  If a district is the lessee, the lease may contain an option to purchase the property. The district board may adopt policies as are deemed necessary and may delegate in writing to the chancellor or president of the district, or their designees, all or any part of its authority to lease property under this paragraph. Any delegation by the district board pursuant to this paragraph may be rescinded in whole or in part at any time by the district board.

3. Sue and be sued.

4. Contract. The district board may adopt such policies as are deemed necessary and may delegate in writing to the chancellor or president of the district, or their designees, all or any part of its authority to contract under this paragraph.  Any delegation of authority under this paragraph may be rescinded by the district board at any time in whole or in part.

5. Construct, remodel and repair buildings.

6. In conjunction with other districts, establish policies for procuring goods and services.

7. Provide a plan or plans for employee benefits, which may include optional retirement programs pursuant to section 15-1451, subsection A, which allow for participation in a cafeteria plan that meets the requirements of the United States internal revenue code of 1986.

8. Accept grants or donations of monies from the United States or any of its agencies, departments or officers, this state, political subdivisions of this state, tribal governments, school districts, special taxing districts, persons, corporations, foundations or associations. The district board shall deposit the monies into a specific fund or account and shall administer the monies in accordance with the purpose of the grant or donation with specific policies or restrictions as described or stipulated in the grant or donation. In the case of personal property granted or donated to or for the benefit of a community college district, the district board shall immediately transfer possession and ownership of the property to the designated district.  Monies received pursuant to this paragraph are not considered local revenues for the purposes of article IX, section 21, Constitution of Arizona.

9. Enter into intergovernmental agreements or contracts pursuant to section 11-952.01 for participation in programs offered by public agency pools or separately contract with a trustee or board of trustees that provides a common self-insurance program with pooled funds and risks pursuant to section 15-382, subsection B, paragraph 2. The district board is not required to engage in competitive procurement in order to make the decision to participate in these programs.

10. Name a building or a group of buildings that is located on a community college campus on behalf of a person or entity that has made a significant contribution of monies or other property to the community college or the community college district.

11. Enter into research and development agreements, royalty agreements, development agreements, licensing agreements and profit-sharing agreements concerning the research, development, production, storing or marketing of new products developed or to be developed through community college district research.  Monies received pursuant to this paragraph are not considered local revenues for the purposes of article IX, section 21, Constitution of Arizona.

12. Enter into an intergovernmental agreement pursuant to section 15-1747 to participate in a reciprocity agreement subject to the terms of the reciprocity agreement.

13. Engage in entrepreneurial and commercial activities. Monies received pursuant to this paragraph are not considered local revenues for the purposes of article IX, section 21, Constitution of Arizona.

14. Collect auxiliary fees, including cafeteria fees, food service fees, bookstore fees and dormitory fees.  Monies received pursuant to this paragraph are not considered local revenues for the purposes of article IX, section 21, Constitution of Arizona.

15. Provide goods and services pursuant to a contract with a political subdivision of this state or with a tribal government.  Monies received pursuant to this paragraph are not considered local revenues for the purposes of article IX, section 21, Constitution of Arizona.

16. For a community college in a county with a population of seven hundred fifty thousand persons or less, offer four-year baccalaureate degrees that are accredited by a regional accreditation agency approved by the United States department of education.

17. For a community college in a county with a population of more than seven hundred fifty thousand persons, offer four-year baccalaureate degrees that are accredited by a regional accreditation agency approved by the United States department of education as follows:

(a) For the first four years that a community college offers four-year baccalaureate degrees, the community college may not offer more than five percent of its total number of degree and certification offerings for four-year baccalaureate degrees. For the fifth and subsequent years that a community college offers four-year baccalaureate degrees, the community college may not offer more than ten percent of its total number of degree and certification offerings for four-year baccalaureate degrees.

(b) Tuition per credit hour for the third and fourth years of a four-year baccalaureate program may not exceed one hundred fifty percent of the tuition per credit hour of any other district program.

C. If a district acquires real or personal property, whether by purchase, exchange, condemnation, gift or otherwise, the district 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 the 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. In a district whose boundaries encompass a vehicle emissions control area as defined in section 49-541, the district board shall require all out-of-county and out-of-state students to sign an affidavit at the time of course registration that the student's vehicle meets the requirements of section 49-542.  The district board on property under its jurisdiction within a vehicle emissions control area shall prohibit the parking of those vehicles that fail to comply with section 49-542.

E. A community college district and a career technical education district governing board may enter into agreements to provide administrative, operational and educational services and facilities.

F. Each district may establish a program for the exchange of students between the community colleges under its jurisdiction and colleges and universities located in Sonora, Mexico. The program may provide for in-state tuition for Sonora students at the community colleges under the jurisdiction of the district in exchange for similar tuition provisions for Arizona students enrolled or seeking enrollment in Sonora colleges and universities. The community colleges may work in conjunction with the Arizona-Mexico commission in the governor's office to coordinate recruitment and admissions activities to provide for in-state tuition for up to fifty Sonora students at the community colleges under the jurisdiction of the district in exchange for similar tuition provisions for up to fifty total Arizona students enrolled or seeking enrollment in Sonora colleges and universities.

G. Each district shall facilitate transfer articulation coordination pursuant to section 15-1824.
A.R.S. § 15-1807 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 14 / Article 1 / Section 1807
15-1807 Concurrent enrollment; nonresident tuition
Status: in_force

15-1807. Concurrent enrollment; nonresident tuition

A. It is unlawful for any nonresident student to register concurrently in two or more public institutions of higher education in this state including any university or community college for a combined student credit hour enrollment of more than six semester hours without payment of nonresident tuition at one of such institutions.

B. Any nonresident student desiring to enroll concurrently in two or more public institutions of higher education in this state including any university or community college for a combined total of more than six semester hours who is not subject to nonresident tuition at any of such institutions shall pay the nonresident tuition at the institution of his choice in an amount equivalent to nonresident tuition at such institution for the combined total of semester hours for which the nonresident student is concurrently enrolled.
A.R.S. § 15-201 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 2 / Article 1 / Section 201
15-201 State board of education; members; appointment; terms
Status: in_force

15-201. State board of education; members; appointment; terms

A. The state board of education shall be composed of the superintendent of public instruction, the president of a state university or a state college, four lay members, a president or chancellor of a community college district, a person who is an owner or administrator of a charter school, a superintendent of a high school district, a classroom teacher and a county school superintendent. A member who is a president of a state university or a state college shall not succeed himself.

B. The governor shall appoint each member, other than the superintendent of public instruction, pursuant to section 38-211 for a term of four years beginning on the third Monday in January.
A.R.S. § 15-719 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 719
15-719 Character education program instruction; fund
Status: in_force

15-719. Character education program instruction; fund

A. Each common, high and unified school district and charter school may provide instruction to kindergarten programs through the twelfth grade on character development.

B. Each district may develop its own course of study for each grade. At a minimum, the character education program must include:

1. Instruction in the definition and application of at least six of the following character traits: truthfulness, responsibility, compassion, diligence, sincerity, trustworthiness, respect, attentiveness, obedience, orderliness, forgiveness, virtue, fairness, caring, citizenship and integrity.

2. The use of activities, discussions and visual media and literacy presentations to illustrate and reinforce the application of the character traits.

3. Presentations by teachers or mentors who demonstrate the character traits.

C. At the request of the school district or charter school, the department of education may certify that the school district or charter school has a character development instruction program that meets all of the requirements in subsection B of this section.

D. Parents may elect for their child not to participate in the program.

E. The school district or charter school may accept donations or charge fees for the program if the program is not offered during regular school hours.

F. A character education special plate fund is established consisting of monies received pursuant to section 28-2421. The department of education shall administer the fund.  Not more than ten per cent of monies deposited in the fund annually shall be used for the cost of administering the fund.  Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated. Monies from the fund shall be annually distributed by the department by July 1.

G. The character education and development division at the department of education shall allocate monies through at least two but no more than four private character education foundations that are incorporated nonprofit corporations in this state and that are qualified under section 501(c)(3) of the United States internal revenue code for federal income tax purposes.  The director of the character education and development division at the department of education shall select private character education foundations that provide character education programs that demonstrate proven and effective research based curriculum and training to receive monies from the character education special plate fund.

H. On notice from the department of education, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund.

I. Monies in the fund are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.
A.R.S. § 15-1286 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 10.1 / Article 1 / Section 1286
15-1286 State treasurer; annual reports; distributions from funds
Status: in_force

15-1286. State treasurer; annual reports; distributions from funds

A. On or before September 1 of each year, the state treasurer shall report to the joint legislative budget committee and the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting on distributions made from the student support and safety fund established by section 15-1281 to the state treasurer, auditor general, department of education, department of revenue and state board of education pursuant to section 15-1281, subsection B.  The report shall include actual distributions made to each entity in the prior fiscal year and estimated distributions for the current fiscal year.

B. On or before September 1 of each year, the state treasurer shall report to the joint legislative budget committee and the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting on distributions made from the career training and workforce fund established by section 15-1282 to the state treasurer and the department of education pursuant to section 15-1282, subsection B.  The report shall include actual distributions made to each entity in the prior fiscal year and estimated distributions for the current fiscal year.
A.R.S. § 15-453 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 453
15-453 Authority to form joint common school districts; applicability of laws governing other school districts
Status: in_force

15-453. Authority to form joint common school districts; applicability of laws governing other school districts

A. Joint common school districts may be created lying in part in each of two or more counties in the manner set forth in this article.  Except as expressly provided in this title, each such district shall have all powers and duties and shall be operated and maintained and shall follow and be subject to such procedures as may be provided by law for the operation of other school districts.

B. Each joint common school district shall be designated as joint common school district No. ________________ (insert the number of the district), of _____________________ counties (insert the name of each county).

C. The provisions of section 15-460, relating to change of district boundaries, are not applicable to the formation of a joint common school district and a joint high school district pursuant to the provisions of this article.
A.R.S. § 15-1809 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 14 / Article 1 / Section 1809
15-1809 Spouses of military veterans tuition scholarship fund; tuition scholarships; eligibility; rules
Status: in_force

15-1809. Spouses of military veterans tuition scholarship fund; tuition scholarships; eligibility; rules

A. The spouses of military veterans tuition scholarship fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations. The Arizona board of regents shall administer the fund.  Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. On notice from the Arizona board of regents, the state treasurer shall invest and divest monies in the fund as provided by section 35-313, and monies earned from investment shall be credited to the fund.  Subject to available monies, the Arizona board of regents shall use the monies in the fund to award tuition scholarships to any person who meets all of the following requirements:

1. Enrolls in a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents or in a community college as defined in section 15-1401.

2. Is the spouse of an honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces of the United States. For the purposes of proving that the person's spouse is an honorably discharged veteran of the armed forces of the United States as required by this paragraph:

(a) The person shall submit proof of the honorable discharge or general discharge under honorable conditions of the person's spouse.

(b) The department of veterans' services shall verify that the person is the spouse of an honorably discharged veteran.

3. Is entitled to classification as an in-state student under section 15-1802.

4. Is a resident of this state at the time of applying for a tuition scholarship and continues to be a resident of this state while receiving a tuition scholarship under this section.

5. Completes and submits the free application for federal student aid for each year that the person receives a tuition scholarship under this section.

6. Complies with the standards of satisfactory academic progress as established by the university or community college in which the person enrolls.

7. Completes a family educational rights and privacy act of 1974 (P.L. 93-380; 88 Stat. 571) release form for each university or community college in which the person is enrolled to authorize the release of personally identifiable information required to determine continued tuition scholarship eligibility under this section.

B. A person who meets the requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section may apply to the Arizona board of regents for a tuition scholarship from the fund in a manner prescribed by the Arizona board of regents.  Subject to available monies, the Arizona board of regents shall award an eligible person a tuition scholarship that is equal to the amount of tuition and mandatory fees charged by the university or community college in which the person is enrolled, reduced by the amount of any federal aid scholarships or public grants and any other financial gifts, grants or aid received by that person.  The Arizona board of regents shall verify that the person satisfies the requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section before awarding a tuition scholarship.  If the Arizona board of regents determines that a person no longer satisfies the requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section, the Arizona board of regents may not award a subsequent tuition scholarship from the fund until the person submits documentation showing that the person satisfies all requirements prescribed in subsection A of this section.

C. A tuition scholarship provided pursuant to this section shall be:

1. Limited to not more than four academic years or eight semesters.

2. Used only for a certificate, an associate degree or a baccalaureate degree.

3. Used only to pay tuition and mandatory fees at a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents or at a community college as defined in section 15-1401.

D. Tuition scholarships under this section shall be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If there are insufficient monies in the fund, the Arizona board of regents may not award a tuition scholarship to an eligible person under this section.

E. On or before June 30 of each year, if there are any unexpended and unencumbered monies remaining in the fund after scholarships are awarded pursuant to this section and surplus monies are distributed pursuant to section 15-1808, the Arizona board of regents shall deposit the remaining monies as follows:

1. $500,000 or the amount of remaining monies, whichever is less, in the spouses and dependents of law enforcement officers tuition scholarship fund established by section 15-1809.02.

2. Any monies remaining after the deposit pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection as follows:

(a) Thirty percent in the Arizona teachers academy fund established by section 15-1655.

(b) Sixty percent in the Arizona promise program fund established by section 15-1701.

(c) Ten percent in the Arizona community colleges promise program fund established by section 15-1705.

F. The Arizona board of regents may adopt rules for the purposes of administering this section.
A.R.S. § 15-756.04 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 7 / Article 3.1 / Section 756.04
15-756.04 Arizona English language learner fund; local-level funds
Status: in_force

15-756.04. Arizona English language learner fund; local-level funds

A. The Arizona English language learner fund is established.  The department of education shall administer the fund.

B. The department of education shall submit an annual request for an appropriation for the purposes of this section.

C. In addition to the ELL support level weight prescribed in section 15-943, the department of education shall distribute monies from the fund to school districts and charter schools in an amount specified in the budget request prescribed in section 15-756.03, subsection C. This subsection does not prohibit a school district or charter school from receiving monies from the statewide compensatory instruction fund established by section 15-756.11 for more than two fiscal years for the same pupil.

D. The superintendent of public instruction shall attempt to obtain the maximum amount of federal funding that is available for English language learner programs.

E. Each school district and charter school shall establish a local-level English language learner fund to receive monies distributed from the Arizona English language learner fund. Monies in local-level English language learner funds shall be spent only to provide instruction to English language learners. The auditor general shall modify the budget format, financial record requirements, accounting forms and financial report forms in accordance with this subsection. In consultation with the department of education, the auditor general shall provide support and guidance to assist school districts and charter schools in complying with this subsection.  Documents developed pursuant to this subsection shall be reviewed by the state board of education and the joint legislative budget committee.

F. Each school district and charter school shall use monies from its local-level English language learner fund to supplement existing programs for English language learners.  Monies from the fund shall not be used to supplant available monies used to pay for the normal costs of conducting programs for English proficient students.
A.R.S. § 15-977 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 9 / Article 5 / Section 977
15-977 Classroom site fund; definitions
Status: in_force

15-977. Classroom site fund; definitions

A. The classroom site fund is established consisting of monies transferred to the fund pursuant to section 37-521, subsection B, section 42-5029, subsection E, paragraph 10 and section 42-5029.02, subsection A. The department of education shall administer the fund.  School districts and charter schools may not supplant existing school site funding with revenues from the fund. All monies distributed from the fund are intended for use at the school site. Teacher compensation distributed pursuant to this section shall supplement, and not supplant, teacher compensation monies from any other sources.  The school district or charter school shall notify each school principal of the amount available to the school by April 15 of each year.  The district or charter school shall request from the school's principal each school's priority for the allocation of the funds available to the school for each program listed under subsection H of this section. The amount budgeted by the school district or charter school pursuant to this section shall not be included in the allowable budget balance carryforward calculated pursuant to section 15-943.01.

B. A school district governing board must adopt a performance based compensation system at a public hearing to allocate funding from the classroom site fund pursuant to subsection A of this section. Individual teacher performance shall be a component of allocation for teacher compensation.

C. A school district governing board shall vote on a performance based compensation system that includes the following elements:

1. School district performance and school performance.

2. Individual teacher performance.

3. Measures of academic progress toward the academic standards adopted by the state board of education.

4. Other measures of academic progress.

5. Dropout or graduation rates.

6. Attendance rates.

7. Ratings of school quality by parents.

8. Ratings of school quality by students.

9. The input of teachers and administrators.

10. Approval of the performance based compensation system based on an affirmative vote of at least seventy percent of the teachers eligible to participate in the performance based compensation system.

11. An appeals process for teachers who have been denied performance based compensation.

12. Regular evaluation for effectiveness.

D. A performance based compensation system shall include teacher professional development programs that are aligned with the elements of the performance based compensation system.

E. A school district governing board may modify the elements contained in subsection C of this section and consider additional elements when adopting a performance based compensation system. A school district governing board shall adopt any modifications or additional elements and specify the criteria used at a public hearing.

F. Until December 31, 2009, each school district shall develop an assessment plan for its performance based compensation system and submit the plan to the department of education by December 31 of each year. A copy of the performance based compensation system and assessment plan adopted by the school district governing board shall be included in the report submitted to the department of education.

G. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated, are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations and shall be distributed as follows:

1. By March 30 of each year, the staff of the joint legislative budget committee shall determine a per pupil amount from the fund for the budget year using the estimated statewide weighted count for the current year pursuant to section 15-943, paragraph 2, subdivision (a) and based on estimated available resources in the classroom site fund for the budget year adjusted for any prior year carryforward or shortfall.

2. The allocation to each charter school and school district for a fiscal year shall equal the per pupil amount established in paragraph 1 of this subsection for the fiscal year multiplied by the weighted student count for the school district or charter school for the fiscal year pursuant to section 15-943, paragraph 2, subdivision (a). For the purposes of this paragraph, the weighted student count for a school district that serves as the district of attendance for nonresident pupils shall be increased to include nonresident pupils who attend school in the school district.

H. Monies distributed from the classroom site fund shall be spent for the following purposes:

1. Class size reduction.

2. Teacher compensation, including a base pay and performance pay component.

3. Assessment intervention programs.

4. Teacher development.

5. Dropout prevention programs.

6. Teacher liability insurance premiums.

7. Student support services.

I. The district governing board or charter school shall allocate the classroom site fund monies to include, if possible, the priorities identified by the principals of the schools while ensuring that the monies maximize classroom opportunities and conform to the authorized expenditures identified in subsection A of this section.

J. School districts and charter schools that receive monies from the classroom site fund shall submit a report by November 15 of each year to the superintendent of public instruction that provides an accounting of the expenditures of monies distributed from the fund during the previous fiscal year and a summary of the results of district and school programs funded with monies distributed from the fund. The department of education in conjunction with the auditor general shall prescribe the format of the report under this subsection.

K. School districts and charter schools that receive monies from the classroom site fund shall receive these monies monthly in an amount not to exceed one-twelfth of the monies estimated pursuant to subsection G of this section, except that if there are insufficient monies in the fund that month to make payments, the distribution for that month shall be prorated for each school district or charter school. The department of education may make an additional payment in the current month for any prior month or months in which school districts or charter schools received a prorated payment if there are sufficient monies in the fund that month for the additional payments.  The state is not required to make payments to a school district or charter school classroom site fund if the state classroom site fund revenue collections are insufficient to meet the estimated allocations to school districts and charter schools pursuant to subsection G of this section.

L. The state education system for committed youth shall receive monies from the classroom site fund in the same manner as school districts and charter schools.  The Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind shall receive monies from the classroom site fund in an amount that corresponds to the weighted student count for the current year pursuant to section 15-943, paragraph 2, subdivision (b) for each pupil enrolled in the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind.  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind and the state education system for committed youth are subject to this section in the same manner as school districts and charter schools.

M. Each school district and charter school, including school districts that unify pursuant to section 15-448 or consolidate pursuant to section 15-459, shall establish a local level classroom site fund to receive allocations from the state level classroom site fund. The local level classroom site fund shall be a budgetary controlled account. Interest charges for any registered warrants for the local level classroom site fund shall be a charge against the local level classroom site fund.  Interest earned on monies in the local level classroom site fund shall be added to the local level classroom site fund as provided in section 15-978. This state shall not be required to make payments to a school district or charter school local level classroom site fund that are in addition to monies transferred to the state level classroom site fund pursuant to section 37-521, subsection B, section 42-5029, subsection E, paragraph 10 and section 42-5029.02, subsection A.

N. Monies distributed from the classroom site fund for class size reduction, assessment intervention and dropout prevention programs shall only be used for instructional purposes in the instruction function as defined in the uniform system of financial records, except that monies shall not be used for school-sponsored athletics.

O. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Assessment intervention" means summer programs, after school programs, before school programs or tutoring programs that are specifically designed to ensure that pupils meet the Arizona academic standards as measured by the statewide assessment prescribed by section 15-741.

2. "Class size reduction" means any maintenance and operations expenditure that is designed to reduce the ratio of pupils to classroom teachers, including the use of persons who serve as aides to classroom teachers.

3. "Student support services" means any expenditure in the student support services function as defined in the uniform system of financial records.
A.R.S. § 15-1410 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 12 / Article 1 / Section 1410
15-1410 Credit and noncredit courses; definition
Status: in_force

15-1410. Credit and noncredit courses; definition

A. A course that is offered for credit shall satisfy at least one of the following:

1. Satisfy one or more of the following purposes:

(a) Qualify students for a community college certificate or degree.

(b) Be acceptable for transfer to a regionally accredited public or private college or university.

(c) Prepare students with skills to seek entry-level jobs in the field of specialization.

(d) Improve the student's job skills or prepare the student for promotion in fields of employment.

(e) Provide skills necessary for success in other college courses.

(f) Provide continuing education and lifelong learning.

2. Satisfy all of the following requirements:

(a) Have a formal course outline that defines the objectives and content of the course on file and available for audit.

(b) Evaluate and grade students based on their mastery of the objectives and content of the course.

(c) Require faculty teaching the course to meet the standards set by the district to teach in the subject area of the course.

(d) Base the credit hours or contact hours awarded for completion of the course on the effort required of, and the competencies gained by, the students in accordance with policies adopted by the district governing board.

(e) Require students, before enrollment in the course, to achieve prerequisite competencies as defined in the syllabus or approved course guidelines.

(f) Be developed using the district's formal curriculum review procedure.

(g) Have an evaluation component, the results of which are used for the purposes of formative and summative evaluation by the institution.

(h) Meet other requirements adopted pursuant to district governing board policies, including national standardized examinations and credit by evaluation or examination.

B. A noncredit workforce training or career and technical education course that meets the criteria established in subsection A of this section and that is offered for contact hours instead of credit hours shall satisfy one or more of the following:

1. Be consistent with the Carl D. Perkins Career and technical education improvement act of 2006, as amended by the strengthening career and technical education for the 21st century act.

2. Be included on the eligible training provider list maintained pursuant to the workforce innovation and opportunity act.

3. Be requested pursuant to a formal agreement or contract with a business or entity.

C. Noncredit courses are courses that do not meet the criteria established in subsection A of this section. Noncredit courses are the financial responsibility of the district.

D. A community college under the jurisdiction of a community college district governing board may not offer a course with a prerequisite for enrollment that requires a student to be a member of a labor organization, a trade organization or a trade guild or to participate in an industry apprenticeship program.

E. For the purposes of this section, "contact hour" means sixty minutes of instructional time that is provided to students in a noncredit workforce training or career and technical education course.
A.R.S. § 15-972 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 9 / Article 5 / Section 972
15-972 State limitation on homeowner property taxes; additional state aid to school districts; definitions
Status: in_force

15-972. State limitation on homeowner property taxes; additional state aid to school districts; definitions

A. Notwithstanding section 15-971, there shall be additional state aid for education computed for school districts as provided in subsection B of this section.

B. The clerk of the board of supervisors shall compute such additional state aid for education as follows:

1. For a high school district or for a common school district within a high school district that does not offer instruction in high school subjects as provided in section 15-447:

(a) Determine the qualifying tax rate pursuant to section 41-1276 for the school district.

(b) Determine the following percentage of the qualifying tax rate determined in subdivision (a) of this paragraph:

(i) 47.19 percent through December 31, 2021.

(ii) Fifty percent beginning from and after December 31, 2021.

(c) Select the lesser of the amount determined in subdivision (b) of this paragraph or fifty percent of the primary property tax rate that would be levied in lieu of this section for the district.

(d) Multiply the rate selected in subdivision (c) of this paragraph as a rate per $100 assessed valuation by the assessed valuation used for primary property taxes of the residential property in the school district.

2. For a unified school district, for a common school district not within a high school district or for a common school district that offers instruction in high school subjects as provided in section 15-447:

(a) Determine the qualifying tax rate pursuant to section 41-1276 for the school district.

(b) Determine the following percentage of the qualifying tax rate determined in subdivision (a) of this paragraph:

(i) 47.19 percent through December 31, 2021.

(ii) Fifty percent beginning from and after December 31, 2021.

(c) Select the lesser of the amount determined in subdivision (b) of this paragraph or fifty percent of the primary property tax rate that would be levied in lieu of this section for the district.

(d) Multiply the rate selected in subdivision (c) of this paragraph as a rate per $100 assessed valuation by the assessed valuation used for primary property taxes of the residential property in the district.

C. The clerk of the board of supervisors shall report to the department of revenue not later than the Friday following the third Monday in August of each year the amount by school district of additional state aid for education and the data used for computing the amount as provided in subsection B of this section. The department of revenue shall verify all of the amounts and report to the county board of supervisors not later than August 30 of each year the property tax rate or rates that shall be used for property tax reduction as provided in subsection E of this section.

D. The board of supervisors shall reduce the property tax rate or rates that would be levied in lieu of this section by the school district or districts on the assessed valuation used for primary property taxes of the residential property in the school district or districts by the rate or rates selected in subsection B, paragraph 1, subdivision (c) and paragraph 2, subdivision (c) of this section. The excess of the reduction in property taxes for a parcel of property resulting from the reduction in the property tax rate pursuant to this subsection over the amounts listed in this subsection shall be deducted from the amount of additional state aid for education. The reduction in property taxes on a parcel of property resulting from the reduction in the property tax rate pursuant to this subsection shall not exceed $600, except as provided in subsection I of this section.

E. Before levying taxes for school purposes, the board of supervisors shall determine whether the total primary property taxes to be levied for all taxing jurisdictions on each parcel of residential property, in lieu of this subsection, violate article IX, section 18, Constitution of Arizona. For those properties that qualify for property tax exemptions pursuant to article IX, section 2, Constitution of Arizona, eligibility for the credit is determined on the basis of the limited property value that corresponds to the taxable assessed value after reduction for the applicable exemption.  If the board of supervisors determines that such a situation exists, the board shall apply a credit against the primary property taxes due from each such parcel in the amount in excess of article IX, section 18, Constitution of Arizona. Such excess amounts shall also be additional state aid for education for the school district or districts in which the parcel of property is located.

F. The clerk of the board of supervisors shall report to the department of revenue not later than September 5 of each year the amount by school district of additional state aid for education and the data used for computing the amount as provided in subsection B of this section. The department of revenue shall verify all of the amounts and report to the board of supervisors not later than September 10 of each year the property tax rate that shall be used for property tax reduction as provided in subsection E of this section.

G. The clerk of the board of supervisors shall report to the department of revenue not later than September 30 of each year in writing the following:

1. The data processing specifications used in the calculations provided for in subsections B and E of this section.

2. At a minimum, copies of two actual tax bills for residential property for each distinct tax area.

H. The department of revenue shall report to the state board of education not later than October 12 of each year the amount by school district of additional state aid for education as provided in this section. The additional state aid for education provided in this section shall be apportioned as provided in section 15-973.

I. If a parcel of property is owned by a cooperative apartment corporation or is owned by the tenants of a cooperative apartment corporation as tenants in common, the reduction in the property taxes prescribed in subsection D of this section shall not exceed the amounts listed in subsection D of this section for each owner-occupied housing unit on the property. The assessed value used for determining the reduction in taxes for the property is equal to the total assessed value of the property times the ratio of the number of owner-occupied housing units to the total number of housing units on the property. For the purposes of this subsection, "cooperative apartment corporation" means a corporation:

1. Having only one class of outstanding stock.

2. Of which all of the stockholders are entitled, solely by reason of their ownership of stock in the corporation, to occupy for dwelling purposes apartments in a building owned or leased by the corporation and that are not entitled, either conditionally or unconditionally, except on a complete or partial liquidation of the corporation, to receive any distribution not out of earnings and profits of the corporation.

3. Of which eighty percent or more of the gross income is derived from tenant-stockholders. For the purposes of this paragraph, "gross income" means gross income as defined by the United States internal revenue code, as defined in section 43-105.

J. The total amount of state monies that may be spent in any fiscal year for state aid for education in this section shall not exceed the amount appropriated or authorized by section 35-173 for that purpose.  This section does not impose a duty on an officer, agent or employee of this state to discharge a responsibility or create any right in a person or group if the discharge or right would require an expenditure of state monies in excess of the expenditure authorized by legislative appropriation for that specific purpose.

K. Notwithstanding subsection E of this section, the maximum amount of additional state aid for education that will be funded by this state pursuant to subsection E of this section shall be $1,000,000 per county.  For any county with a school district or districts that collectively would otherwise receive more than $1,000,000 in additional state aid for education pursuant to subsection E of this section, the property tax oversight commission established by section 42-17002 shall determine the proportion of the violation of article IX, section 18, Constitution of Arizona, that is attributable to each taxing jurisdiction within the affected school district or districts. Based on those proportions, the property tax oversight commission shall determine an amount that each taxing jurisdiction within the affected school district or districts shall transfer to the affected school district or districts during the fiscal year in order to compensate the affected school district or districts for its pro rata share of the reduction in additional state aid for education funding required by this subsection.  In determining the proportion of the violation of article IX, section 18, Constitution of Arizona, that is attributable to each taxing jurisdiction within the affected school district or districts, the property tax oversight commission shall assume a proportion of zero for any taxing jurisdiction that has a tax rate for the fiscal year that is equal to or less than the tax rate of peer jurisdictions, as determined by the property tax oversight commission.

L. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Owner" includes any purchaser under a contract of sale or under a deed of trust.

2. "Residential property" includes owner-occupied real property and improvements to the property and owner-occupied mobile homes that are the owner's primary residence and classified as class three property pursuant to section 42-12003.
A.R.S. § 15-444 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 444
15-444 Formation of union high school district; petition for establishment; election; notice
Status: in_force

15-444. Formation of union high school district; petition for establishment; election; notice

A. Two or more adjoining school districts jointly having a student count of at least two hundred pupils and an assessed valuation of at least $2,000,000 may unite and form a union high school district.  A union high school district may not be formed of territory already embodied in a union high school district unless the remaining territory of the original union high school district is contiguous and has an assessed valuation of at least $5,000,000.

B. If a majority of the governing boards of each of two or more adjoining school districts unites in a petition to the county school superintendent to establish a union high school district, or if ten percent of the residents of each of two or more adjoining school districts unite in a petition to establish a union high school district, the county school superintendent shall call an election to be held at the next regular election of the governing board, if within ninety days after receipt of the petition, to determine the question, or a special election called for that purpose within sixty days.

C. Public notices of the election, not less than three in each school district comprising the proposed union high school district, shall be posted, one to be on the door of the schoolhouse in each district, at least ten days before the election.

D. The election shall be conducted as nearly as practicable in the manner prescribed in section 15-459. The ballots shall contain the words "union high school district, yes" and "union high school district, no", and the voter shall signify his desired choice.

E. If a majority of the persons voting within each school district comprising the proposed union high school district votes in favor of establishing a union high school district, the union high school district shall become effective as provided in section 15-459, subsection J.

F. If a union high school district is established from a unified school district as provided in this section, a common school district is established with boundaries coterminous with the boundaries of the former unified school district.
A.R.S. § 15-395.01 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 3 / Article 6 / Section 395.01
15-395.01 Reducing the size of career technical education districts
Status: in_force

15-395.01. Reducing the size of career technical education districts

A. Except as provided in subsection B of this section, to withdraw a school district from a career technical education district, the governing boards of a majority of the school districts participating in the career technical education district shall approve by a majority vote the withdrawal of the school district. If a majority of the school district governing boards approve the withdrawal, the career technical education board shall consider the withdrawal, and to approve the withdrawal the proposed withdrawal must receive the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the career technical education board. If the career technical education board approves, the question of the withdrawal from the career technical education district shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the school district seeking to withdraw from the career technical education district at the next general election.

B. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, to withdraw a common school district from a career technical education district, the governing board of the common school district that desires to withdraw from the career technical education district shall approve by a majority vote the withdrawal of the common school district.  The governing board of the common school district shall notify the governing board of the career technical education district no later than ten days after the governing board of the common school district approves the withdrawal of the district. If the governing board of the common school district that desires to withdraw from the career technical education district approves, the question of the withdrawal from the career technical education district shall be submitted to the qualified electors of the common school district seeking to withdraw from the career technical education district at the next general election.  A common school district that is within the boundaries of a union high school district that is a member of the career technical education district is not eligible to withdraw from the career technical education district pursuant to this subsection.

C. If the withdrawal of a school district is approved as prescribed in subsection A or B of this section, the qualifying tax rate shall remain in effect for the remainder of the current tax year.

D. The school district withdrawn pursuant to this section is not entitled to ownership of any assets held by the career technical education district.

E. If a career technical education district from which a school district withdraws pursuant to this section has outstanding bonded indebtedness, the debt shall continue to be levied on taxable property for all bonds issued before the withdrawal of the school district in the same manner as was levied and collected before the withdrawal of the school district.
A.R.S. § 15-1105 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 10 / Article 1 / Section 1105
15-1105 Lease of school property; immunity; civic center school fund; reversion to school plant fund; definitions
Status: in_force

15-1105. Lease of school property; immunity; civic center school fund; reversion to school plant fund; definitions

A. The governing board, or the superintendent or chief administrative officer with the approval of the governing board, may lease school property, including school buildings, grounds, buses and equipment, to any person, group or organization for any lawful purpose, including recreational, educational, political, economic, artistic, moral, scientific, social, religious or other civic or governmental purpose in the interest of the community, including extended day resource programs.  The governing board, superintendent or chief administrative officer shall charge a reasonable use fee for the lease of the school property, which may include goods contributed or services rendered by the person, group or organization to the school district.

B. The governing board, or the superintendent or chief administrative officer with the approval of the governing board, may permit the uncompensated use of school buildings, grounds, buses, equipment and other school property by any school related group, including student political organizations, or by any organization whose membership is open to the public and whose activities promote the educational function of the school district as determined in good faith by the school district's governing board, or the superintendent or chief administrative officer with the approval of the governing board, including extended day resource programs, except as provided in section 15-511.

C. A school district and its employees, including the governing board, superintendent or chief administrative officer, are immune from civil liability with respect to all decisions made and actions taken to allow the lease or use of school property, unless the school district 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.

D. A person, group or organization that is otherwise eligible to lease school property shall not be denied use of or charged differentiated fees for school property on the basis of the person's, group's or organization's beliefs, expression of beliefs or exercise of the rights of association that are protected under the laws of this state, the Constitution of Arizona, the laws of the United States or the United States Constitution.

E. The governing board shall annually approve a fee schedule for the lease of school property.  The fee schedule shall include a designation of the persons, groups or organizations that shall have uncompensated use of the school property, and a procedure for determining the value of goods and services being provided as compensation for the use of school property. The governing board, superintendent or chief administrative officer shall require proof of liability insurance for such use or lease of school property.

F. Except as provided in section 15-1102, monies received for and derived from the use or lease of school property under this section shall be promptly deposited with the county treasurer who shall credit the deposits to the civic center school fund of the respective school district. Monies placed to the credit of a civic center school fund may be expended for civic center school purposes by warrants drawn upon order of the school district governing board, or the superintendent or chief administrative officer with the approval of the governing board.  The civic center school fund of a school district or multiple school district civic center school program is a continuing fund not subject to reversion, except upon termination of a civic center school program.  Upon termination of a civic center school program, any remaining funds shall revert to the school plant fund of the school district or districts.

G. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Educational function" means uses that are directly related to the educational mission of the school district as adopted by the school district governing board and includes parent-teacher organizations, youth organizations and school employee organizations.

2. "Extended day resource programs" means activities offered on school property before or after school or at times when school is not customarily in session for children who are of the age required for kindergarten programs and grades one through eight.  The program may be offered for children who are of the age required for a kindergarten program or for one grade or for any combination of kindergarten programs and grades.  Activities may include physical conditioning, tutoring, supervised homework or arts activities.

3. "Reasonable use fee" means an amount that is at least equal to the school district's cost for utilities, services, supplies or personnel that the school provides to the lessee pursuant to the terms of the lease.
A.R.S. § 15-706 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 706
15-706 Instruction in environmental education; definition
Status: in_force

15-706. Instruction in environmental education; definition

A. If a school district chooses to provide instruction in environmental education, the environmental education program shall:

1. Be based on current and reliable scientific information.

2. Include a discussion of economic and social implications.

B. For the purposes of this section "environmental education" means educational processes, programs and activities which are specifically designed to enhance student acquisition of knowledge of scientific and economic principles, concepts and facts as they relate to environmental topics and issues and which are taught in an unbiased, fair and balanced manner.
A.R.S. § 15-808 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 8 / Article 1 / Section 808
15-808 Arizona online instruction; reports; definitions
Status: in_force

15-808. Arizona online instruction; reports; definitions

A. Arizona online instruction shall be instituted to meet the needs of pupils in the information age. The state board of education shall select district public schools and state-approved charter authorizers shall sponsor charter schools to be online course providers or online schools. The state board of education and state-approved charter authorizers shall develop standards for the approval of online course providers and online schools based on the following criteria:

1. The depth and breadth of curriculum choices.

2. The variety of educational methodologies employed by the school and the means of addressing the unique needs and learning styles of targeted pupil populations, including computer-assisted learning systems, virtual classrooms, virtual laboratories, electronic field trips, e-mail, virtual tutoring, online help desk, group chat sessions and noncomputer-based activities performed under the direction of a certificated teacher.

3. The availability of an intranet or private network to safeguard pupils against predatory and pornographic elements of the internet.

4. The availability of filtered research access to the internet.

5. The availability of private individual e-mail between pupils, teachers, administrators and parents in order to protect the confidentiality of pupil records and information.

6. The availability of faculty members who are experienced with computer networks, the internet and computer animation.

7. The extent to which the school intends to develop partnerships with universities, community colleges and private businesses.

8. The services offered to populations with developmental disabilities.

9. The grade levels that will be served.

B. Each new school that provides online instruction shall provide online instruction on a probationary status. After a new school that provides online instruction has clearly demonstrated the academic integrity of its instruction through the actual improvement of the academic performance of its students, the school may apply to be removed from probationary status. The state board of education or the state-approved charter authorizer that sponsored the charter school shall remove from Arizona online instruction any probationary school that fails to clearly demonstrate improvement in academic performance within three years measured against goals in the approved application and the state's accountability system.  All pupils who participate in Arizona online instruction shall reside in this state.  Pupils who participate in Arizona online instruction are subject to the testing requirements prescribed in chapter 7, article 3 of this title.  On enrollment, the school shall notify the parents or guardians of the pupil of the state testing requirements.  If a pupil fails to comply with the testing requirements and the school administers the tests pursuant to this subsection to less than ninety-five percent of the pupils in Arizona online instruction, the pupil shall not be allowed to participate in Arizona online instruction.

C. The state board of education and state-approved charter authorizers shall develop annual reporting mechanisms for schools that participate in Arizona online instruction.

D. The department of education shall compile the information submitted in the annual reports by schools participating in Arizona online instruction. The department of education shall submit the compiled report to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate by November 15 of each year.

E. Each school selected for Arizona online instruction shall ensure that a daily log is maintained for each pupil who participates in Arizona online instruction.  The daily log shall describe the amount of time spent by each pupil participating in Arizona online instruction pursuant to this section on academic tasks. The daily log shall be used by the school district or charter school to qualify the pupils who participate in Arizona online instruction in the school's average daily attendance calculations pursuant to subsection F of this section.

F. If a pupil is enrolled in a school district or charter school and also participates in Arizona online instruction, the sum of the average daily membership, which includes enrollment as prescribed in section 15-901, subsection A, paragraph 1, subdivisions (a) and (b) and daily attendance as prescribed in section 15-901, subsection A, paragraph 5, for that pupil in the school district or charter school and in Arizona online instruction shall not exceed 1.0.  If the pupil is enrolled in a school district or a charter school and also participates in Arizona online instruction and the sum of the daily membership or daily attendance for that pupil is greater than 1.0, the sum shall be reduced to 1.0 and shall be apportioned between the school district, unless the school district is a career technical education district subject to the apportionment requirements of section 15-393, or charter school and Arizona online instruction based on the percentage of total time that the pupil is enrolled or in attendance in the school district or charter school and Arizona online instruction. The uniform system of financial records shall include guidelines for the apportionment of the pupil enrollment and attendance as provided in this subsection. Pupils in Arizona online instruction do not incur absences for purposes of this subsection and may generate an average daily attendance of 1.0 for attendance hours during any hour of the day, during any day of the week and at any time between July 1 and June 30 of each fiscal year.  For kindergarten programs and grades one through eight, average daily membership shall be calculated by dividing the instructional hours as reported in the daily log required in subsection E of this section by the applicable hourly requirements prescribed in section 15-901.  For grades nine through twelve, average daily membership shall be calculated by dividing the instructional hours as reported in the daily log required in subsection E of this section by nine hundred. The average daily membership of a pupil who participates in online instruction shall not exceed 1.0. Average daily membership shall not be calculated on the one hundredth day of instruction for the purposes of this section. Funding shall be determined as follows:

1. A pupil who is enrolled full-time in Arizona online instruction shall be funded for online instruction at ninety-five percent of the base support level that would be calculated for that pupil if that pupil were enrolled as a full-time student in a school district or charter school that does not participate in Arizona online instruction. Charter additional assistance and district additional assistance shall be calculated in the same manner they would be calculated if the student were enrolled in a district or charter school that does not participate in Arizona online instruction.

2. A pupil who is enrolled part-time in Arizona online instruction shall be funded for online instruction at eighty-five percent of the base support level that would be calculated for that pupil if that pupil were enrolled as a part-time student in a school district or charter school that does not participate in Arizona online instruction. Charter additional assistance and district additional assistance shall be calculated in the same manner they would be calculated if the student were enrolled in a district or charter school that does not participate in Arizona online instruction.

G. If the academic achievement of a pupil declines while the pupil is participating in Arizona online instruction, the pupil's parents, the pupil's teachers and the principal or head teacher of the school shall confer to evaluate whether the pupil should be allowed to continue to participate in Arizona online instruction.

H. To ensure the academic integrity of pupils who participate in online instruction, Arizona online instruction shall include multiple diverse assessment measures and the proctored administration of required state standardized tests.

I. A school district or charter school may not charge a fee to a pupil who takes an examination in a particular course to obtain academic credit, pursuant to section 15-701.01, subsection I, from the school district or charter school if the academic credit for a course was previously earned in an Arizona online instruction course or at any public school in this state.  Any test administered pursuant to this subsection shall be an assessment that is aligned to the course-relevant state academic standards.

J. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Full-time student" means:

(a) A student who is at least five years of age before September 1 of a school year and who is enrolled in a school kindergarten program that meets at least three hundred forty-six hours during the school year.

(b) A student who is at least six years of age before September 1 of a school year, who has not graduated from the highest grade taught in the school and who is regularly enrolled in a course of study required by the state board of education. For first, second and third grade students, the instructional program shall meet at least seven hundred twelve hours. For fourth, fifth and sixth grade students, the instructional program shall meet at least eight hundred ninety hours during the school year.

(c) Seventh and eighth grade students or ungraded students who are at least twelve, but under fourteen, years of age on or before September 1 and who are enrolled in an instructional program of courses that meets at least one thousand sixty-eight hours during the school year.

(d) For high schools, a student who has not graduated from the highest grade taught in the school district, or an ungraded student who is at least fourteen years of age on or before September 1, and who is enrolled in at least four courses throughout the year that meet at least nine hundred hours during the school year. A full-time student shall not be counted more than once for computation of average daily membership.

2. "Online course provider" means a school other than an online school that is selected by the state board of education or a state-approved charter authorizer to participate in Arizona online instruction pursuant to this section and that provides at least one online academic course that is approved by the state board of education.

3. "Online school" means a school that provides at least four online academic courses or one or more online courses for the equivalent of at least five hours each day for one hundred eighty school days and that is a charter school that is sponsored by a state-approved charter authorizer or a district public school that is selected by the state board of education to participate in Arizona online instruction.

4. "Part-time student" means:

(a) Any student who is enrolled in a program that does not meet the definition in paragraph 1 of this subsection shall be funded at eighty-five percent of the base support level that would be calculated for that pupil if that pupil were enrolled as a part-time student in a school district or charter school that does not participate in Arizona online instruction.

(b) A part-time student of seventy-five percent average daily membership shall be enrolled in at least three subjects throughout the year that offer for first, second and third grade students at least five hundred thirty-four instructional hours in a school year and for fourth, fifth and sixth grade students at least six hundred sixty-eight instructional hours in a school year. A part-time student of fifty percent average daily membership shall be enrolled in at least two subjects throughout the year that offer for first, second and third grade students at least three hundred fifty-six instructional hours in a school year and for fourth, fifth and sixth grade students at least four hundred forty-five instructional hours in a school year. A part-time student of twenty-five percent average daily membership shall be enrolled in at least one subject throughout the year that offers for first, second and third grade students at least one hundred seventy-eight instructional hours in a school year and for fourth, fifth and sixth grade students at least two hundred twenty-three instructional hours in a school year.

(c) For seventh and eighth grade students, a part-time student of seventy-five percent average daily membership shall be enrolled in at least three subjects throughout the year that offer at least eight hundred one instructional hours in a school year.  A part-time student of fifty percent average daily membership shall be enrolled in at least two subjects throughout the year that offer at least five hundred thirty-four instructional hours in a school year.  A part-time student of twenty-five percent average daily membership shall be enrolled in at least one subject throughout the year that offers at least two hundred sixty-seven instructional hours in a school year.

(d) For high school students, a part-time student of seventy-five percent average daily membership shall be enrolled in at least three subjects throughout the year that offer at least six hundred seventy-five instructional hours in a school year.  A part-time student of fifty percent average daily membership shall be enrolled in at least two subjects throughout the year that offer at least four hundred fifty instructional hours in a school year.  A part-time student of twenty-five percent average daily membership shall be enrolled in at least one subject throughout the year that offers at least two hundred twenty-five instructional hours in a school year.

5. "State-approved charter authorizer" means any charter school sponsor authorized pursuant to section 15-183.
A.R.S. § 15-238 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 2 / Article 2 / Section 238
15-238 Statewide student estimate
Status: in_force

15-238. Statewide student estimate

Before February 15 of each year the department of education shall submit to the economic estimates commission the total estimated statewide number of students determined for the current year.
A.R.S. § 15-116 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 116
15-116 Public schools; fees; waiver; prohibition
Status: in_force

15-116. Public schools; fees; waiver; prohibition

A. A school district governing board or charter school governing body that authorizes the assessment of fees pursuant to this title shall ensure that all fees contain a provision that allows the fees to be waived in the event of economic hardship to the pupil.

B. The nonpayment of fees charged by a public school may not prevent a pupil from enrolling in, applying to or remaining enrolled in a public school.

C. This section does not prohibit a school district or charter school from charging tuition to a nonresident pupil as permitted by this title.
A.R.S. § 15-947 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 9 / Article 3 / Section 947
15-947 Revenue control limit; district support level; general budget limit; unrestricted total capital budget limit; district additional assistance limit
Status: in_force

15-947. Revenue control limit; district support level; general budget limit; unrestricted total capital budget limit; district additional assistance limit

A. The revenue control limit for a school district is equal to the sum of the base revenue control limit determined in section 15-944 and the transportation revenue control limit determined in section 15-946.

B. The district support level for a school district is equal to the sum of the base support level determined in section 15-943 and the transportation support level determined in section 15-945.

C. The general budget limit for each school district, for each fiscal year, is the sum of the following:

1. The maintenance and operations portion of the revenue control limit for the budget year.

2. The maintenance and operation portion of the following amounts:

(a) Amounts that are fully funded by revenues other than a levy of taxes on the taxable property within the school district, as listed below:

(i) Amounts budgeted as the budget balance carryforward as provided in section 15-943.01.

(ii) Tuition revenues for attendance of nonresident pupils.

(iii) State assistance as provided in section 15-976.

(iv) Special education revenues as provided in section 15-825, subsection D and section 15-1204.

(v) Title VIII of the elementary and secondary education act of 1965 assistance determined for children with disabilities, children with specific learning disabilities, children residing on Indian lands and children residing within the boundaries of an accommodation school that is located on a military reservation and that is classified as a heavily impacted local educational agency pursuant to 20 United States Code section 7703 as provided in section 15-905, subsections K and O.

(vi) Title VIII of the elementary and secondary education act of 1965 administrative costs as provided in section 15-905, subsection P.

(vii) State assistance for excess tuition as provided in section 15-825.01.

(viii) Transportation revenues for attendance of nonresident pupils.

(b) Amounts approved pursuant to an override election as provided in section 15-481 for the applicable fiscal year.

(c) Amounts authorized by the county school superintendent pursuant to section 15-974, subsection B.

(d) Expenditures for complying with a court order of desegregation as provided in section 15-910.

(e) Interest on registered warrants or tax anticipation notes as provided in section 15-910.

(f) Amounts budgeted for a jointly owned and operated career and technical education and vocational education center as provided in section 15-910.01.

3. The maintenance and operations portion of district additional assistance for the budget year.

4. Any other budget item that is budgeted in the maintenance and operation section of the budget and that is specifically exempt from the revenue control limit or district additional assistance.

D. The unrestricted capital budget limit, for each school district for each fiscal year, is the sum of the following:

1. The federal impact adjustment as determined in section 15-964 for the budget year.

2. Any other budget item that is budgeted in the capital outlay section of the budget and that is specifically exempt from district additional assistance.

3. The unrestricted capital portion of the amounts contained in subsection C of this section.

4. The unexpended budget balance in the unrestricted capital outlay fund from the previous fiscal year.

5. The net interest earned in the unrestricted capital outlay fund from the previous fiscal year.
A.R.S. § 15-1775 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 13 / Article 10 / Section 1775
15-1775 Civil remedies
Status: in_force

15-1775. Civil remedies

A. An educational institution may bring a cause of action against an athlete agent or a former student athlete for damages caused by a violation of this article.  The court may award to the prevailing party costs and reasonable attorney fees in any action brought pursuant to this section.

B. An educational institution may recover damages pursuant to subsection a including losses and expenses incurred as a result of the conduct of an athlete agent or a former student athlete if the educational institution was injured by a violation of this article or was penalized, disqualified or suspended from participation in athletics by a national association for the promotion and regulation of athletics, by an athletic conference or by reasonable self-imposed disciplinary action taken to mitigate sanctions likely to be imposed by such an organization.

C. A right of action under this section does not accrue until the educational institution discovers or by the exercise of reasonable diligence should have discovered the violation by the athlete agent or the former student athlete.

D. Any liability of the athlete agent or the former student athlete under this section is several and not joint.

E. This article does not restrict other legal or equitable rights, remedies or defenses of any person.
A.R.S. § 15-1747 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 13 / Article 8 / Section 1747
15-1747 Reciprocity agreement for distance education; definition
Status: in_force

15-1747. Reciprocity agreement for distance education; definition

A. The Arizona board of regents, community college districts and the state board for private postsecondary education, through intergovernmental agreement, may enter into an interstate reciprocity agreement for the purpose of managing postsecondary distance education.

B. The intergovernmental agreement pursuant to subsection A of this section, at a minimum, must identify the process for the application to participate in the interstate reciprocity agreement and be administered jointly by representatives from the Arizona board of regents, representatives from the state board for private postsecondary education and representatives from a community college district in this state. The terms of the intergovernmental agreement shall be agreed to unanimously by the Arizona board of regents, the state board for private postsecondary education and a community college district in this state.

C. The responsibilities designated through intergovernmental agreement pursuant to subsection A of this section must be limited to the administration of the distance education reciprocity agreement for participating postsecondary institutions that have a principal place of business in this state.

D. For the purposes of this section, "postsecondary institution" means any accredited, degree-granting public or private university or college located in this state, any accredited degree-granting community college located in this state and any accredited degree-granting college or university located on and operated by a federally recognized Indian tribe.
A.R.S. § 15-249.19 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 2 / Article 2 / Section 249.19
15-249.19 Water safety courses; swimming lessons; information; providers; posting; parental notification; definition
Status: in_force

15-249.19. Water safety courses; swimming lessons; information; providers; posting; parental notification; definition

A. Before the 2025-2026 school year, the department of education shall compile and make available on the department's website both of the following:

1. Information on the role of water safety education courses and swimming lessons in saving lives.

2. A list of local providers of water safety courses or swimming lessons, or both, that result in certification, including providers that offer water safety courses or swimming lessons, or both, for free or at a reduced price.

B. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, each school district and charter school shall provide to each parent who initially enrolls a child in the school district or charter school the webpage address for the information compiled by the department of education pursuant to subsection A of this section.

C. For the purposes of this section, "water safety course" means age-appropriate education that is intended to promote safety in, on and around bodies of water and to reduce the risk of injury or drowning.
A.R.S. § 15-460 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 460
15-460 Change of school district boundaries
Status: in_force

15-460. Change of school district boundaries

A. On request of the governing board of a school district or on receipt of a petition bearing the signatures of ten per cent or more of the qualified electors residing in the school district to change the boundaries of the school district in such a manner as to include adjacent unorganized territory, setting forth the boundaries desired and the reasons for such change, the county school superintendent shall submit the question of including the unorganized territory within the existing school district to the qualified electors of the new proposed school district. The election shall be held as provided in section 15-459, except that a majority of the qualified electors voting on the question in the unorganized territory and a majority of the qualified electors voting on the question in the existing school district must approve the change. If approved, the change is effective from and after June 30 next following the election.

B. When ten per cent or more of the qualified electors residing in a school district desire that the boundaries of the school district be diminished, they may present a petition to the county school superintendent setting forth the change of boundaries desired and the reasons for such change. The county school superintendent shall prepare and transmit to the governing board of the school district proposed to be diminished a report providing specific information regarding the future availability of educational programs in the area of the district to be detached and in the area which will constitute the remaining district, availability of pupil transportation services and the financial impact on taxpayers. The governing board shall mail or distribute the report to all households located in the school district. The county school superintendent shall submit the question of diminishing the school district boundaries to the qualified electors of the school district. The election shall be held as provided in section 15-459. A majority of the qualified electors voting on the question in the territory to remain in the existing school district and a majority of the qualified electors voting on the question in the territory to be excluded must approve the change. If approved, the change is effective from and after June 30 next following the election.

C. Notwithstanding subsections A and B of this section and this chapter, the governing boards of two adjacent common, union or unified school districts may authorize minor boundary adjustments to both school districts and the governing boards of a unified school district and adjacent common and union high school districts may authorize minor boundary adjustments to the three school districts if all of the following are true:

1. The school districts authorizing the boundary adjustment have not previously made more than one minor boundary adjustment pursuant to this subsection.

2. A majority of the electors within the geographic boundaries of a portion of a school district, as specified in the petition, present a petition to the governing boards of the district or districts in which the petitioners currently reside and the district to which the petitioners desire to be annexed. If there are no electors within the geographic boundaries of the territory to be annexed, a majority of the property owners in the territory may submit the petition.  The petition shall set forth the boundaries of the portion of the district to be annexed.

3. A majority of the members of the governing boards of each district approve the minor boundary adjustment.

4. The boundary adjustment would result in the transfer of no more than one and one-half per cent of the student count of the district from which the pupils will transfer.

5. The boundary adjustment would not result in the transfer of any school buildings, equipment or furnishings from one school district to another school district.

6. No member of the governing board of the school district to be diminished is a resident of the territory that is being transferred to the adjacent school district.

7. The governing boards of the school districts have agreed on a means to satisfy any liabilities.

D. If a majority of the members of the governing boards of school districts to which petitions were presented pursuant to subsection C of this section approve the petitions, the petitions shall be transmitted with the endorsements of the governing boards to the county school superintendent. The county school superintendent, if no petition opposing annexation signed by a majority of the school electors representing either the resident district or the district to which annexation is proposed is received within fifteen days after the transmittal of the petition requesting annexation, shall make the records of boundaries conform to the petition for annexation and notify the boards of supervisors and the county assessor of the boundary change. The change is effective from and after June 30 next following the notification of the boards of supervisors.

E. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, if the qualified electors residing in a school district have previously voted to accept unorganized territory into the district's boundaries in two consecutive elections called for this purpose, the school district governing board may annex any election precinct within the unorganized territory that is contiguous to the school district if both of the following conditions exist:

1. At least one hundred fifty pupils who reside in the election precinct are enrolled in one or more school districts in the county.

2. The qualified electors of the precinct have previously voted in favor of the annexation.

F. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, the governing board of a unified school district may authorize a change to the geographic boundaries of the school district to include a noncontiguous unorganized territory if all of the following criteria are met:

1. A majority of the qualified electors within the geographical boundaries of an unorganized territory that is proposed to be included in the unified school district present a petition to the school district governing board. If there are no qualified electors within the geographic boundaries of the unorganized territory to be annexed, a majority of the property owners in the unorganized territory may submit a petition.

2. The unorganized territory to be included in the unified school district contains less than one hundred fifty pupils at the time of annexation.

3. The unorganized territory that is proposed to be included in the unified school district is adjacent to an unorganized territory that is part of an Indian reservation with a population of less than two thousand persons but is not adjacent to the unified school district.

G. If the governing board of the unified school district approves the petition pursuant to subsection F of this section, the petition shall be transmitted with the endorsement of the governing board to the county school superintendent. The county school superintendent, if no petition opposing annexation signed by a majority of the qualified electors within the school district is received within fifteen days after the transmittal of the petition requesting annexation, shall make the boundaries conform to the petition for annexation and notify the board of supervisors and the county assessor of the boundary change.  The change is effective from and after June 30 next following the notification of the board of supervisors.

H. Notwithstanding subsections A and B of this section, if a majority of the qualified electors or property owners who reside in a residential subdivision, a recognized community or another type of geographic location within a school district present a petition to the governing board of an adjacent school district to modify the adjacent school district's boundaries to include the property designated in the petition, the boundaries of the original school district of residence shall be changed to exclude the designated property and the boundaries of the adjacent school district shall be changed to include the designated property if all of the following conditions exist:

1. Both school districts are located in a county with a population of more than one hundred fifteen thousand persons but less than one hundred twenty thousand persons.

2. At least ninety per cent of the pupils who reside on the property designated in the petition either currently are transported at least fifty miles each way to attend school or currently attend school in the adjacent school district.

3. The boundaries of either school district have not been previously changed to exclude or include the property designated in the petition.

4. The proposed boundary change does not result in the transfer of more than one hundred pupils from the original school district of residence to the adjacent school district.

5. The boundary change does not result in the transfer of any school facilities or school equipment between the affected school districts.
A.R.S. § 15-1174 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 10 / Article 5 / Section 1174
15-1174 Powers and duties
Status: in_force

15-1174. Powers and duties

The state board of education on behalf of the state of Arizona is authorized and empowered to:

1. Collect, compromise, adjust or cancel claims and obligations arising out of or administered under this article or under any mortgage, lease, contract or other agreement entered into or administered pursuant to this article and, if in its judgment necessary and advisable, pursue the same to final collection in any court having jurisdiction.

2. Bid for and purchase at any execution, foreclosure or other sale, or otherwise to acquire, property upon which the state board has a lien by reason of a judgment or execution, or which is pledged, mortgaged or conveyed or which otherwise secures any loan or other indebtedness owing to or acquired by the state board under this article.

3. Accept title to any property so purchased or acquired, to operate or lease such property for such period as may be deemed necessary to protect the investment therein and to sell or otherwise dispose of such property in a manner consistent with the provisions of this article.
A.R.S. § 15-1106 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 10 / Article 1 / Section 1106
15-1106 Permanent teacherage fund; uses; definition
Status: in_force

15-1106. Permanent teacherage fund; uses; definition

A. A school district governing board, or the superintendent or chief administrative officer with the approval of the governing board, may establish a permanent teacherage fund. Such fund shall be comprised of proceeds obtained from the lease of teacherages within the school district. Monies in such fund may be used for any of the following purposes:

1. Maintenance and operation of teacherages.

2. Debt service related to teacherages.

3. Purchase of houses, including mobile or modular housing, to be used exclusively as teacherages for school districts located on Indian and federal lands.

4. Reduction of the local tax levy if accumulation in such fund warrants such use.

B. Monies in a permanent teacherage fund are not subject to reversion.

C. For the purposes of this section, "teacherage" means any housing facilities for teachers and other school employees provided by a school district pursuant to section 15-342, paragraph 6.
A.R.S. § 15-242 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 2 / Article 2 / Section 242
15-242 Nutrition standards
Status: in_force

15-242. Nutrition standards

A. The department shall develop minimum nutrition standards that meet at least federal guidelines and regulations for foods and beverages sold or served on the school grounds of elementary schools, middle schools and junior high schools during the normal school day. These nutrition standards may include portion sizes, minimum nutrient values and a listing of contents.  This subsection does not prohibit the department from developing minimum nutrition standards that are more stringent than the federal guidelines and regulations for foods and beverages sold or served on school grounds during the normal school day.

B. All elementary schools, middle schools and junior high schools shall participate in the national school lunch program as defined in Public Law 108-265 except that a school district with fewer than one hundred pupils that is not currently participating in the national school lunch program may be exempt from this subsection if the school district governing board determines at a public meeting to not participate in the requirements of this subsection.

C. Food and beverages sold or served on the school grounds of elementary schools, middle schools and junior high schools or at school-sponsored events of elementary schools, middle schools and junior high schools during the normal school day shall meet the nutrition standards developed by the department, including foods and beverages offered as any of the following:

1. A la carte items in the food service program.

2. Food and beverages sold in vending machines, snack bars and meal-period kiosks and at school stores.

D. Foods of minimal nutritional value as defined by 7 Code of Federal Regulations section 210.11(2) shall not be served or sold during the normal school day on any elementary school, middle school or junior high school campus.

E. New contracts and renewal contracts for food or beverages, or both, shall expressly prohibit the sale of sugared, carbonated beverages and all other foods of minimal nutritional value as defined by 7 Code of Federal Regulations section 210.11(2) on elementary school, middle school and junior high school campuses.  The department may approve a carbonated drink that is determined by the department to meet or exceed the department's minimum nutrition standards.

F. Parents, pupils and community members may review food and beverage contracts to ensure that food and beverages sold on elementary school, middle school and junior high school campuses provide nutritious sustenance to pupils, promote good health, help students learn, provide energy and model fit living for life.

G. School districts that offer instruction in grades nine through twelve may adopt nutrition standards for high school campuses.

H. Notwithstanding subsection D of this section, the department shall issue exemptions to allow school districts and charter schools to conduct fund-raisers that include the sale of foods of minimal nutritional value.

I. Nothing in this section shall be construed to:

1. Prohibit a school district from developing and adopting nutrition standards that are more stringent than those developed pursuant to this section.

2. Prohibit or limit the sale or distribution of any food or beverage item through fund-raising activities of students, teachers or educational groups when the items are intended for sale off the school grounds.

3. Prohibit or limit the sale or distribution of any food or beverage items to teachers, administrators or other adults in a faculty lounge or under other circumstances where the sale or distribution is limited to teachers, administrators or other adults.
A.R.S. § 15-1408 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 12 / Article 1 / Section 1408
15-1408 Use of community college district resources or employees to influence elections; prohibition; civil penalty; definitions
Status: in_force

15-1408. Use of community college district resources or employees to influence elections; prohibition; civil penalty; definitions

A. A person acting on behalf of a community college district or a person who aids another person acting on behalf of a community college district shall not spend or use community college district, resources, including the use or expenditure of monies, accounts, credit, facilities, vehicles, postage, telecommunications, computer hardware and software, web pages, personnel, equipment, materials, buildings or any other thing of value of the community college district, for the purpose of influencing the outcomes of elections.  Notwithstanding this section, a community college district may distribute informational pamphlets on a proposed bond election as provided in section 35-454 if those informational pamphlets present factual information in a neutral manner.  Nothing in this section precludes a community college district from reporting on official actions of the governing board.

B. The prohibition on the use of public resources to influence the outcome of bond, budget override and other tax-related elections includes the use of community college district-focused promotional expenditures that occur after an election is called and through election day. This prohibition does not include routine community college district communications.

C. This section does not prohibit the use of community college resources, including facilities and equipment, for government-sponsored forums or debates if the government sponsor remains impartial and the events are purely informational and provide an equal opportunity to all viewpoints. The rental and use of a community college district facility by a private person or entity that may lawfully attempt to influence the outcome of an election is permitted if it does not occur at the same time and place as a government-sponsored forum or debate.

D. Employees of a community college district may not use the authority of their positions to influence the vote or political activities of any subordinate employee.

E. This section does not prohibit community college districts from permitting student political organizations of political parties, including those that are recognized pursuant to sections 16-801, 16-802 and 16-803, to conduct lawful meetings in community college buildings or on community college grounds, except as prescribed in subsection A of this section. Each student political organization that is allowed to conduct lawful meetings on community college property shall have equal access as any other student political organization that is allowed to conduct lawful meetings on community college property.

F. Nothing contained in this section shall be construed as denying the civil and political liberties of any person as guaranteed by the United States and Arizona Constitutions.

G. The attorney general shall publish and distribute to community colleges a detailed guideline regarding activities prohibited under this section.  The attorney general may distribute these guidelines through a web site or electronically.

H. The attorney general or the county attorney for the county in which an alleged violation of this section occurred may serve on the person an order requiring compliance with this section and may assess a civil penalty of not more than five thousand dollars per violation, plus any amount of misused funds subtracted from the community college district budget against a person who violates or a person who aids another person in violating this section.  The person determined to be out of compliance with this section shall be responsible for the payment of all penalties and misused funds. Community college funds or insurance payments shall not be used to pay these penalties or misused funds.  All misused funds collected pursuant to this section shall be returned to the community college district whose funds were misused.

I. An attorney acting on behalf of a community college district may request a legal opinion of the county attorney or attorney general as to whether a proposed use of community college resources would violate this section.

J. All penalties collected by the court for a suit initiated in superior court by the attorney general shall be paid to the office of the attorney general for the use and reimbursement of costs of prosecution pursuant to this section.  All penalties collected by the court for a suit initiated in superior court by a county attorney shall be paid to the county treasurer of the county in which the court is held for the use and reimbursement of costs of prosecution pursuant to this section.

K. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Government-sponsored forum or debate" means any event, or part of an event or meeting, in which the government is an official sponsor, which is open to the public or to invited members of the public, and whose purpose is to inform the public about an issue or proposition that is before the voters.

2. "Influencing the outcomes of elections" means supporting or opposing a candidate for nomination or election to public office or the recall of a public officer or supporting or opposing a ballot measure, question or proposition, including any bond, budget or override election and supporting or opposing the circulation of a petition for the recall of a public officer or a petition for a ballot measure, question or proposition in any manner that is not impartial or neutral.

3. "Misused funds" means community college district monies or resources used unlawfully pursuant to this section.

4. "Routine community college district communications" means messages or advertisements that are germane to the functions of the community college district and that maintain the frequency, scope and distribution consistent with past practices or are necessary for public safety.
A.R.S. § 15-741.02 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 7 / Article 3 / Section 741.02
15-741.02 Menu of achievement assessments; requirements; rules; definition
Status: in_force

15-741.02. Menu of achievement assessments; requirements; rules; definition

A. The state board of education shall adopt a menu of achievement assessments to measure pupil achievement of the state academic standards. Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year, each local education agency that offers instruction in grades nine through twelve may select from that menu an achievement assessment to administer to the pupils in that local education agency in grades designated by the state board instead of the statewide assessment to measure pupil achievement adopted by the state board pursuant to section 15-741.  No later than the 2023-2024 school year, each local education agency that offers instruction in grades three through eight may select from that menu an achievement assessment to administer to the pupils in that local education agency instead of the statewide assessment to measure pupil achievement adopted by the state board pursuant to section 15-741.  The department of education shall provide adequate staff support for the state board to comply with this section.

B. An achievement assessment in use by a local education agency that is not on the menu of assessments by March 1, 2018 may be added to the menu at the request of the local education agency and shall be approved by the state board of education if the assessment is nationally recognized, a qualifying college credit examination pursuant to section 15-249.06 or an assessment adopted pursuant to section 15-792.03. The state board may approve any other assessment if the assessment meets the requirements of subsection E of this section. The state board shall evaluate assessments that are not on the menu pursuant to this section annually and shall notify local education agencies of the results on or before May 1 of each year.

C. A local education agency that selects an achievement assessment pursuant to this section meets the requirements prescribed in section 15-741. The local education agency shall include the name of the assessment it administers in the school report card required in section 15-746 and administer the assessment for a minimum period of time prescribed by the state board of education.

D. The state board of education shall adopt policies, rules and procedures to carry out this section.  Any policy, rule or procedure adopted pursuant to this subsection may not require a local education agency to receive additional approval from the state board or the department of education to select an assessment from the menu of assessments. A local education agency that adopts an achievement assessment pursuant to this section shall provide the necessary reasonable accommodations for a student who is an English language learner and the necessary accommodations and modifications for a student as required by the student's individualized education program team.

E. The state board of education shall require that the provider of an achievement assessment that is proposed for the menu of achievement assessments do all of the following:

1. Provide evidence that the assessment is a high quality assessment.

2. Demonstrate that the assessment meets or exceeds the level of rigor of the state board's adopted academic standards.

3. Demonstrate that the assessment scores can be scaled for state accountability programs including establishing comparable student performance levels for achievement profiles and letter grade classifications issued pursuant to section 15-241.

4. Submit an evaluation from a third party approved by the state board that shows the assessment meets the requirements prescribed in paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of this subsection.

5. Provide a copy of assessment scores to the department of education when scores are provided to the partnering local education agency.

F. For the purposes of this section, "nationally recognized" means accepted by universities for the purposes of awarding college credit or admissions.
A.R.S. § 15-1687 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 13 / Article 5 / Section 1687
15-1687 Enforcement of contract
Status: in_force

15-1687. Enforcement of contract

The provisions of this article and of any resolution or other proceeding authorizing the issuance of bonds shall constitute a contract with the holders of such bonds and the provisions thereof shall be enforceable either in law or in equity, by suit, action, mandamus or other proceeding in any court of competent jurisdiction to enforce and compel the performance of all duties required by this article, and by any resolution authorizing the issuance of bonds adopted responsive hereto.
A.R.S. § 15-1342 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 11 / Article 3 / Section 1342
15-1342 Admissions
Status: in_force

15-1342. Admissions

A. Chapter 7, article 4 of this title governs admissions to the school except as provided in this section. The evaluation and consideration of placement in the school shall be made under the direction of the chief administrative official of the home school district within the boundaries of which the child resides or a person designated by the official as responsible for special education after consultation with the parent, as defined in section 15-761, of the child. If a parent or legal guardian of a child directly refers a child to the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind, the schools shall immediately, after notification of the referral, contact the representative of the home school district within the boundaries of which the child resides.  A representative of the home school district shall arrange for the establishment of a placement and evaluation team for that child.

B. A placement and evaluation team shall determine the appropriate educational placement for the child based on the development of an individualized education program. Placement and review of the individualized education program may be conducted at the same meeting.  Each placement and evaluation team shall document that it has advised the child's parent or legal guardian of all placement options. The placement and evaluation team shall consist of at least the following persons:

1. The parent or legal guardian of the child.

2. A representative from the home school district in which the child resides who meets all of the following requirements:

(a) Is qualified to provide or supervise the provision of specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of children with disabilities.

(b) Is knowledgeable about the general education curriculum.

(c) Is knowledgeable about the availability of resources of the public agency.

3. A certified teacher of children with a sensory impairment who provides or may provide in the future educational services to the child.

4. An evaluator, with preference given to an evaluator who is trained and experienced in evaluating the educational needs of children with a sensory impairment.  The evaluator may also be a member of the team pursuant to paragraph 2 or 6 of this subsection.

5. An educational representative of the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind.  The educational representative may also be a member of the team pursuant to paragraph 3 of this subsection.

6. If the child is or will be participating in the regular educational environment, at least one regular education teacher.

7. If appropriate, the child with a disability.

C. The individualized education program plan of a child continuing in special education placement from the prior school year shall be reviewed annually and revised if necessary. The individualized planning conference shall include a representative of the home school district and a representative of the schools, the child's teacher, the parent, as defined in section 15-761, of the child and, if appropriate, the child.

D. The Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind shall hold a placement meeting for a child who is enrolled in a campus-based model at least annually to review the child's placement status and shall invite a representative of the child's home school district.  If a determination is made that the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind is no longer the least restrictive environment, the home school district shall enroll the child.

E. Except as provided in subsection G of this section, a representative for special education of the home school district shall place the child according to the recommendations of the individualized education program team.

F. A child who is placed in the school but moves from one school district or county to another may remain placed in the school until the next annual review. A representative of the child's new district of residence shall be included on the team conducting the review. The superintendent of the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind shall at least quarterly give the chief administrator of the school district notice of any changes in a child's residence and the new district of residence shall become the new home school district.

G. If the chief administrator of the home school district and the superintendent of the schools determine that the schools cannot provide the appropriate educational programs and services needed by the child, they shall locate or establish a program to meet the child's needs in consultation with the department of education and any other appropriate state agency.

H. A complete record of every person admitted shall be kept from the date of the person's admission to the date of the person's discharge, release, removal, graduation or death. The records shall be accessible to the board or a legislative committee or on order of a judge of a court of record.

I. A political or religious belief shall not be required as a qualification of any student of the schools.
A.R.S. § 15-2401 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 19 / Article 1 / Section 2401
15-2401 Definitions
Status: in_force

15-2401. Definitions

In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Annual education plan" means an initial individualized evaluation and subsequent annual reviews that are developed for a qualified student who meets the criteria specified in paragraph 7, subdivision (a), item (i), (ii) or (iii) of this section to determine ongoing annual eligibility through the school year in which the qualified student reaches twenty-two years of age and whether the student may be eligible pursuant to section 36-2981 and should be referred for eligibility determination.

2. "Curriculum" means a course of study for content areas or grade levels, including any supplemental materials required or recommended by the curriculum, approved by the department.

3. "Department" means the department of education.

4. "Eligible postsecondary institution" means a community college as defined in section 15-1401, a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents or an accredited private postsecondary institution.

5. "Parent" means a resident of this state who is the parent, stepparent or legal guardian of a qualified student.

6. "Qualified school" means a nongovernmental primary or secondary school or a preschool for pupils with disabilities that is located in this state or, for qualified students who reside within the boundaries of an Indian reservation in this state, that is located in an adjacent state and that is within two miles of the border of the state in which the qualified student resides, and that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin.

7. "Qualified student" means a resident of this state who:

(a) Is any of the following:

(i) Identified as having a disability under section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 (29 United States Code section 794).

(ii) Identified by a school district or by an independent third party pursuant to section 15-2403, subsection J as a child with a disability as defined in section 15-731 or 15-761.

(iii) A child with a disability who is eligible to receive services from a school district under section 15-763.

(iv) Attending a school or school district that was assigned a letter grade of D or F pursuant to section 15-241 for the most recent year in which letter grades were assigned or is currently eligible to attend kindergarten and resides within the attendance boundary of a school that was assigned a letter grade of D or F pursuant to section 15-241 for the most recent year in which letter grades were assigned.  A child who meets the requirements of this item and who meets the income eligibility requirements for free and reduced-price lunches under the national school lunch and child nutrition acts (42 United States Code sections 1751 through 1793) is not subject to subdivision (b) of this paragraph.

(v) A previous recipient of a scholarship issued pursuant to this section, unless the qualified student's parent has been removed from eligibility in the program for failure to comply pursuant to section 15-2403, subsection C.

(vi) A child of a parent who is a member of the armed forces of the United States and who is on active duty or was killed in the line of duty.  A child who meets the requirements of this item is not subject to subdivision (b) of this paragraph.

(vii) A child who is a ward of the juvenile court and who is residing with a prospective permanent placement pursuant to section 8-862 and the case plan is adoption or permanent guardianship.

(viii) A child who was a ward of the juvenile court and who achieved permanency through adoption or permanent guardianship.

(ix) A child who is the sibling of a current or previous Arizona empowerment scholarship account recipient or of an eligible qualified student who accepts the terms of and enrolls in an Arizona empowerment scholarship account.

(x) A child who resides within the boundaries of an Indian reservation in this state as determined by the department of education or a tribal government.

(xi) A child of a parent who is legally blind or deaf or hard of hearing as defined in section 36-1941.

(b) And, except as provided in subdivision (a), items (iv) and (vi) of this paragraph, who meets any of the following requirements:

(i) Attended a governmental primary or secondary school as a full-time student as defined in section 15-901 for at least forty-five days of the current or prior fiscal year and who transferred from a governmental primary or secondary school under a contract to participate in an Arizona empowerment scholarship account.  Kindergarten students who are enrolled in Arizona online instruction must receive one hundred hours of logged instruction to be eligible pursuant to this item. First, second and third grade students who are enrolled in Arizona online instruction must receive two hundred hours of logged instruction to be eligible pursuant to this item.  Fourth, fifth and sixth grade students who are enrolled in Arizona online instruction must receive two hundred fifty hours of logged instruction to be eligible pursuant to this item. Seventh and eighth grade students who are enrolled in Arizona online instruction must receive two hundred seventy-five hours of logged instruction to be eligible pursuant to this item.  High school students who are enrolled in Arizona online instruction must receive two hundred fifty hours of logged instruction to be eligible pursuant to this item.

(ii) Previously participated in an Arizona empowerment scholarship account.

(iii) Received a scholarship under section 43-1505 and who continues to attend a qualified school if the student attended a governmental primary or secondary school as a full-time student as defined in section 15-901 for at least ninety days of the prior fiscal year or one full semester before attending a qualified school.

(iv) Was eligible for an Arizona scholarship for pupils with disabilities and received monies from a school tuition organization pursuant to section 43-1505 or received an Arizona scholarship for pupils with disabilities but did not receive monies from a school tuition organization pursuant to section 43-1505 and who continues to attend a qualified school if the student attended a governmental primary or secondary school as a full-time student as defined in section 15-901 for at least ninety days of the prior fiscal year or one full semester before attending a qualified school.

(v) Attended a nonpublic school for pupils with disabilities in the prior year if placement at the school was approved by the department of education and contracted for by a public school district.

(vi) Has not previously attended a governmental primary or secondary school but is currently eligible to enroll in a kindergarten program in a school district or charter school in this state or attended a program for preschool children with disabilities. For the purposes of this item, a child is eligible to enroll in a kindergarten program if the child is at least five years of age on January 1 of the current school year, is under seven years of age, has not already completed a kindergarten program and is not enrolled in grade one of a private or governmental school in the current year.

(vii) Has not previously attended a governmental primary or secondary school but is currently eligible to enroll in a program for preschool children with disabilities in this state.

8. "Treasurer" means the office of the state treasurer.
A.R.S. § 15-467 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 467
15-467 Change of union high school district to high school district
Status: in_force

15-467. Change of union high school district to high school district

A. When all the common school districts comprising a union high school district unite, either by annexation or by consolidation, into one common school district, the union high school district shall, as of the first day of the next fiscal year, be deemed to be dissolved, and the terms of office of all governing board members elected to the union high school district shall expire and the union high school district shall thereupon become ipso facto a high school district and be administered as other high school districts are administered.

B. A high school district created as provided by subsection A is liable for all indebtedness, bonded or otherwise, outstanding against the dissolved union high school district, and all property, balances and deficits of the dissolved district become the property, balances and deficits of the high school district.
A.R.S. § 15-112 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 1 / Article 1 / Section 112
15-112 Prohibited courses and classes; enforcement
Status: in_force

15-112. Prohibited courses and classes; enforcement

A. A school district or charter school in this state shall not include in its program of instruction any courses or classes that include any of the following:

1. Promote the overthrow of the United States government.

2. Promote resentment toward a race or class of people.

3. Are designed primarily for pupils of a particular ethnic group.

4. Advocate ethnic solidarity instead of the treatment of pupils as individuals.

B. If the state board of education or the superintendent of public instruction determines that a school district or charter school is in violation of subsection A, the state board of education or the superintendent of public instruction shall notify the school district or charter school that it is in violation of subsection A. If the state board of education or the superintendent of public instruction determines that the school district or charter school has failed to comply with subsection A within sixty days after a notice has been issued pursuant to this subsection, the state board of education or the superintendent of public instruction may direct the department of education to withhold up to ten per cent of the monthly apportionment of state aid that would otherwise be due the school district or charter school.  The department of education shall adjust the school district or charter school's apportionment accordingly.  When the state board of education or the superintendent of public instruction determines that the school district or charter school is in compliance with subsection A, the department of education shall restore the full amount of state aid payments to the school district or charter school.

C. The department of education shall pay for all expenses of a hearing conducted pursuant to this section.

D. Actions taken under this section are subject to appeal pursuant to title 41, chapter 6, article 10.

E. This section shall not be construed to restrict or prohibit:

1. Courses or classes for Native American pupils that are required to comply with federal law.

2. The grouping of pupils according to academic performance, including capability in the English language, that may result in a disparate impact by ethnicity.

3. Courses or classes that include the history of any ethnic group and that are open to all students, unless the course or class violates subsection A.

4. Courses or classes that include the discussion of controversial aspects of history.

F. Nothing in this section shall be construed to restrict or prohibit the instruction of the holocaust, any other instance of genocide, or the historical oppression of a particular group of people based on ethnicity, race, or class.
A.R.S. § 15-1284 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 10.1 / Article 1 / Section 1284
15-1284 Separate local-level funds; annual reporting; no supplanting
Status: in_force

15-1284. Separate local-level funds; annual reporting; no supplanting

(Caution:  1998 Prop. 105 applies)

A. Each school district and charter school that receives monies from the student support and safety fund established by section 15-1281 shall establish a separate local level fund to receive monies from that fund.  This subsection applies to the state education system for committed youth and the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind.

B. Each school district, charter school and career technical education district that receives monies from the career training and workforce fund established by section 15-1282 shall establish a separate local-level fund to receive monies from that fund.

C. School districts, charter schools and career technical education districts that receive monies from either the student support and safety fund established by section 15-1281 or the career training and workforce fund established by section 15-1282 shall provide:

1. An accounting of monies received from those funds each fiscal year through the uniform system of financial records.

2. Information regarding classroom teacher salaries for each fiscal year through the uniform system of financial records, including the average classroom teacher salary, the average salary for a first-year classroom teacher, and the average salaries for classroom teachers in their fifth, tenth, fifteenth, and twentieth years of teaching in the school district, charter school or career technical education district.

D. The department of education and the auditor general shall allow the additional reporting required by subsection C of this section through the uniform system of financial records and the Arizona chart of accounts.

E. Notwithstanding any other law, the additional monies received by school districts, charter schools and career technical education districts from the student support and safety fund established by section 15-1281 and the career training and workforce fund established by section 15-1282 are in addition to any other appropriation, transfer or allocation of public or private monies from any other source and may not supplant, replace or cause a reduction in other funding sources.
A.R.S. § 15-992 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 9 / Article 6 / Section 992
15-992 School district tax levy; additional tax in districts ineligible for equalization assistance; definition
Status: in_force

15-992. School district tax levy; additional tax in districts ineligible for equalization assistance; definition

A. The board of supervisors of each county, at the time of levying other taxes, shall annually levy school district taxes on the property in any school district in which additional amounts are required, which shall be at rates prescribed in this section. A delinquency factor for estimated uncollected taxes may not be included in the computation of the primary tax rate for school district taxes. Local property taxes may not be levied for any deficit in the classroom site fund.  The taxes shall be added to and collected in the same manner as other county taxes on the property within the school district. The amount of the school district taxes levied on the property in a particular school district shall be paid into the school fund of that school district.

B. At the same time of levying taxes as provided in subsection A of this section, the county board of supervisors shall annually levy an additional tax in each school district that is not eligible for equalization assistance as provided in section 15-971 in an amount determined as follows:

1. Determine the levy that would be produced by fifty percent of the applicable qualifying tax rate, prescribed in section 15-971, subsection B, per $100 assessed valuation.

2. Subtract the amounts determined in section 15-971, subsection A and subsection F of this section from the levy determined in paragraph 1 of this subsection. This difference is the additional amount levied or collected as voluntary contributions pursuant to title 48, chapter 1, article 8, except that if the difference is zero or is a negative number, there shall be no levy.

C. Monies collected pursuant to subsections B and F of this section shall be transmitted to the state treasurer for deposit in the state general fund to aid in school financial assistance.

D. The additional tax prescribed in subsection B of this section is considered to be primary property tax for purposes of section 15-972, subsection B, except that this state is not required to make the payments prescribed in section 15-972, subsection H for these reductions in taxes.

E. The tax levy prescribed in subsection A of this section shall be a rate equal to the applicable qualifying tax rate or rates as prescribed in section 15-971, subsection B or a rate that would result in a levy that equals the school district equalization assistance base prescribed in section 15-971 subtracted by any amount received pursuant to section 15-905, subsections K, O and P per $100 of assessed valuation used for primary property taxes, whichever is less.

F. At the same time of levying taxes as provided in subsection A of this section, the county board of supervisors shall annually levy an additional tax in each common school district not within a high school district that is equal to the lesser of:

1. A rate that is equal to the applicable qualifying tax rate or rates as prescribed in section 15-971, subsection B.

2. A rate that would result in a levy that equals the statewide average per pupil funding for high school pupils multiplied by the student count as defined in section 15-901 of resident high school pupils in the common school district not within a high school district during the prior school year. On or before July 1 of each year, the department of education shall provide each common school district not within a high school district with the student count as defined in section 15-901 of resident high school pupils in the district during the prior school year. On or before July 1 of each year, the department of education shall provide each county board of supervisors with the statewide average per pupil funding for high school pupils, the student count as defined in section 15-901 of resident high school pupils in the common school district not within a high school district during the prior school year and any other information requested by the county board of supervisors for the purposes of levying the tax prescribed in this subsection. For the purposes of this paragraph, "per pupil funding" means the amount calculated pursuant to section 15-943, paragraph 2, subdivision (a) for grades nine through twelve multiplied by the sum of the following:

(a) District additional assistance pursuant to section 15-961, subsections A, B and C for a school district with a student count of six hundred or more in grades nine through twelve.

(b) The base level amount prescribed by section 15-901.

G. At the time of levying taxes as provided in subsection E of this section, the county school superintendent shall annually validate any additional primary school district tax levy amount requests from each school district and levy the sum of the following amounts:

1. A rate that would result in a levy that equals the difference between the transportation revenue control limit as determined in section 15-946 and the transportation support level as determined in section 15-945 or a lesser amount.

2. A rate that would result in a levy that equals any amount pursuant to section 15-910.

3. A rate that would result in a levy that equals any amount for tuition loss as determined in section 15-954.

4. A rate that would result in a levy that equals any amount for the small school adjustment as determined in section 15-949.

5. A rate that would result in a levy that equals any amount for liabilities in excess of the school district budget pursuant to section 15-907.

6. A rate that would result in a levy that equals any amount for adjacent ways pursuant to section 15-995.

7. A rate that would result in a levy that equals the amount not captured by the qualifying tax rate as a result of property subject to the government property lease excise tax pursuant to title 42, chapter 6, article 5 as calculated in section 15-971, subsection B, paragraph 2.

8. Following the recommendation of the county school superintendent and on approval by the county board of supervisors, for a school district that is not eligible for state aid, a rate that would result in a levy that equals any legal amount not levied in the current year as a result of underestimated average daily membership in the current year or as a result of a judgment in accordance with section 42-16213.

9. A rate that would result in a levy that equals any amount pursuant to a qualifying dropout prevention program that was originally established by law in 1987.

10. On the recommendation of the county school superintendent and on approval by the county board of supervisors before adoption of tax rates pursuant to section 42-17151, a rate that would result in a levy that equals any separately stated cash deficit from the prior fiscal year resulting from an anticipated or actual deviation in the property tax roll, including resolutions or judgments pursuant to title 42, chapter 16, articles 5 and 6.

H. For the purposes of this section, "assessed valuation" includes the values used to determine voluntary contributions collected pursuant to title 9, chapter 4, article 3 and title 48, chapter 1, article 8.
A.R.S. § 15-1201 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 10 / Article 7 / Section 1201
15-1201 Definitions
Status: in_force

15-1201. Definitions

In this article, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Fund" means the special education fund established by section 15-1182.

2. "Institution" means the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind, the Arizona training program facilities as provided in section 36-551 and the Arizona state hospital.

3. "Place" or "placement" means placement of a person in an institution, as defined in this section, for special education only or for special education and residential and custodial care.

4. "Special education" means the adjustment of the environmental factors, modification of the course of study and adaptation of teaching methods, materials and techniques to provide educationally for those children who are at least three but not more than twenty-one years of age and who are gifted or have a disability to such an extent that they do not profit from the regular course of study or need special education services in order to profit. Difficulty in writing, speaking or understanding the English language due to an environmental background in which a language other than English is spoken primarily or exclusively shall not be considered a sufficient handicap to require special education.
A.R.S. § 15-160.02 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 1 / Article 5 / Section 160.02
15-160.02 Seizure management and treatment plans; requirements; immunity; online instruction; rules
Status: in_force

15-160.02. Seizure management and treatment plans; requirements; immunity; online instruction; rules

A. Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, the parent or guardian of a student who has a seizure disorder and who is enrolled in a school that is operated by a school district or a charter school in this state may submit to the school district or charter school in which the student is enrolled a copy of a seizure management and treatment plan for school personnel to use if the student suffers a seizure at school or while participating in a school-sponsored activity. The plan must be developed by the student's parent or guardian and the physician or registered nurse practitioner as defined in section 32-1601 responsible for the student's seizure treatment. The plan must be submitted to and reviewed by the school district or charter school:

1. Before or at the beginning of the school year.

2. If the student enrolls in the school district or charter school after the beginning of the school year, when the student enrolls.

3. As soon as practicable following a diagnosis of the student's seizure disorder.

B. A seizure management and treatment plan must meet all of the following requirements:

1. Outline procedures recommended by the physician or registered nurse practitioner as defined in section 32-1601 responsible for the student's seizure treatment to manage an active seizure if the student suffers a seizure at school or while participating in a school-sponsored activity.

2. Outline other health care services available at the school that the student may receive to help to manage the student's seizure disorder at school or while participating in a school-sponsored activity.

3. Be signed by the student's parent or guardian and the physician or registered nurse practitioner as defined in section 32-1601 responsible for the student's seizure treatment.

C. A school nurse who is employed by or under contract with a school district or charter school shall review each seizure management and treatment plan.  If a school nurse is not available, the school district or charter school shall designate an employee who is responsible for reviewing seizure management and treatment plans.

D. School districts, charter schools, employees of school districts or charter schools and nurses who are under contract with a school district or charter school are immune from civil liability with respect to all decisions made and actions taken that are based on good faith implementation of a seizure management and treatment plan submitted pursuant to this section, including an action or failure to act in administering a medication, assisting with self-administration or otherwise providing for the care of a student under a seizure management and treatment plan submitted for the student under this section, except in cases of gross negligence, wilful misconduct or intentional wrongdoing.

E. A school nurse who is employed by or under contract with a school district or charter school that has received a seizure management and treatment plan shall complete an online course of instruction for school nurses regarding managing students with seizure disorders. The course must be approved by the state board of education and include information about seizure recognition and related first aid. The training prescribed in this subsection may not be required more than once in a five-year period.

F. A school principal, guidance counselor, teacher, bus driver or classroom aide whose duties at the school include regular contact with students who have submitted a seizure management and treatment plan shall complete an online course of instruction for school personnel regarding awareness of students with seizure disorders. The course must be approved by the state board of education and include information about seizure recognition and related first aid. The training prescribed in this subsection may not be required more than once in a five-year period.

G. A school district or charter school complies with this section if a student requires an educational accommodation under section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 (P.L. 93-112; 87 Stat. 355; 29 United States Code section 794) and the student's accommodation plan includes a seizure management and treatment plan.

H. Beginning September 1, 2023, each charter school and school that is operated by a school district shall have at least one school employee at the school other than a school nurse who has met the training requirements necessary to administer or assist with the self-administration of both of the following:

1. A seizure rescue medication or a medication prescribed to treat seizure disorder symptoms as approved by the United States food and drug administration, or its successor agency.

2. A manual dose of prescribed electrical stimulation using a vagus nerve stimulator magnet as approved by the United States food and drug administration, or its successor agency.

I. Not later than December 1, 2022, the state board of education shall approve an online course of instruction that is provided free of charge by a nonprofit national foundation and that supports the welfare of individuals with epilepsy and seizure disorders to satisfy the training required by subsections E and F of this section.

J. The state board of education shall adopt rules as necessary to administer this section.
A.R.S. § 15-1304 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 11 / Article 1 / Section 1304
15-1304 Land reserved for use and benefit of school; schools for the deaf and the blind fund; cooperative services fund; definition
Status: reserved

15-1304. Land reserved for use and benefit of school; schools for the deaf and the blind fund; cooperative services fund; definition

A. The grant of one hundred thousand acres of land for schools for the deaf and the blind made by the enabling act approved June 20, 1910, or the proceeds of such lands as are sold or otherwise disposed of, is forever reserved for the use and benefit of the school for the deaf and the blind.

B. Land exchanges or sales or commercial leases in excess of ten years of land of the grant by the United States for the use and benefit of the school for the deaf and the blind shall not be disposed of except by majority approval of the voting members of the board of directors of the school.

C. The superintendent of the school shall annually report to the board on the use of monies that are the proceeds of or income from the proceeds of land of the grant by the United States for the use and benefit of the school.

D. The schools for the deaf and the blind fund is established consisting of monies from expendable earnings of the grant in subsection A of this section, monies from the department of education for special educational vouchers for deaf and blind students pursuant to section 15-1202, except for monies dedicated to regional school cooperatives, which shall instead be deposited in the cooperative services fund pursuant to subsection E of this section, and overage and nonresident student monies collected pursuant to section 15-1345. Monies in the fund are subject to legislative appropriation and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.

E. The cooperative services fund is established consisting of monies from the department of education for special education institutional vouchers for deaf and blind students pursuant to section 15-1202 who are enrolled in regional school cooperatives, membership fees paid by school districts and charter schools participating in regional school cooperatives and fee-for-service payments made by school districts and charter schools on behalf of students enrolled in regional school cooperatives for whom the schools do not receive a special education institutional voucher pursuant to section 15-1202. The Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind shall administer the fund.  Monies in the fund are subject to legislative appropriation and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.

F. For the purposes of this section, "regional school cooperatives" means regional programs and services offered by the schools in conjunction with other school districts and charter schools for students with a hearing impairment, sensory impairment or visual impairment who attend a school operated by a school district or a charter school in this state.
A.R.S. § 15-945 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 9 / Article 3 / Section 945
15-945 Transportation support level
Status: in_force

15-945. Transportation support level

A. The support level for to and from school for each school district for the current year shall be computed as follows:

1. Determine the approved daily route mileage of the school district for the fiscal year prior to the current year.

2. Multiply the figure obtained in paragraph 1 of this subsection by one hundred eighty, or for a school district that elects to provide two hundred days of instruction pursuant to section 15-902.04, multiply the figure obtained in paragraph 1 of this subsection by two hundred.

3. Determine the number of eligible students transported in the fiscal year prior to the current year.

4. Divide the amount determined in paragraph 1 of this subsection by the amount determined in paragraph 3 of this subsection to determine the approved daily route mileage per eligible student transported.

5. Determine the classification in column 1 of this paragraph for the quotient determined in paragraph 4 of this subsection. Multiply the product obtained in paragraph 2 of this subsection by the corresponding state support level for each route mile as provided in column 2 of this paragraph.

Column 1      Column 2

Approved Daily Route    State Support Level per

Mileage per Eligible    Route Mile for

Student Transported Fiscal Year 2025-2026

0.5 or less 3.01

More than 0.5 through 1.0     2.47

More than 1.0     3.01

6. Add the amount spent during the prior fiscal year for bus tokens and bus passes for students who qualify as eligible students as defined in section 15-901.

B. The support level for academic education, career and technical education, vocational education and athletic trips for each school district for the current year is computed as follows:

1. Determine the classification in column 1 of paragraph 2 of this subsection for the quotient determined in subsection A, paragraph 4 of this section.

2. Multiply the product obtained in subsection A, paragraph 5 of this section by the corresponding state support level for academic education, career and technical education, vocational education and athletic trips as provided in column 2, 3 or 4 of this paragraph, whichever is appropriate for the type of district.

Column 1      Column 2      Column 3      Column 4

Approved Daily Route

Mileage per Eligible     District Type    District Type     District Type

Student Transported        02 or 03      04        05

0.5 or less    0.15      0.10  0.25

More than 0.5 through 1.0       0.15      0.10  0.25

More than 1.0       0.18      0.12  0.30

For the purposes of this paragraph, "district type 02" means a unified school district or an accommodation school that offers instruction in grades nine through twelve, "district type 03" means a common school district not within a high school district, "district type 04" means a common school district within a high school district or an accommodation school that does not offer instruction in grades nine through twelve and "district type 05" means a high school district.

C. The support level for extended school year services for pupils with disabilities is computed as follows:

1. Determine the sum of the following:

(a) The total number of miles driven by all buses of a school district while transporting eligible pupils with disabilities on scheduled routes from their residence to the school of attendance and from the school of attendance to their residence on routes for extended school year services in accordance with section 15-881.

(b) The total number of miles driven on routes approved by the superintendent of public instruction for which a private party, a political subdivision or a common or a contract carrier is reimbursed for bringing an eligible pupil with a disability from the place of the pupil's residence to a school transportation pickup point or to the school facility of attendance and from the school transportation scheduled return point or from the school facility to the pupil's residence for extended school year services in accordance with section 15-881.

2. Multiply the sum determined in paragraph 1 of this subsection by the state support level for the district determined as provided in subsection A, paragraph 5 of this section.

D. The transportation support level for each school district for the current year is the sum of the support level for to and from school as determined in subsection A of this section, the support level for academic education, career and technical education, vocational education and athletic trips as determined in subsection B of this section and the support level for extended school year services for pupils with disabilities as determined in subsection C of this section.

E. The state support level for each approved route mile, as provided in subsection A, paragraph 5 of this section, shall be adjusted by the growth rate prescribed by law, subject to appropriation.

F. School districts must provide the odometer reading for each bus as of the end of the current year and the total bus mileage during the current year.

G. A school district may include route mileage and the number of riders to calculate funding pursuant to this section for transporting eligible students using motor vehicles described in section 15-925.
A.R.S. § 15-1652 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 13 / Article 3 / Section 1652
15-1652 Management and expenses
Status: in_force

15-1652. Management and expenses

A. Every teacher training school shall be under the supervision and management of the Arizona board of regents. All teachers in the school, except the principal, shall be employed by the Arizona board of regents and the governing board of the school district in which the training school is located, acting jointly.

B. The school district shall pay towards the expense of a teacher training school an amount equal to one-half of the school monies which it is entitled to have apportioned to it based on the student count at the training school during the preceding school year, but pupils attending from another school district shall not be credited with enrollment in the school district in which the university is located.
A.R.S. § 15-449 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 449
15-449 Formation of unified school district by common school district; petition for establishment; election; notice
Status: in_force

15-449. Formation of unified school district by common school district; petition for establishment; election; notice

A. A common school district having a student count of at least two hundred pupils and an assessed valuation of at least $2,000,000, by a majority vote of the qualified school electors of the school district, may establish a unified school district with boundaries coterminous with the boundaries of the common school district.

B. If a majority of the governing board of the common school district unites in a petition to the county school superintendent to establish a unified school district, or if ten percent of the residents of the common school district unite in a petition to establish a unified school district, the county school superintendent shall call an election to be held at the next regular election of the governing board, if the next regular election is within ninety days after receipt of the petition, to determine the question, or shall call a special election for that purpose within one hundred twenty days.

C. At least five public notices of the election shall be posted, one to be on the door of the schoolhouse in the district, at least ninety days before the election if the election is at least ninety days after receipt of the petition or as soon as practicable if the election is fewer than ninety days after receipt of the petition.

D. The election shall be conducted as nearly as practicable in the manner prescribed in section 15-459. The ballots shall contain the words "unified school district, yes" and "unified school district, no", and the voter shall signify his desired choice.

E. If a majority of the persons voting in the common school district votes in favor of establishment of a unified school district, the unified school district becomes effective as provided in section 15-459, subsection J.
A.R.S. § 15-1446 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 12 / Article 3 / Section 1446
15-1446 Lease-purchase agreements
Status: in_force

15-1446. Lease-purchase agreements

A. A district board may enter into lease or lease-purchase agreements for real property, including buildings and improvements to the property.

B. Lease or lease-purchase agreements authorized by subsection A of this section or section 15-1444, subsection A, paragraph 11 shall not create an obligation of payment by the district under the terms of the lease or lease-purchase agreement for periods longer than twenty years.

C. Notwithstanding subsection B of this section, a district board may enter into lease agreements for real property, including buildings and improvements to the property, that obligate the district for more than twenty years if the agreements are with an Indian tribe, involve land owned or controlled by the federal government or by a joint powers airport authority organized under title 28, chapter 25, article 8 or involve real property that is owned by a nongovernmental nonprofit corporation and that is offered for lease in an amount not to exceed $1,000 per year to a community college district for purposes of expanding health care education programs.

D. The amount of outstanding indebtedness due to acquiring real property by lease-purchase for each district shall not exceed either:

1. $2,500,000 in any one year and $15,000,000 in the aggregate for a district located in a county with a population of less than seven hundred fifty thousand persons.

2. $25,000,000 in any one year and $50,000,000 in the aggregate for a district located in a county with a population of seven hundred fifty thousand persons or more.

E. A district board may pledge tuitions, fees, rentals and other charges to any payments due under lease-purchase agreements.

F. Notwithstanding subsection E of this section, periodic payments and any option payments for acquiring real property by lease-purchase are restricted to payment from capital outlay funds.

G. Districts that acquire real property by lease-purchase are not entitled to receive monies pursuant to section 15-1463 pertaining to the specific real property acquired by lease-purchase.

H. Notwithstanding any other law, payments on lease or lease-purchase agreements entered into pursuant to subsection A of this section or section 15-1444, subsection A, paragraph 11 are obligations of the district within the meaning of the constitutional limit against indebtedness set out in article IX, section 8, Constitution of Arizona.
A.R.S. § 15-921 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 9 / Article 2 / Section 921
15-921 Duties of superintendent of public instruction
Status: in_force

15-921. Duties of superintendent of public instruction

A. The superintendent of public instruction shall supervise the provision of pupil transportation services.

B. The superintendent of public instruction shall evaluate the transportation program and routes for the purpose of evaluating accurate transportation support levels for the budget year.

C. For each fiscal year the superintendent of public instruction shall, on or before May 15, inform each school district of the daily route mileage which shall be used in the determination of the school district's transportation support level for the budget year.

D. The superintendent of public instruction shall be responsible for assembling the information provided by the school district and for determining the accuracy of such information.
A.R.S. § 15-1745 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 13 / Article 8 / Section 1745
15-1745 Contract with student certified by board
Status: in_force

15-1745. Contract with student certified by board

A. Before certifying a student to the commission the board, on behalf of this state, shall enter into a written contract with the student.  The contract shall set forth the methods and terms of repayment by the student to this state and shall be on terms and conditions and in a form provided by the board. The contract shall provide:

1. That the student shall within one year after completing his professional education and internship begin the practice of his profession within Arizona. If the student engages in postgraduate studies and does so without a lapse of more than one year following the completion of his professional course, he shall begin practice within this state within one year after completing the graduate studies. If the student is involuntarily inducted into military service, or for other cause beyond his control deemed sufficient by the board is unable to begin the practice of his profession within one year after completing his professional education, internship and any graduate studies, he shall begin practice within this state within one year after completing his required military service or the termination of such other cause.

2. That if the student engages in the practice of his profession within this state or while completing military service resulting from involuntary induction, his indebtedness to this state may be discharged in one of the following ways:

(a) By payment to this state of all sums expended by this state for and in behalf of the student with interest at the rate prescribed in subsection B of this section.

(b) For each year of practice or internship within this state or in military service there shall be discharged his obligation for one academic year of study for which a portion of the cost was paid by this state, except that each six months of practice shall discharge his obligation for one academic year of study if such practice is confined to a locality within the state where there is an exceptional need for his professional services as determined and certified by the Arizona medical board or licensing board of his profession.

3. That if the student fails to complete the required course of professional study, or if the course of study is interrupted by one school year or more for a cause or causes not resulting from involuntary induction into military service or other cause beyond his control deemed sufficient by the board, or if the student fails to practice his profession within the state for such continuous time as completely discharges his obligation, except for delays resulting from an excusable cause as prescribed in this section, the entire sum paid for or on behalf of the student by this state and not repaid or discharged as herein provided shall be due and payable forthwith with interest at the rate prescribed in subsection B of this section.  The board may extend the time of payment over a period not exceeding fifteen years and shall not require payment of interest during the existence of any excusable cause as prescribed in this section.

4. That if the student does not begin practice in this state within the time prescribed in this section but shall have repaid an agreed part of the sum expended by this state in his behalf, the board may permit him to discharge the balance of his obligation by subsequent practice within this state.

5. That in the event of the death of the student during the period of his education, internship or practice, his obligation to this state under this article shall cease except as to any portion that is then due.

B. The interest rate for a student's contract is the rate in effect for the fiscal year during which the student begins the approved course of professional study. The board shall establish the interest rate by November 1 of the current year for the following fiscal year. The board shall establish a rate equal to the average interest rate of auctioned ninety-one day United States treasury bills over the twenty-four month period ending September 30 of the current year, except that the board may round the rate to the nearest one-half per cent. Accrual of interest charges provided by the contract begins on the first day of the first complete month following graduation of the student or, for students who fail to complete their required course of study, the first day of the first complete month following the date when the student was no longer enrolled.
A.R.S. § 15-482 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 4 / Article 4 / Section 482
15-482 Special five per cent override for programs of pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through twelve
Status: in_force

15-482. Special five per cent override for programs of pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through twelve

A. An additional budget increase may be requested and authorized as provided in section 15-481, subsections I and J of up to five per cent of the revenue control limit as provided in subsection B of this section.

B. The maximum amount of the budget increase requested and authorized shall not exceed the budgeted expenditures of the proposed special program for each fiscal year, not to exceed a total of five per cent of the revenue control limit for each fiscal year.

C. The special program may be designed for children with disabilities in preschool programs and any or all of the pupils enrolled in kindergarten programs and grades one through twelve and may involve efforts to remove barriers to academic achievement as well as efforts to improve instruction or increase the amount of instruction.

D. During any fiscal year in which proceeds from the sale or lease of school property are used for the maintenance and operation section of the budget as provided in section 15-1102, a budget increase is in effect as provided in section 15-481, subsection E or F, or a budget increase is in effect as provided in this section, or any combination of these conditions occurs, the total amount of the proceeds and increases which may be expended is equal to fifteen per cent of the revenue control limit for that year as provided in section 15-947, subsection A, provided that the following maximum amount is attributable to any one of the conditions:

1. Fifteen per cent of the revenue control limit if using the proceeds from the sale or lease of school property for the maintenance and operation section of the budget as provided in section 15-1102.

2. Fifteen per cent of the revenue control limit if using a budget increase as provided in section 15-481, subsection E or F, or both.

3. Five per cent of the revenue control limit if using a budget increase as provided in this section.
A.R.S. § 15-394 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 3 / Article 6 / Section 394
15-394 Preservation of years of employment
Status: in_force

15-394. Preservation of years of employment

The years of employment of a certificated teacher who has been employed by a school district for more than the major portion of three consecutive school years shall be preserved if that teacher moves from a school district to a career technical education district or from a career technical education district to a school district if the school district governing board recognizes the previously established years of employment of the teacher, provided such districts are participating in the career technical education district.
A.R.S. § 15-707 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 707
15-707 College and career readiness program for at-risk students; requirements; annual report; definition
Status: in_force

15-707. College and career readiness program for at-risk students; requirements; annual report; definition

A. A school district or charter school that provides high school instruction may establish a college and career readiness program for at-risk students.  A program established pursuant to this section shall meet the following requirements:

1. Consist of at least nine consecutive months of academic support, including tutoring and remediation, to ensure that participating students meet the academic standards adopted by the state board of education.

2. Consist of comprehensive instruction on workplace skills as adopted by the state board of education.

3. Consist of instruction on leadership and civic duty.

4. Require students who participate in the program to earn credits toward graduation from high school.

5. Require students who participate in the program to perform volunteer activities or community service.

6. Require students who participate in the program to continue to participate in the program for twelve months after graduation from high school, during which time the school district or charter school shall provide follow-up assistance that is designed to assist the student's transition to postsecondary education, vocational or job training, military service or employment. A participating school district or charter school may develop a dual enrollment course program in order to meet the requirements of this paragraph.

7. Be administered through a private entity selected by the department of education.

B. School districts and charter schools that participate in the program shall annually report the following information to the department of education:

1. The percentage of students who participate in the program and who graduate from high school or obtain a general equivalency diploma on or within twelve months after the scheduled graduation date for that student's classmates.

2. The percentage of students who participate in the program, who graduate from high school or obtain a general equivalency diploma and who begin participation in postsecondary education, employment, vocational or job training or military service within twelve months after the scheduled graduation date for that student's classmates.

3. The percentage of students who participate in the program and who are either enrolled full time at a postsecondary education institution, employed full time, enrolled in a full-time vocational or job training program or on active duty in the armed forces of the United States, or any combination of these activities that in totality amounts to full-time activity, within twelve months after the scheduled graduation date for that student's classmates.

4. The percentage of students who participate in the program and their achievement scores on the statewide assessment adopted by the state board of education prescribed in section 15-741.

C. On or before September 15 of each year, the department of education shall submit a report to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives that summarizes the information submitted pursuant to subsection B of this section. The department of education shall provide a copy of the annual report to the secretary of state.

D. For the purposes of this section, "at-risk student" means a pupil in grade eleven or twelve who either:

1. Is likely to drop out of high school without graduating.

2. Has documented academic, personal or vocational barriers to success in high school and the workplace including having been subject to discipline, suspension or expulsion pursuant to section 15-843.
A.R.S. § 15-1158 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 10 / Article 4 / Section 1158
15-1158 Agreements for meals for persons sixty years of age or older
Status: in_force

15-1158. Agreements for meals for persons sixty years of age or older

A. The governing board of any school district may enter into an agreement with any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association or public agency whereby the school district agrees to prepare meals for persons sixty years of age or older and their spouses, or any group of such persons, by utilizing the systems and procedures already developed for use in the school meal programs of such school district.

B. An agreement entered into by a governing board of a school district, pursuant to the provisions of this section, shall not:

1. Involve the expenditure by the school district of any federal or state school meal monies or other school monies or the use of any school meal commodities or school district personnel, equipment or facilities unless the agreement includes a provision requiring full reimbursement for such expenditure.

2. Provide for payment to the school district of any amount in excess of the estimated cost of food, personnel, equipment, facilities and other necessary expenditures involved in the performance of the agreement.

3. Permit any program of meals for persons sixty years of age or older and their spouses to interfere in any way with the use of school meal facilities for school purposes.

C. The department of education may cooperate with any individual, firm, partnership, corporation, association or public agency in the planning of programs whereby school districts may prepare meals for persons sixty years of age or older and their spouses, or any group of such persons, by utilizing the systems and procedures already developed for use in the operation of school meal programs.

D. The department of education shall adopt regulations containing guidelines for governing boards of school districts entering into such agreements.
A.R.S. § 15-903 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 9 / Article 1 / Section 903
15-903 Budget format; prohibited expenditures; annual report
Status: in_force

15-903. Budget format; prohibited expenditures; annual report

A. The superintendent of public instruction in conjunction with the auditor general shall prepare and prescribe a budget format to be used by all school districts.

B. The budget format shall be designed to allow all school districts to plan and provide in detail for using available monies. The budget format shall contain distinct sections for, but need not be limited to, maintenance and operation, debt service, special projects, capital outlay, adjacent ways and classroom site fund. The maintenance and operation section shall include, but need not be limited to, separate subsections for regular education programs, special education programs and operational expenditures for pupil transportation. Each subsection shall clearly distinguish classroom instruction expenditures. The special education program subsection shall include a subtotal for the disability classifications as defined in section 15-761 and programs for gifted, vocational and technical education, remedial education and bilingual students.  The total expenditures for each of these programs shall be included on the budget form.  The pupil transportation subsection shall include all operational expenditures relating to transporting pupils, including all operational expenditures within a contract if the school district contracts for pupil transportation.

C. The capital outlay section of the budget shall include a subsection for unrestricted capital outlay. The unrestricted capital outlay subsection shall include budgeted expenditures for acquisitions by purchase, lease-purchase or lease of capital items as defined in the uniform system of financial records and shall include:

1. Land, buildings and improvements to land and buildings, including labor and related employee benefits costs and material costs if work is performed by school district employees.

2. Furniture, furnishings, athletic equipment and other equipment, including computer software.

3. Pupil and nonpupil transportation vehicles and equipment, including all capital expenditures within a contract if the school district contracts for pupil transportation.

4. Textbooks and related printed subject matter materials adopted by the governing board.

5. Instructional aids.

6. Library books.

7. Payment of principal and interest on bonds.

8. School district administration emergency needs that are directly related to pupils.

D. The budget format shall contain distinct subsections for the following:

1. Special programs to improve academic achievement of pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one through three as provided in section 15-482.

2. School plant funds.

3. Capital outlay budget increases as provided in section 15-481.

4. Property taxation, including the following:

(a) The primary tax rates for the school district for the current year and the budget year.

(b) The secondary tax rates for maintenance and operation, K-3 and capital overrides for the school district for the current year and the budget year.

(c) The secondary tax rates for class A bonds for the school district for the current year and the budget year.

(d) The secondary tax rates for class B bonds for the school district for the current year and the budget year.

5. A description of any corrections or adjustments made to the budget pursuant to section 15-915.

E. The budget format shall also contain:

1. A statement identifying proposed pupil-teacher ratios and pupil-staff ratios relating to the provision of special education services for the budget year.

2. The prominent display of the average salary of all teachers employed by the school district for the current year.  The school district shall also prominently post this information on its website home page separately from its budget.

3. The prominent display of the average salary of all teachers employed by the school district for the previous year. The school district shall also prominently post this information on its website home page separately from its budget.

4. The prominent display of the dollar increase in the average salary of all teachers employed by the school district for the current year.  The school district shall also prominently post this information on its website home page separately from its budget.

5. The prominent display of the percentage increase in the average salary of all teachers employed by the school district for the current year.  The school district shall also prominently post this information on its website home page separately from its budget.

F. The special projects section shall include budgeted expenditures for state special projects, including special adult projects, career education, deficiencies correction fund projects and new school facilities fund projects, such federal special projects as ESEA title programs, vocational education and title IV Indian education, and other special projects.

G. A school district shall not make expenditures for campaign literature associated with school district or charter school officials.  If the superintendent of public instruction determines that a school district has violated this subsection, the superintendent of public instruction may withhold any portion of the school district's apportionment of state aid.

H. The budget format shall include an electronic format that shall be submitted for each proposed, adopted and revised budget.

I. On or before November 30 of each year, the department of education shall electronically submit to the joint legislative budget committee and the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting a report that compiles the information required by subsection E, paragraphs 2 through 5 of this section for all school districts statewide.
A.R.S. § 15-448 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 4 / Article 3 / Section 448
15-448 Formation of unified school district; board membership; budget
Status: in_force

15-448. Formation of unified school district; board membership; budget

A. One or more common school districts and a high school district with coterminous or overlapping boundaries may establish a unified school district pursuant to this section. Unification of a common school district and a high school district is not authorized by this section if any of the high school facilities owned by the new unified school district would not be located within its boundaries.

B. Formation of a unified school district shall be by resolutions approved by the governing boards of the unifying school districts and certification of approval by such governing boards to the county school superintendent of the county or counties in which such individual school districts are located.  A common school district and high school district that unify pursuant to this section shall not exclude from the same unification a common school district that has overlapping boundaries with the high school district and that wishes to unify. Except as provided in subsection D of this section, the formation of a unified school district becomes effective on July 1 of the next fiscal year following the certification of the county school superintendent. An election is not required to form a unified school district pursuant to this section. Notice of the proposed vote of the governing boards on the resolutions prescribed in this subsection shall be posted in at least three public places in each of the school districts proposed to be unified at least ninety days before the proposed vote. At least ninety days before the governing boards vote on the resolutions prescribed in this subsection, the governing boards shall mail a pamphlet to each household with one or more qualified electors that lists the full cash value, the assessed valuation and the estimated amount of the primary property taxes and the estimated amount of the secondary property taxes under the proposed unification for each of the following:

1. An owner-occupied residence whose assessed valuation is the average assessed valuation of property classified as class three, as prescribed by section 42-12003 for the current year in the school district.

2. An owner-occupied residence whose assessed valuation is one-half of the assessed valuation of the residence in paragraph 1 of this subsection.

3. An owner-occupied residence whose assessed valuation is twice the assessed valuation of the residence in paragraph 1 of this subsection.

4. A business whose assessed valuation is the average of the assessed valuation of property classified as class one, as prescribed by section 42-12001, paragraphs 12 and 13 for the current year in the school district.

C. The boundaries of the unified school district shall be the boundaries of the former common school district or districts that unify.  The boundaries of the common school district or districts that are not unifying remain unchanged.  The county school superintendent, immediately on receipt of the approved resolutions prescribed by subsection B of this section, shall file with the board of supervisors, the county assessor and the superintendent of public instruction a transcript of the boundaries of the unified school district. The boundaries shown in the transcript shall become the legal boundaries of the school districts on July 1 of the next fiscal year.

D. On formation of the unified school district, the governing board consists of the members of the former school district governing boards and the members shall hold office until January 1 following the first general election after formation of the district.  For the purpose of all actions that are necessary to operate the unified district for the next year, the unified school district governing board is constituted and may conduct meetings after the adoption of the unification resolutions prescribed by subsection B of this section.

E. Beginning on January 1 following the first general election after formation of the unified school district, the governing board shall have five members.  At the first general election after the formation of the district, members shall be elected in the following manner:

1. The three candidates receiving the highest, the second highest and the third highest number of votes shall be elected to four-year terms.

2. The two candidates receiving the fourth and fifth highest number of votes shall be elected to two-year terms. Thereafter all offices shall have four-year terms.

F. The new unified school district may appoint a resident of the remaining common school district to serve as a nonvoting member of the governing board to represent the interests of the high school pupils who reside in the remaining common school district and who attend school in the unified school district.

G. For the first year of operation, the unified school district governing board shall prepare a consolidated budget based on the student counts from the school districts comprising the unified school district. The unified school district may budget for unification assistance pursuant to section 15-912.01.

H. The governing board of the unified school district shall prepare policies, curricula and budgets for the district. These policies shall require that:

1. The base compensation of each certificated teacher for the first year of operation of the new unified school district shall not be lower than the certificated teacher's base compensation for the prior year in the previously existing school districts.

2. The certificated teacher's years of employment in the previously existing school districts shall be included in determining the teacher's certificated years of employment in the new unified school district.

I. On formation of a unified school district, any existing override authorization of the former high school district and the former common school district or districts shall continue until expiration based on the revenue control limit of the school district or districts that had override authorization before unification. The unified school district may request new override authorization for the budget year as provided in section 15-481 based on the combined revenue control limit of the new district after unification. If the unified school district's request for override authorization is approved, it will replace any existing override for the budget year.

J. The unified school district shall admit high school pupils who reside in a common school district that was located within the boundaries of the former high school district. For the purposes of determining student count and for apportionment of state aid, the school membership of these pupils is deemed to be enrollment in the unified school district.

K. All assets and liabilities of the unifying school districts shall be transferred and assumed by the new unified school district.  Any existing bonded indebtedness of a common school district or a high school district unifying pursuant to this section shall be assumed by the new unified school district and shall be regarded as an indebtedness of the new unified school district for the purpose of determining the debt incurring authority of the district.  Taxes for the payment of such bonded indebtedness shall be levied on all taxable property in the new unified school district, but nothing in this subsection shall be construed to relieve from liability to taxation for the payment of all taxable property of the former high school district if necessary to prevent a default in the payment of any bonded indebtedness of the former high school district.  The residents of a common school district that does not unify shall not vote in bond or override elections of the unified school district and shall not be assessed taxes as a result of a bond or override election of the unified school district.

L. If the remaining common school district had authorization for an override as provided in section 15-481 or 15-482, the override authorization continues for the remaining common school district or districts in the same manner as before the formation of the unified school district.

M. The bonding authorization and bonding limitations continue for the remaining common school district or districts in the same manner as before the formation of the unified school district.

N. This section does not relieve a school district formed pursuant to section 15-457 or 15-458 of its liability for any outstanding bonded indebtedness.

0. For school districts that become unified after July 1, 2004 and where all of the common schools were eligible for the small school district weight pursuant to section 15-943, paragraph 1, subdivision (a) when computing their base support level and base revenue control limit before unification, the unified school district may continue to use the small school district weight as follows:

1. Annually determine the common school student count and the weighted student count pursuant to section 15-943, paragraph 1, subdivision (a) for each common school district before unification.

2. Calculate the sum of the common school districts' student counts and weighted student counts determined in paragraph 1 of this subsection.

3. Divide the sum of the weighted student counts by the sum of the student counts determined in paragraph 2 of this subsection.

4. The amount determined in paragraph 3 of this subsection shall be the weight for the common schools in the unified school district.

P. A unified school district may calculate its revenue control limit and district support level by using subsection O of this section as follows:

1. Determine the number of individual school districts that existed before unification into a single school district.

2. Multiply the amount determined in paragraph 1 of this subsection by six hundred.

3. Multiply the amount determined in paragraph 2 of this subsection by 0.80.

4. If the amount determined in paragraph 3 of this subsection exceeds the student count of the unified school district, the unified school district is eligible to use subsection O of this section.

Q. Subsections O and P of this section shall remain in effect until the aggregate student count of the common school districts before unification exceeds the aggregate number of students of the common school districts before unification authorized to utilize section 15-943, paragraph 1, subdivision (a).
A.R.S. § 15-248.02 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 2 / Article 2 / Section 248.02
15-248.02 Teacher certification fund
Status: in_force

15-248.02. Teacher certification fund

The teacher certification fund is established consisting of fees collected pursuant to chapter 5, article 3 of this title and legislative appropriations. The department of education shall administer the fund and shall use the monies in the fund for expenses incurred in administering teacher certification. Monies in the fund are subject to legislative appropriation and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations.
A.R.S. § 15-805 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 8 / Article 1 / Section 805
15-805 Attendance officer; powers and duties
Status: in_force

15-805. Attendance officer; powers and duties

A. The attendance officer may enforce the law relating to:

1. School attendance of children between the ages of six and sixteen years.

2. The provisions of section 15-802, subsection E, and section 15-803.

3. Employment of children between the ages of six and sixteen years.

B. The attendance officer may:

1. Issue a citation to an adult or child who is alleged to be in violation of laws specified in subsection A of this section to appear before a court of competent jurisdiction and shall advise the person to whom the citation is issued that failure to appear at the time and place specified in the citation may result in the issuance of a warrant for the person's arrest. A citation that is issued to a child under eighteen years of age shall require the child's parent or person having custody to appear with the child at the time and place specified in the citation. The attendance officer shall notify the child's parent or person having custody that the citation was issued and that the parent or person having custody is required to appear in court with the child and shall give proof of the notice to the court.

2. Issue a citation on an Arizona traffic ticket and complaint form for any violation of laws specified in subsection A of this section.

3. Report a violation of a law specified in subsection A of this section to the local law enforcement agency and request an investigation of the violation. The law enforcement agency shall, when sufficient cause exists, refer the matter for prosecution.

4. Enter all places where children may be employed to investigate and enforce the law.
A.R.S. § 15-712.01 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 7 / Article 1 / Section 712.01
15-712.01 Instruction on dating abuse; definitions
Status: in_force

15-712.01. Instruction on dating abuse; definitions

A. A school district that provides instruction in grades seven through twelve may incorporate dating abuse information that is age appropriate into the school district's existing health curriculum for pupils in grades seven through twelve that includes the following components:

1. A definition of dating abuse.

2. The recognition of dating abuse warning signs.

3. The characteristics of healthy relationships.

B. On written request to the principal of the school where a child is enrolled, the parent or guardian of a pupil who is under eighteen years of age shall be permitted to review the dating abuse information instructional materials within a reasonable time after submitting the written request.

C. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Dating abuse" means a pattern of behavior in which one person uses or threatens to use physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse to control the person's dating partner.

2. "Dating partner" means any person who is involved in an intimate association with another person that is primarily characterized by the expectation of affectionate involvement and that includes casual, serious and long-term dating partners.
A.R.S. § 15-1407 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 12 / Article 1 / Section 1407
15-1407 Formation of new district by subdivision of existing district; division of assets
Status: in_force

15-1407. Formation of new district by subdivision of existing district; division of assets

A. If two or more contiguous counties have formed a community college district, a new district may be formed in one or more of the counties by dissolution of the existing district if each county in which a new district is formed meets the requirements prescribed in section 15-1402. Except as provided in this section, the procedures for dissolution of the district shall be as prescribed in section 15-1403 for the formation of a district in more than one county.

B. The election shall be held as provided in section 15-1404, except that a majority of the qualified electors in each of the counties in the existing district must approve the dissolution of the existing district and the formation of the new district.

C. If a county is within a community college district that is dissolved pursuant to this section and the county does not meet the requirements of section 15-1402 or 15-1402.01, the county is no longer part of an established community college district.

D. The district board of the existing district shall prepare a projected list of assets for the existing district before the end of the fiscal year in which the election is held. The district boards of the existing district and the new district shall prepare a final statement of assets for the existing district as of the end of the fiscal year in which the election was held.  The district boards of the existing district and the new district shall set aside sufficient assets or provide other means to satisfy the liabilities of the existing district and approve the final division of all assets by September 15 of the year in which the new district becomes operative.
A.R.S. § 15-189.06 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 1 / Article 8 / Section 189.06
15-189.06 Charter schools; teacher performance evaluation systems; principal evaluation policies
Status: in_force

15-189.06. Charter schools; teacher performance evaluation systems; principal evaluation policies

A. Each charter school governing body shall establish a system to evaluate the performance of teachers in the charter school that results in at least one evaluation of each teacher by a qualified evaluator each school year. Each governing body shall establish a teacher performance evaluation system that meets all of the following criteria:

1. Is designed to improve teacher performance and student achievement.

2. Includes the use of quantitative data on the academic progress for all students, which shall account for between twenty percent and thirty-three percent of the evaluation outcomes.

3. Includes four performance classifications, designated as highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective.

B. Each charter school governing body shall adopt in a public meeting policies to implement for principal evaluations at the charter school.  Before adopting principal evaluation policies, the governing body shall provide opportunities for public discussion on the proposed policies.  For charter holders, the principal evaluation policies apply to each charter school's instructional leader whose primary responsibility is to oversee the academic performance of the charter school. This subsection does not apply to an officer, director, member or partner of the charter holder.  Each governing body shall adopt principal evaluation policies that meet all of the following criteria:

1. Are designed to improve principal performance and student achievement.

2. Include the use of quantitative data on the academic progress for all students, which shall account for between twenty percent and thirty-three percent of the evaluation outcomes.

3. Include four performance classifications, designated as highly effective, effective, developing and ineffective.

4. Describe both of the following:

(a) The methods used to evaluate the performance of principals, including the data used to measure student performance and job effectiveness.

(b) The formula used to determine evaluation outcomes.
A.R.S. § 15-1865 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 14 / Article 6 / Section 1865
15-1865 Free speech; prohibition
Status: in_force

15-1865. Free speech; prohibition

Subject to reasonable time, place and manner restrictions, a community college or university may not limit any area on campus where free speech may be exercised by a person who is lawfully present.
A.R.S. § 15-1601 — Arizona Code / Title 15 / Chapter 13 / Article 1 / Section 1601
15-1601 State universities; location; faculty powers; report
Status: in_force

15-1601. State universities; location; faculty powers; report

A. The Arizona board of regents shall maintain state universities at Flagstaff in Coconino county, at Tempe in Maricopa county and at Tucson in Pima county, and the universities are respectively designated northern Arizona university, Arizona state university and the university of Arizona. The board shall maintain an Arizona state university campus in western Maricopa county designated as Arizona state university west campus and an Arizona state university campus in eastern Maricopa county designated as Arizona state university east campus.  The board may establish and maintain other colleges and universities subject to legislative authority.  Subject to review by the joint committee on capital review, the board may establish new campuses that are separate from any location in existence on July 1, 2007.  The Arizona state university campus at Tempe shall provide administrative support for the Arizona state university campuses in western Maricopa county and in eastern Maricopa county.

B. The universities shall have colleges, schools and departments and give courses of study and academic degrees as the board approves. Subject to the responsibilities and powers of the board and the university presidents, the faculty members of the universities, through their elected faculty representatives, shall share responsibility for academic and educational activities and matters related to faculty personnel. The faculty members of each university, through their elected faculty representatives, shall participate in the governance of their respective universities and shall actively participate in the development of university policy.

C. On or before November 15 of each year, Arizona state university shall report to the joint legislative budget committee, the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate for each of its separate campuses all of the following:

1. The capital expenditure history made to each campus for each of the two previous fiscal years.

2. The actual number of full-time equivalent students at each campus of Arizona state university as of the twenty-first day after classes begin for the fall semester and the total headcount enrollment at each campus.

3. Any revenues or allocations made to each campus of Arizona state university that are available to report.

4. Any long-term capital or expansion plans for each campus.