ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

Senate: ED DPA/SE 8-0-0-0 | 3rd Read 28-0-2-0

House: ED DP 9-1-0-0

SB 1328: high-quality teacher program

Sponsor: Senator Boyer, LD 20

Caucus & COW

Overview

Establishes, on July 1, 2023, the High-Quality Teacher Professional Development Program in statute.

History

Laws 2017, Chapter 284, as amended by Laws 2019, Chapter 265, instructs the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to establish the High-Quality Teacher Professional Development Pilot Program (Pilot Program). The Pilot Program is scheduled to be repealed on July 1, 2023.

ADE is required to provide competitive scholarships to certificated Arizona public school teachers to obtain professional development from a qualifying postsecondary institution. This professional development must support the teacher in gaining additional credentials and certificates to teach in high-need content areas. High-need content area means any STEM, mathematics or career and technical education content.

Applicants who receive a scholarship must agree to teach in an Arizona public school for at least three additional years after completing the coursework or program. If the applicant accepts the scholarship but fails to complete the service requirement, the applicant must pay back the full scholarship amount. Scholarships are limited to $2,000 per qualified applicant.

Laws 2019, Chapter 263 appropriated $400,000 in FYs 2020, 2021 and 2022 from the state General Fund to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the Pilot Program. ADE may retain up to 3% of appropriated monies to offset administrative costs.

Between August 9, 2019 and October 25, 2021, ADE received 195 applications, approved 119 for funding and disbursed $442,111 in scholarship funding (Pilot Program Report).

Provisions

1. Creates the High-Quality Teacher Professional Development Program as a statutory program. (Sec. 1)

2. Contains a delayed effective date of July 1, 2023. (Sec. 2)

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6. SB 1328

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