HB2530 - 552R

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

Section 1. Subject to the requirements of article IV, part 1, section 1, Constitution of Arizona, section 15-1281, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-1281. Student support and safety fund; exemption; distribution; definitions

A. The student support and safety fund is established consisting of monies deposited pursuant to section 43-1013, private donations and interest earned on those monies. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated. Monies in the fund and its accounts may not be transferred to any other fund except as provided in this section, do not revert to the state general fund, and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. The state treasurer shall administer the fund.

B. All monies in the student support and safety fund must first be spent, and the state treasurer shall transfer monies from the fund, to pay:

1. The actual reasonable costs incurred by the state treasurer to administer the fund.

2. The actual reasonable costs incurred by the auditor general and department of education to implement section 15-1284.

3. The actual reasonable costs incurred by the department of revenue to implement and enforce section 43-1013.

4. The actual reasonable costs incurred by the state board of education to implement subsection D, paragraph 3 of this section.

5. Any other mandatory expenditure of state revenues required to implement this chapter and the invest in education act.

C. The state treasurer may prescribe forms necessary to make transfers from the student support and safety fund pursuant to subsection B of this section.

D. On or before June 30 and December 31 of each year, the state treasurer shall transfer all monies in the student support and safety fund in excess of the amounts paid pursuant to subsection B of this section as follows:

1. Fifty percent as grants to school districts and charter schools, in proportion to the weighted student count pursuant to section 15-943, paragraph 2, for the school district or charter school for the prior fiscal year, for the purpose of hiring teachers and classroom support personnel and increasing base compensation for teachers and classroom support personnel. For the purposes of this paragraph, the state education system for committed youth and the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind shall receive grant funds in the same manner as school districts and charter schools.

2. Twenty-five percent as grants to school districts and charter schools, in proportion to the weighted student count pursuant to section 15-943, paragraph 2, for the school district or charter school for the prior fiscal year, for the purpose of hiring student support services personnel and increasing base compensation for student support services personnel. For the purposes of this paragraph, the state education system for committed youth and the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind shall receive grant funds in the same manner as school districts and charter schools.

3. Ten percent as grants to school districts and charter schools, in proportion to the weighted student count pursuant to section 15-943, paragraph 2, for the school district or charter school for the prior fiscal year, for the purpose of providing mentoring and retention programming for new classroom teachers to increase retention. The state board of education shall prescribe the form and format of mentoring and retention programming supported by monies transferred pursuant to this paragraph, except that the equivalent of one full-time mentor may be assigned to not more than fifteen new classroom teachers employed by the school district or charter school. If a school district or charter school receives monies pursuant to this paragraph in excess of its needs for mentoring and retention programming, those excess monies may be used for teacher retention. The state board of education shall adopt rules to implement this paragraph not later than six months after the effective date of this section. For the purposes of this paragraph, the state education system for committed youth and the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind shall receive grant funds in the same manner as school districts and charter schools.

4. Twelve percent to the career training and workforce fund established by section 15-1282.

5. Three percent to the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS AND SCHOOL COUNSELORS academy fund established by section 15-1655.

E. Grants made pursuant to this section are exempt from title 41, chapters 23 and 24.

F. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Classroom support personnel" means any nonadministrative school personnel, including certified personnel, who provide classroom support and instructional support services as prescribed by the school district governing board or charter school governing body, including librarians, nurses, counselors, social workers, speech pathologists, behavioral coaches and psychologists.

2. "Mentoring and retention programming" means regular, job-embedded, in-person, one-on-one feedback that is focused on instruction and ensuring new classroom teacher quality, success and retention.

3. "New classroom teacher" means a classroom teacher who is in the teacher's first, second or third year of teaching.

4. "Student support services personnel" means any classified, nonadministrative school personnel who provide student support services as defined by the school district governing board or charter school governing body, including classroom aides, media specialists, health assistants, security personnel, student food service personnel, clerical staff, student transportation personnel and school site plant operators.

5. "Teacher" means any nonadministrative personnel, including certified teachers, who instruct students or support student academic achievement as prescribed by the school district governing board or charter school governing body, including classroom teachers, early childhood teachers, mentor teachers, instructional coaches and academic interventionists. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Subject to the requirements of article IV, part 1, section 1, Constitution of Arizona, section 15-1655, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-1655. Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy; tuition and fees scholarships; fund; annual reports; definitions

A. Eligible postsecondary institutions shall implement an Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy to incentivize students to enter the teaching, school psychology, school social work or school counseling profession and to commit to teach or to work as a school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor in Arizona public schools or for or in schools that serve primarily public school students with disabilities, which are considered public schools for the purposes of this section. The Arizona board of regents, in consultation with eligible postsecondary institutions, shall develop and implement centralized administrative processes for the academy, including:

1. A marketing and promotion plan to recruit students for the academy.

2. Data collection and reporting.

3. Tracking postgraduation service requirements.

4. Coordinating induction services.

5. Distributing monies in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy fund between eligible postsecondary institutions.

6. Collecting reimbursement from individuals who fail to meet service obligations.

B. The Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy may include new or existing teacher, school psychologist, school social worker and school counselor preparation program pathways that are student-focused and that employ proven, research-based models of best practices already being implemented. Each eligible postsecondary institution may develop a portfolio of teacher, school psychologist, school social worker and school counselor preparation programs to offer as part of the academy. Each eligible postsecondary institution that admits students to the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy may give priority to senior and junior students but may not exclude sophomore and freshmen students. The academy shall include all graduate programs that satisfy the eligibility criteria for the standard school psychologist certificate or the standard school counseling certificate and all undergraduate and graduate programs in social work. Programs offered as part of the academy shall include accelerated models for:

1. High-demand teacher specializations, including special education, science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

2. Critical need areas, including low-income public schools, public schools located on Indian reservations, rural public schools and schools that serve primarily public school students with disabilities.

3. Individuals seeking postbaccalaureate coursework that results in professional certification.

4. Teachers who are currently teaching a dual enrollment course to satisfy the requirements for teaching a dual enrollment course adopted by a higher learning commission that accredits degree-granting postsecondary educational institutions in the north central region, including this state.

5. Students in noneducation programs to complete one or more teacher preparation courses to prepare the student to receive a teaching certification following graduation.

C. Each eligible postsecondary institution shall develop formalized partnerships with public schools in this state to build commitments for teacher, school psychologist, school social worker and school counselor employment on completion of the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy. The targeted deployment of teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors who have completed the academy shall be based on the needs of each school system and the community that is being served as well as the individual skills of each teacher, school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor.

D. Each eligible postsecondary institution shall provide to each student who is enrolled in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy an annual scholarship up to the actual cost of tuition and fees for a maximum of two academic years or four semesters for graduate university students, up to the actual cost of tuition and fees for a maximum of four academic years or eight semesters for undergraduate university students, up to the actual cost of tuition and fees for a maximum of two academic years or four semesters for community college students for tuition and fees associated with the student's program of study, up to the actual cost of obtaining national board certification and renewal, and up to the actual cost of obtaining a teaching, school PSYCHOLOGY, school social work or school counseling certificate including the actual cost of the exam, after all other financial gifts, aid or grants received by that student, or teacher, school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor. Scholarships under this subsection are subject to all of the following:

1. If the student does not successfully complete the academic year in good academic standing, the student shall reimburse the Arizona board of regents for the total amount of the scholarship for tuition and fees the student received for that year.

2. For each academic year that the student successfully completes and for which the student receives a scholarship for all tuition and fees, the student must agree to teach or work as a school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor for one full school year in a public school in this state. For students who are teaching or working as a school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor and receiving the scholarship concurrently, the commitment period begins after graduation from the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy. For teachers, school psychologists, school social workers or school counselors who are seeking a national board certification, the teaching, school psychology, school social work or school counseling commitment is one additional year after completing the requirements of the national board certification program.

3. If a student enrolls in a summer term, that term may not be included in the calculation of the student's postgraduation public service commitment.

4. If the scholarship does not cover remaining tuition and fee costs after other aid received, the eligible postsecondary institution may not charge students the remaining difference. If the scholarship amount exceeds tuition and fee costs at an eligible postsecondary institution, the institution may use the remaining amount to support Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy costs.

5. If the student does not fulfill the student's obligation to teach or work as a school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor in a public school, the student must reimburse the Arizona board of regents for the proportional amount of the scholarship for tuition and fees that the student received that corresponds to the number of school years the student agreed to teach or work as a school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor but did not teach or work as a school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor in a public school in this state.

6. If the student is physically or mentally unable to fulfill the requirements of the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy, the Arizona board of regents shall establish a process for assessing the student's ability to repay the financial assistance received and shall determine any terms of repayment.

7. The Arizona board of regents shall establish a process for deferring service or repayment based on factors adopted by the board.

E. The Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy fund is established consisting of monies deposited pursuant to section 15-1281, subsection D, paragraph 5 and legislative appropriations made for the purpose of administering the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to the lapsing of appropriations. The Arizona board of regents shall administer the fund and shall establish criteria for distributing monies in the fund to eligible postsecondary institutions each fiscal year to fund the costs of the academy. Monies in the fund may be used only for:

1. Reimbursing Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy scholarships that cover the balance of tuition and fees for undergraduate, graduate and postbaccalaureate students enrolled in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy after all other gifts and aid received.

2. Support for teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors who are currently employed in a public school in this state and who are seeking a national board certification.

3. Induction services for Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy graduates.

4. Implementing a marketing and promotion plan to recruit and retain students in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy with particular emphasis on ensuring that participants reflect the diversity of the state's student population and administering the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy. Annual expenditures for marketing, promoting and administering the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy may not exceed three percent of the monies in the fund each fiscal year.

F. Monies remaining in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy fund at the end of each fiscal year may be used by eligible postsecondary institutions for Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy costs in the next fiscal year.

G. On or before March 1, 2020 and each year thereafter, the Arizona board of regents shall report to the joint legislative budget committee and the governor's office of strategic planning and budgeting on all of the following:

1. The total number of students enrolled in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy by eligible postsecondary institution in the current academic year.

2. The number of Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy graduates receiving induction services in the current academic year.

3. The estimated amount of monies committed from the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy fund in the current fiscal year.

H. On or before September 1 each year, the Arizona board of regents shall report to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives, and shall submit a copy to the secretary of state, on all of the following:

1. The total number of students enrolled in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy at each eligible postsecondary institution by year of college enrollment and the number of teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors receiving a scholarship through the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy for national board certification.

2. The percentage of students who completed each year of the academy and who plan to continue to the subsequent year, delineated by each teacher, school psychologist, school social worker and school counselor preparation program offered by each eligible postsecondary institution as part of the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy.

3. The number of teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors who completed a program of study through the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy by each eligible postsecondary institution.

4. The number of teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors currently teaching or working as a school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor in a public school in this state as part of an agreement for receiving an Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy scholarship.

5. The number of graduates receiving induction services.

6. The number of students who have defaulted on their obligation and who are in repayment agreements.

7. The number of students who have deferred repayment agreements.

8. The number of students who have completed repayment agreements.

9. The methodology for distributing any monies appropriated for the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy to each eligible postsecondary institution and the amounts distributed to each.

10. The amount of unused monies in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy fund from the prior fiscal year.

I. A college in this state that is owned, operated or chartered by a qualifying Indian tribe on its own Indian reservation and that offers baccalaureate teacher education programs or qualifying school psychology, school social work or school counseling education programs may participate in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy and receive monies from the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy fund established by this section.

J. For the purposes of this section:

1. "Eligible postsecondary institutions institution" means universities any of the following:

(a) A university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents. ,

(b) A community colleges college in this state that offer offers postbaccalaureate programs that lead to teacher, school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor certification and that have has entered into an agreement with the Arizona board of regents relative to these postbaccalaureate programs. , and colleges

(c) A college described in subsection I of this section if the college opts to participate in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy under subsection I of this section.

2. "School that serves primarily public school students with disabilities" means a school in which more than seventy-five percent of the students enrolled in the school are public school students who are placed at the school according to an agreement with a school, a charter school or the Arizona state schools for the deaf and the blind.

3. "Tuition and fees" means tuition, mandatory fees and program fees that are associated with a program in the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy leading to teacher, school psychologist, school social worker or school counselor certification and that are charged by an eligible postsecondary institution. END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Appropriation; Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy fund

The sum of $5,000,000 is appropriated from the state general fund in fiscal year 2022-2023 to the Arizona teachers, school psychologists, school social workers and school counselors academy fund established by section 15-1655, Arizona Revised Statutes, as amended by this act.

Sec. 4. Requirements for enactment; three-fourths vote

Pursuant to article IV, part 1, section 1, Constitution of Arizona, this act is effective only on the affirmative vote of at least three-fourths of the members of each house of the legislature.