REFERENCE TITLE: team-teaching pilot program; appropriations

State of Arizona Senate Fifty-fourth Legislature First Regular Session 2019

SB 1503

Introduced by Senators Otondo: Alston, Bradley, Contreras, Dalessandro, Gonzales, Mendez, Navarrete, Peshlakai, Quezada, Steele

 

AN ACT

 

establishing the team-teaching pilot program; appropriating monies.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 

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

Section 1.  Team-teaching pilot program; requirements; report; delayed repeal

A.  The Arizona board of regents shall conduct a five-year team‑teaching pilot program to develop teams of educators with distributed expertise to deliver personalized learning to improve student experience and academic outcomes.  The Arizona board of regents shall select a teaching college at a university under its jurisdiction with a total student enrollment of over ninety thousand to host the pilot program.

B.  The Arizona board of regents shall:

1.  Use the monies appropriated for the pilot program to provide stipends for student teachers who participate in the pilot program in an amount determined by the board.

2.  Establish application and selection procedures for students who wish to apply to participate in the pilot program.

3.  Limit the number of student teachers who are selected to participate in the pilot program to ensure that the cost of the pilot program does not exceed the amount appropriated.

4.  Partner with school districts and charter schools to place teams of student teachers in the classroom under the supervision of a lead certified teacher.

C.  On or before December 15 of each year, the Arizona board of regents shall submit to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, and shall, provide a copy to the secretary of state, a report that includes all of the following:

1.  How the monies appropriated for the pilot program were used.

2.  The outcomes of student teachers participating in the pilot program.

3.  The number of student teachers participating in the pilot program.

4.  The graduation rate of student teachers participating in the pilot program.

5.  If available, the number of student teachers who participated in the pilot program and who remained in the teaching profession after graduation.

D.  The Arizona board of regents may adopt policies and procedures to carry out the purposes of the pilot program.

E.  This section is repealed from and after December 31, 2025.

Sec. 2.  Appropriations; Arizona board of regents; team‑teaching pilot program

The sum of $5,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in each of fiscal years 2019-2020, 2020-2021, 2021-2022, 2022-2023 and 2024‑2025 to the Arizona board of regents for the purposes of administering the team-teaching pilot program established pursuant to this act.

Sec. 3.  Legislative findings; intent

A.  The legislature finds that:

1.  Twenty-five percent of new teachers leave the profession within one year.

2.  Attracting and retaining effective educators is a matter of statewide concern.

B.  The legislature intends to reduce the number of individuals without formal pedagogical training in schools in this state.