HB2502 - 532R

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

Section 1. Title 15, chapter 7, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-712.02, to read:

START_STATUTE15-712.02. Education and training on child abuse prevention; students; school personnel; posting; opt‑out

A. Beginning in the 2018-2019 school year, school districts and charter schools shall establish education and training on child abuse prevention for school personnel who are required to report pursuant to section 13‑3620 and students in the elementary and secondary grades.

B. The education and training established pursuant to this section shall include annual age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate, research–based child abuse prevention training designed to promote self‑protection and accountability and to prevent the abuse of children, including sexual abuse.

C. Each school district and charter school may choose the delivery method of the education and training prescribed in this section for employees and students. The instruction shall:

1. Use an age-appropriate and developmentally appropriate, research-based curriculum to teach children abuse-prevention and risk‑reduction strategies, including:

(a) How to identify dangerous situations.

(b) How to identify personal boundary violations.

(d) How to resist dangerous approaches and invitations.

(e) How to summon help.

(f) What to do if abuse occurs.

2. Encourage parental involvement within the abuse-prevention training, including information on child abuse prevention, risk-reduction techniques, abuse reporting and support service availability.

D. To provide the education and training required under this section, a school district or charter school may develop its own training or may use a curriculum approved by the state board of education. The district or charter school may pay for the cost of the training and curriculum or may enter into an agreement with a qualifying community organization to provide the training at no cost to the school district or charter school. The state board of education shall approve and maintain a list of approved curricula for the student education and training required by this section. In order to be approved, curricula must be age‑appropriate and developmentally appropriate, research-based and cover, at a minimum, the instruction areas listed in subsection c of this section. The state board shall also seek to include as many approved curricular options as possible that require not more than one hundred eighty minutes of instructional classroom time and that include at least one curricular option that is delivered through online instruction.

E. School districts and charter schools shall provide education and training for students required by this section at least once each year.

F. Education and training on prevention techniques for and recognition of child abuse, including sexual abuse, and procedures for a child who is at risk for abuse to seek assistance shall be provided for all new school district and charter school personnel who are required to report pursuant to section 13‑3620 as part of a new employee's orientation and for existing employees on a schedule adopted by the school district or charter school.

G. At a minimum, the education and training required under this section for school district and charter school personnel who are required to report pursuant to section 13‑3620 shall include information regarding all of the following:

1. Factors indicating that a child is at risk for abuse.

2. Likely warning signs indicating that a child may be a victim of abuse.

3. Internal procedures for a child who is at risk for abuse to seek assistance.

4. Methods for reducing a child's risk of being a victim of abuse.

H. SCHOOL PERSONNEL WHO RECEIVE TRAINING regarding THE DUTY TO REPORT pursuant to SECTION 13-3620 SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS SECTION FOR THE ACADEMIC YEAR IN WHICH THE personnel RECEIVE THE TRAINING. Teachers and administrators who receive prevention training on issues concerning child abuse pursuant to Section 15-218 satisfy the requirements of this section for the academic year in which they receive the training.

I. Each school district and charter school shall include a description of the education and training prescribed by this section either in an informational handbook or on the school district's or charter school's website.

J. This section does not impair or limit the immunity available to school personnel pursuant to section 13-3620 or any other immunity available by law.

K. Each school that is operated by a school district and each charter school shall post a sign that:

1. Is in a clearly visible location.

2. Is in a public area of the school.

3. Is readily accessible to students.

4. Is placed at students' eye level.

5. Is at least eleven inches by seventeen inches.

6. Contains the following in English and in Spanish and in large print:

(a) The telephone number in boldfaced type of the centralized intake hotline concerning suspected abuse and neglect of children that is established pursuant to section 8-455.

(b) Instructions to call 911 for emergencies.

(c) Directions for accessing the website of the department of child safety for more information on reporting child abuse, child neglect and the exploitation of children.

L. School districts and charter schools may use monies from any available federal source, including grant monies allocated pursuant to the every student succeeds act (P.L. 114–95; 129 stat. 1802; 20 United States Code sections 7101 through 7165) for the purposes prescribed in this section.

M. This section does not require sex education instruction.

N. On written request to the principal of the school where the pupil is enrolled, the parent or guardian of a pupil who is under eighteen years of age may review the materials for the education and training required by this section. Parents may opt their child out of the education and training required by this section regardless of whether they make a written request to review the materials.

O. This section does not void or impair any right guaranteed to parents by section 15-102 or 15‑730 or any other law.