PREFILED JAN 03 2012
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REFERENCE TITLE: curriculum; free enterprise; constitutions; finance |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fiftieth Legislature Second Regular Session 2012
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HB 2041 |
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Introduced by Representative Fillmore
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AN ACT
Amending section 15‑710, Arizona Revised Statutes; amending Title 15, chapter 7, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding sections 15-717.01 and 15‑717.02; relating to school curriculum.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 15-710, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:
15-710. Instruction in state and federal constitutions, American institutions and history of Arizona
A. All schools shall may give instruction in the essentials, sources and history of the Constitutions of the United States and Arizona and instruction in American institutions and ideals and in the history of Arizona, including the history of Native Americans in Arizona. The instruction shall may be given in accordance with the state course of study for at least one year of in the common school grades and high school grades respectively.
B. Each school district and charter school that provides instruction to high school pupils shall provide a course in the essentials, sources and history of the constitutions of the United States and Arizona and the arguments presented in the federalist papers. The instruction shall be provided to each high school pupil for at least one full school year. beginning in the 2014‑2015 school year, a school district or charter school shall not issue a high school diploma to a pupil unless that pupil completes and obtains a passing score in the course prescribed in this subsection.
Sec. 2. Title 15, chapter 7, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding sections 15-717.01 and 15-717.02, to read:
15-717.01. Instruction in the free enterprise system
A. Instruction in the free enterprise system shall be provided in a course lasting at least one semester during high school.
B. Beginning with pupils entering high school in the 2012‑2013 school year, pupils shall be required to fulfill the free enterprise requirement prescribed in this section and obtain a passing grade in the course in order to receive a high school diploma.
C. The state board of education shall:
1. Adopt state standards on free enterprise courses that are consistent with this section.
2. Determine or otherwise develop a free enterprise course that includes the areas of instruction prescribed in subsection E of this section. In carrying out the requirements of this paragraph, the state board of education may contract with one or more organizations that have expertise in the development of standards and curricula in these areas of instruction.
3. Provide appropriate professional development training for teachers who will provide instruction in free enterprise courses. In carrying out the requirements of this paragraph, the State Board of Education may contract with one or more organizations that have expertise in the areas of instruction designated in subsection E of this Section.
D. Beginning in the 2012‑2013 school year, the arizona instrument to measure standards test and any other statewide curriculum-based test shall include questions on the free enterprise system.
E. At a minimum, the following areas of instruction shall be included in the free enterprise course:
1. The basic characteristics of a free enterprise system, including the roles played by the rule of law, private property ownership, profit and loss, competition and regulation, supply and demand, consumers and producers and technological innovation in creating and sustaining a free enterprise system.
2. The benefits of economic growth, wealth creation and technological innovation and the role played by the free enterprise system in achieving these benefits as compared to other economic systems.
3. The importance of the rule of law, private ownership rights, economic liberty and equality of opportunity to the free enterprise system and the role of the United States Constitution and the Declaration of Independence in preserving these rights and freedoms.
4. The impact of government spending, regulations, tax, monetary and trade policies on economic growth, entrepreneurship, productivity and technological innovation.
5. The opportunities and challenges presented by starting a business.
15-717.02. Instruction on personal finance; graduation requirement
A. Each school district and charter school that provides instruction to high school pupils shall provide a course in personal finance as part of the mathematics curriculum that includes information on the following:
1. The management of household living expenses.
2. Home financing, including residential lease agreements and mortgage financing.
3. Automobile financing and financial matters pertaining to other forms of transportation.
4. Various types of services offered by financial institutions, including debit cards, credit cards, checking accounts and savings accounts.
5. Retirement planning.
B. Beginning in the 2013‑2014 school year, a school district or charter school in this state shall not issue a high school diploma to A pupil unless that pupil completes and obtains a passing grade in a personal finance course prescribed by subsection A of this section.
Sec. 3. Department of education; free enterprise instruction; report
The department of education shall submit a report on or before September 15, 2014 to the governor, the speaker of the house of representatives and the president of the senate on the implementation of instruction in the free enterprise system pursuant to section 15‑717.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, as added by this act, and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state.