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Arizona has a number of bills heading for final approval in the House before consideration by the Governor. These bills range from helping kids in need to benefiting educators in the state.
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Senate Bill 1026 would allow district and charter schools to administer prescription medication in an emergency without parent or guardian permission. If passed, a school employee could give a child an EpiPen injection for allergies, Naloxone in the case of an opioid overdose or inhaler for asthma attacks. Currently emergency medications may not be administered without a parental consent. Phoenix Children’s Hospital is among the bill’s supporters.
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Also up for consideration is a repeal of the so-called “No promo homo” law. In Superintendent of Instruction Kathy Hoffman’s State of Education Address last week she called for legislators to repeal what she called the state’s “no promo homo” law, which she said bans some AIDS education because it “promotes a homosexual lifestyle.”
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Democrats have attempted to overturn the law in the past but have failed. It was only recently referred to the Senate Education Committee, but that does not mean it will get a hearing.
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House Bill 2187 would significantly reduce the education “rollover” by more than $630 million. The rollover represents basic state aid payments to schools deferred by a year, a budgeting technique used during the Great Recession. The K-12 rollover stands at about $930 million. It has been stated that the rollover would have no impact on actual school funding, but that by paying down the rollover it would allow those funds to be used by lawmakers as a budget mechanism in future economic downturns.
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SB 1230 amends the state’s grant funding for schools with extraordinary special education needs, a fund that has remained unused for years with little funding designated from lawmakers.
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SB 1184 would add a half-credit personal finance course to the state’s high school graduation requirements. The course would include financial literacy and personal financial management. This bill has passed Senate Education Committee; awaiting a vote of the full Senate.
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SB 1080 and an adjoining resolution would ask voters in 2020 to increase the education sales tax rate to one penny from its current 0.6 cents. The goal is to raise about $400 million more annually for Arizona K-12 schools and higher education. The plan would also change how the funding is provided to universities, community colleges, K-12 districts and charters, creating three “buckets” for the money to replace the 10 that currently exist. Although the discussion for education funding is important, education leaders believe that even if this should pass, the results are inadequate. This bill has passed the Senate Education Committee; awaiting a vote of the full Senate.
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HB 2176 would change a state program that awards teachers bonus money based on the number of students in their class who pass a qualifying exam for college credit. The proposal requires the money to go to educators who previously taught the student in relevant courses leading up to their Advanced Placement course, not just the AP teacher.
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Last year teachers split $3.8 million in bonuses but the system had teachers wanting to teach AP courses, while other teachers were left without options. The bill would award $450 to teachers per passing score for low-income schools and $300 to teachers per passing score in all other schools. This bill has passed the House Education Committee and is awaiting a vote of the full House.
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SB 1014 would overhaul how Arizona schools are required to teach English language learners, including reducing the minimum of four hours of English language development per day to about two hours of minimum instruction. Arizona has had one of the lowest graduation rates of students who are English language learners. This bill has passed Senate.
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SB 1020 would allow the Arizona Department of Education to share immoral or unprofessional conduct investigation records of certified teachers with schools or school districts where the teacher has applied. The records would still be confidential and not subject to public records law.
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This wouldn’t apply to all teachers. State law does not require charter school teachers to be certified. This bill has passed Senate Education Committee; awaiting a vote of the full Senate.
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