REFERENCE TITLE: school accountability pilot program.

State of Arizona Senate Fifty-first Legislature Second Regular Session 2014

SB 1398

Introduced by Senators Tovar, Begay, Dalessandro, Gallardo, Hobbs, Pancrazi: Farley, McGuire, Meza

 

AN ACT

 

prescribing the school accountability pilot program.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

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

Section 1.  School accountability pilot program; report; program termination

A.  The state board of education, in consultation with the department of education and the state board for charter schools, shall establish a competitive application process for a five‑year school accountability pilot program.

B.  School districts and charter schools that wish to participate in the pilot program shall submit applications to the state board of education on or before January 1, 2015.

C.  On or before March 1, 2015, the state board of education shall:

1.  Select three schools operated by school districts and two charter schools to participate in the pilot program.  The schools that are selected to participate in the pilot program must meet all of the following requirements:

(a)  Be in compliance with all state and federal laws.

(b)  Be assigned a letter grade classification of A or B pursuant to section 15‑241, Arizona Revised Statutes, on the effective date of this act.

(c)  Develop an individualized accountability system that includes factors such as the percentage of pupils who:

(i)  Graduate under a recognized rigorous curriculum.

(ii)  Obtain a passing score in advanced placement courses.

(iii)  Are proficient in multiple languages.

(iv)  Obtain career and technical education certification.

(v)  Complete a defined exemplary arts program.

(vi)  Complete a specified number of hours of community service.

(d)  Participate in the state standardized testing requirements prescribed in title 15, Arizona Revised Statutes.  Schools that are selected to participate in the pilot program shall determine the extent to which standardized tests will be factored into the individualized accountability system used by each school.

2.  Approve the accountability system for each participating school. 

D.  At the end of each school year, schools that participate in the pilot program shall submit to the state board of education a report with aggregated data by grade level that demonstrates the results of outcomes achieved.

E.  On or before November 15, 2020, the state board of education shall submit to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives a report that summarizes the results of the pilot program.  The state board of education shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state.

F.  The pilot program established by this section ends on July 1, 2021 pursuant to section 41-3102, Arizona Revised Statutes.