ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Forty-seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session
FINAL AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1551
omnibus mining conformity act
(NOW: board of supervisors; accommodation schools)
Purpose
Exempts the county board of supervisors from any financial contributions to an accommodation school district until January 1, 2010, unless an intergovernmental agreement exists with the county school superintendent with specified conditions for both parties. It also creates the 12-member Joint Legislative Study Committee on Accommodation School District Governance and Financing.
Background
The county board of supervisors and the county school superintendent jointly operate accommodation schools that serve pupils on military reservations, students residing in territories not included within the boundaries of a school district, homeless children or alternative education programs for students in grades six through twelve (A.R.S. § 15-101). The county school superintendent maintains operational oversight of the accommodation school district and can provide educational services to other school districts in the county. The county school superintendent also manages the financial interests of the accommodation district and develops the fiscal year budget for the schools based on the same format as used by school districts. (A.R.S. § 15‑308). Accommodation districts are subject to the same yearly audit requirement as school districts and must submit budgets and financial reports to the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) annually. In addition, the Auditor General conducts annual audits of counties that include review of the financial transactions of the accommodation school districts.
Currently, there are nine accommodation school districts in the state located in Coconino, Cochise, Graham, Maricopa, Pinal, Navajo, Pima and Yavapai counties. Maricopa County Regional School District and Ft. Huachuca Accommodation School District operate two of the larger accommodation districts in the state.
The county board of supervisors adopts annual budgets for the Special County School Reserve Fund, which may function as a depository for state, local and federal funds for use by the county or the county school superintendent for rural school needs, transportation and necessary funding for the establishment and operation of accommodation schools and special education programs for children with disabilities (A.R.S. § 15-1001). The county board of supervisors may delegate the responsibility of managing the Special County School Reserve Fund to the county school superintendent. Accommodation districts do not have taxing authority and therefore receive 100 percent state funding through the state’s K-12 school finance formula, in addition to federal monies or local monies provided by the county.
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund.
Provisions
1. Prohibits the county board of supervisors from providing funding for necessary expenses for an accommodation school district until January 1, 2010, unless an intergovernmental agreement with the county school superintendent exists detailing the county’s financial responsibility and any conditions for expenditure and financial reporting required of the county school superintendent.
2. Requires the county school superintendent to report on his or her plan for an accommodation school for the next year, including the projected number of students, to the county board of supervisors by April 1 of each year.
3. Requires the county school superintendent to provide to the county board of supervisors, by June 1 of each year, a listing of estimated revenues received from the state and any other financial information requested by the county board of supervisors.
4. Establishes the 12-member Joint Legislative Study Committee on Accommodation School District Governance and Financing (Study Committee), consisting of a chairperson and a vice chairperson selected from the following membership:
a) two Senate members, each from different political parties.
b) two House of Representatives members, each from different political parties.
c) the Superintendent of Public Instruction or designee.
d) a county school superintendent from a county with an accommodation school district and more than 750,000 persons appointed by the President of the Senate.
e) a county school superintendent from a county that contains an accommodation school district and less than 750,000 persons appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
f) a member of the county board of supervisors in a county with more than 750,000 persons that operates an accommodation school district appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
g) a member of the county board of supervisors in a county with less than 750,000 persons that operates an accommodation school district appointed by the President of the Senate.
h) a member representing a county with an accommodation school district with taxing authority appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
i) two public members, one who is familiar with school financing and budget appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and another who is familiar with property tax regulations appointed by the President of the Senate.
5. Charges the Study Committee with:
a) a review of the formation and operation of accommodation school districts and recommendations on governance and financing, including maintenance and operations, transportation and school construction.
b) an examination of statutes relevant to the formation and operation of county accommodation school districts and recommendations for statutory changes.
c) a report on the Study Committee’s findings and recommendations to the Governor, President of the Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives on or before December 15, 2007, with a copy delivered to the Secretary of State and the Director of the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records.
6. Repeals the Study Committee on January 1, 2008.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee
· Removes all changes to taxation statutes.
Amendments Adopted by House of Representatives
· Adopted a strike everything amendment relating to an intergovernmental agreement between a county school superintendent and the county board of supervisors for funding of an accommodation district and includes the creation of a joint legislative study committee.
Senate Action House Action
NRRA 2/15/06 DPA 5-0-2-0 NRA 3/27/06 W/D
3rd Read 3/14/06 27-2-0-0-1 ED 3/29/06 DPA/SE 9-0-0-1
Final Read 4/13/06 21-6-2-1 3rd Read 4/6/06 53-1-6-0
Signed by the Governor 4/18/06
Chapter 178
Prepared by Senate Research
April 24, 2006
DN/jas