 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
teacher training; parental notification; requirements
Purpose
Requires, rather than allows, a school district governing board (governing board) to provide prescribed information in electronic form and requires parental involvement policies to include procedures for parental notification of and access to teacher and administrator trainings as outlined.
Background
In consultation with parents, teachers and administrators, a governing board must adopt a policy to promote the involvement of parents and guardians of enrolled children that includes procedures by which parents may: 1) learn about their child's course of study, review learning materials and withdraw their child from an activity, class or program to which the parent objects; 2) access the school's library collection; and 3) learn about parental rights and responsibilities. A parent must submit a written request for information in accordance with the parental involvement policy during regular business hours. The school principal or school district superintendent must provide the information within 10 business days or provide a written reasoning for denying the information request. A governing board may adopt a policy to provide information in accordance with the parental involvement policy to parents in an electronic form (A.R.S. § 15-102).
To renew a
teaching certificate, a teacher must complete 15 hours of continuing education
credits, for each year of the certificate term, that relate to academic or
professional educator standards or apply toward the attainment of an additional
certificate or endorsement. State Board of Education rules outline professional
development activities that may be counted toward continuing education credits,
including: 1) courses from an accredited institution; 2) professional
activities such as conferences and workshops; 3) district-sponsored or school-sponsored
in-services or activities designed for professional development; 4) internships
in business settings; 5) educational research; 6) serving in a leadership role
of a professional education organization relating to teaching or public
education; and 7) serving on a visitation team for a school accreditation
agency (A.A.C.
R7-2-619).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires, rather than allows, a governing board to adopt a policy to provide parents information outlined in the parental involvement policy in an electronic form.
2. Requires the governing board of a school district that requires, endorses, recommends, encourages, funds, facilitates or provides teacher or administrator training to include, in their parental involvement policy, procedures for:
a) notifying parents of the teacher or administrator training; and
b) giving parents access to any printed or digital materials that are used for the training.
3. Defines training as a class, seminar, webinar, in-person instruction or printed or digital material that addresses curricula, teaching methods, classroom strategies, student discipline, learning environment or social and emotional learning, including training related to racial, sexual, gender identity, political or social issues.
4. Excludes, from the definition of training, training in which a teacher or school administrator participates outside of the context of the teacher's or school administrator's official duties.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ED 2/14/23 DP 6-4-0-0
3rd Read 3/1/23 31-28-1
Prepared by Senate Research
March 20, 2023
LB/MH/slp