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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
charter schools; teachers; funding
Purpose
Allows a charter school to receive teacher experience index (TEI) and additional teacher compensation funding. Includes charter school teachers regardless of certification status in calculations for a charter school's TEI and additional teacher compensation.
Background
Under the school finance formula, a school district's Base Support Level (BSL) is calculated by multiplying a district's weighted student count by the statutorily-prescribed per-pupil base level amount multiplied by the greater of 1.00 or the district's TEI. The TEI increases a school district's BSL by 2.25 percent for each year by which the district's average certified teacher experience exceeds the state average (A.R.S. §§ 15-941 and 15-943).
A school
district governing board (governing board) may also annually apply to the State
Board of Education (SBE) to increase the statutorily-prescribed per pupil base
level amount by 1.25 percent. The governing board may only expend the
additional monies for certificated teacher compensation. To receive SBE approval,
a governing board must submit evidence that the:
1) school district's teacher performance evaluation system meets
SBE-recommended standards; and 2) persons evaluating teachers for retention
decisions meet minimum SBE-recommended standards (A.R.S.
§ 15-952).
A charter school's BSL is calculated by multiplying the school's weighted student count by the per pupil base level amount. The TEI and additional teacher compensation increases do not apply to charter schools. Charter school formula costs are funded only by the state General Fund (A.R.S. § 15-185).
State General Fund monies used for district or charter school formula costs are referred to as Basic State Aid. If allowing charter schools to multiply their BSL by their TEI and apply for additional teacher compensation results in an increase to Basic State Aid received by charter schools, there may be an increased cost to the state General Fund.
Provisions
1. Deems a charter school eligible to:
a) compute and receive TEI funding; and
b) calculate and receive additional teacher compensation funding if approved by the SBE.
2. Includes, in the calculation of a charter school's TEI, all full-time equivalent teachers at the school regardless of certification status.
3. Requires a charter school applying to the SBE for additional teacher compensation funding to submit evidence that:
a) the school's teacher performance evaluation system meets the same standards recommended by the SBE for school districts; and
b) the persons evaluating teachers for retention decisions meet the minimum qualifications for evaluators recommended by the SBE for school districts.
4. Defines teacher compensation, for calculating a charter school's additional teacher compensation funding, as salaries, employee fringe benefits and other nonsalary benefits for all teachers regardless of certification status.
5. Makes conforming changes.
6. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 14, 2022
LB/slp