HB2060 - 561R

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

Section 1. Title 15, chapter 1, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-120.04, to read:

START_STATUTE15-120.04. Postings on website; satisfaction of requirement

Notwithstanding any other law:

1. A school district, a school that is operated by a school district or a charter school may satisfy any statutory requirement to post, prominently display, make accessible or otherwise include specified information on its website by making a link to the information available on the school district's, the school's or the charter school's home page.

2. A school district, a school that is operated by a school district or a charter school may consolidate all information that it is statutorily required to post, prominently display, make accessible or otherwise include on its website on a single webpage and is not required to post this information on its home page. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 15-211, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-211. K-3 reading program; dyslexia specialist; dyslexia training; receipt and use of monies; additional funding; annual report

A. The department of education shall administer a K-3 reading program to improve the reading proficiency of pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one, two and three in the public schools of this state.

B. The department of education shall designate a dyslexia specialist for the department to provide school districts and charter schools with support and resources that are necessary to assist students with dyslexia.

C. On or before July 1, 2022, each school district and charter school shall ensure that at least one kindergarten through third grade teacher, literacy coach or literacy specialist in each school has received training related to dyslexia that complies with the requirements prescribed in section 15-219.

D. Each school district and charter school shall submit to the department of education a plan for improving the reading proficiency of the school district's or the charter school's pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one, two and three. The plan shall include baseline data on the reading proficiency of the school district's or the charter school's pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one, two and three and a budget for spending monies from both the K-3 support level weight and the K-3 reading support level weight established in section 15-943. Each school district and charter school shall annually submit to the department of education on or before October 1 an updated K-3 reading program plan that includes data on program expenditures and results.

E. School districts and charter schools shall use monies generated by the K-3 reading support level weight established in section 15-943 only on instructional purposes based on the plan submitted pursuant to subsection D of this section intended to improve reading proficiency for pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one, two and three with particular emphasis on pupils in kindergarten programs and grades one and two.

F. Each school district and charter school that is assigned a letter grade of C, D or F pursuant to section 15-241 or that has more than ten percent of its pupils in grade three who do not demonstrate sufficient reading skills as established by the state board of education according to the reading portion of the statewide assessment shall receive monies generated by the K-3 reading support level weight established in section 15-943 only after the K-3 reading program plan of the school district or charter school has been submitted, reviewed and recommended for approval by the department of education and approved by the state board. The state board must give approval to a school district or charter school before any portion of the monies generated by the K-3 reading support level weight may be distributed to the school district or charter school pursuant to this subsection.

G. Pupils in a charter school that is in its first year of operation and that is sponsored by the state board of education, the state board for charter schools, a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents, a community college district or a group of community college districts are eligible for the K-3 reading support level weight.

H. The department of education shall solicit gifts, grants and donations from any lawful public or private source in order to provide additional funding for the K-3 reading program.

I. The state board of education may establish rules and policies for the K-3 reading program, including:

1. The proper use of monies in accordance with subsection E of this section.

2. The distribution of monies by the department of education in accordance with subsection D of this section.

3. The compliance of reading proficiency plans submitted pursuant to subsection D of this section with section 15-704.

J. Pursuant to subsection I of this section, the department of education shall develop program implementation guidance for school districts and charter schools to assist schools in administering an effective K-3 evidence-based reading program plan. This guidance shall include identifying and recommending appropriate program expenditures, providing technical oversight and assistance for annually updating reading program plans, selecting and adopting evidence-based reading curricula and providing and promoting teacher professional development that is based on evidence-based reading research. The department shall prioritize supports and interventions, including enrollment in reading trainings and professional development, for school districts and charter schools that have the highest percentage of pupils who do not demonstrate sufficient reading skills as established by the state board of education. The department shall deposit any monies received for offering reading trainings or professional development, including coaching, in the department of education professional development revolving fund established by section 15-237.01.

K. On or before December 15, the department of education shall submit an annual report on the K-3 reading program to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and shall provide a copy of this annual report to the secretary of state, the state board of education and the chairpersons of the education committees of the senate and the house of representatives. The report shall contain all of the following:

1. Information on the improvement of K-3 reading in this state, including achievement data statewide and achievement data at the school district and charter school level. The information pursuant to this paragraph shall include data and information on continued proficiency on the statewide assessment in subsequent grades.

2. A description of the activities of the department to support school districts and charter schools in improving K-3 reading.

3. Specific findings on methods by which the department may continue to improve support and assistance for school districts and charter schools in the administration of K-3 reading program plans.

4. Information and data on K-3 reading program plans throughout this state and the expenditure of K-3 reading monies by school districts and charter schools.

5. Data reported pursuant to section 15-701, subsection A, paragraph 2, subdivision (d). END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Section 15-219, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-219. Dyslexia and reading impairment screening, intervention, accommodation and technology; continuing education; rules; training

A. The state board of education shall adopt rules to allow certificated teachers, literacy coaches, literacy specialists and administrators to count training regarding screening, intervention, accommodation, use of technology and advocacy for students with reading impairments, including dyslexia, as continuing education credits.

B. The department of education shall annually develop a list of training opportunities related to dyslexia that satisfy the requirements prescribed in subsection C of this section.

C. The training opportunities related to dyslexia developed pursuant to this section must meet professional development requirements and all of the following requirements:

1. Include at least one training opportunity that is provided entirely online.

2. Include the knowledge and practice standards of an international organization on dyslexia that is designated by the department of education.

3. Enable teachers, literacy coaches, literacy specialists and administrators to understand and recognize dyslexia.

4. Enable teachers, literacy coaches, literacy specialists and administrators to implement structured literacy instruction that is systematic, explicit, multisensory and evidence-based to meet the educational needs of students with dyslexia. END_STATUTE

Sec. 4. Section 15-249.16, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-249.16. Statutory handbooks of parental rights; posting

A. The department shall establish develop and post on its website a statutory handbook of parental rights that consists outlining the rights of parents of children enrolled in school districts and a statutory handbook of parental rights outlining the rights of parents of children enrolled in charter schools.

B. The statutory handbook of parental rights outlining the rights of parents of children enrolled in school districts shall consist of the text of the following statutes:

1. Title 1, chapter 6.

2. Section 15-102.

3. Section 15-110.

4. Section 15-113.

5. Section 15-117.

6. Section 15-351.

7. Section 15-721.

8. Section 15-722.

9. Section 15-730.

C. The statutory handbook of parental rights outlining the rights of parents of children enrolled in charter schools shall consist of the text of the following statutes:

1. Title 1, chapter 6.

2. Section 15-102.

3. Section 15-110.

4. Section 15-113.

5. Section 15-117.

B. D. Each school district and charter school in this state shall prominently post on a publicly accessible portion of its website a link to the statutory handbook of parental rights established developed pursuant to subsection A of this section. END_STATUTE

Sec. 5. Section 15-828, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-828. Birth certificate; school records; exception

A. On enrollment of a pupil for the first time in a particular school district or private school offering instruction to pupils in any kindergarten programs or grades one through twelve, that school or school district shall notify the person enrolling the pupil in writing that within thirty days the person must provide one of the following:

1. A certified copy of the pupil's birth certificate.

2. Other reliable proof of the pupil's identity and age, including the pupil's baptismal certificate, an application for a social security number or original school registration records and an affidavit explaining the inability to provide a copy of the birth certificate.

3. A letter from the authorized representative of an agency having custody of the pupil pursuant to title 8, chapter 2 certifying that the pupil has been placed in the custody of the agency as prescribed by law.

B. If a child is instructed at home pursuant to section 15-802, the person who has custody of the child shall, within thirty days after the home instruction begins, provide to the county school superintendent of the county in which the child resides one of the following:

1. A certified copy of the child's birth certificate.

2. Other reliable proof of the child's identity and age, including the child's baptismal certificate, an application for a social security number or original school registration records and an affidavit explaining the inability to provide a copy of the birth certificate.

C. On presentation of a document pursuant to this section, a photocopy of the document shall be placed in the pupil's file and the document that is presented shall be returned.

D. A pupil shall be enrolled in the school or school district, or the county school superintendent shall record the pupil's name, using the name that is printed on the birth certificate, other reliable proof of the pupil's identity, or letter from an agency having custody of the pupil provided pursuant to this section. This subsection does not prohibit a school or school district from calling a pupil by any name the pupil's parent or guardian wishes the pupil to be called.

E. On the failure of a person enrolling a pupil or instructing a child at home to comply with subsection A or B of this section, the school, school district or county school superintendent shall notify that person in writing that, unless the person complies within ten days, the case shall be referred to the local law enforcement agency for investigation. If compliance is not obtained within the ten day ten-day period, the school, school district or county school superintendent shall refer the case to the local law enforcement agency.

F. The school, school district or county school superintendent shall immediately report to the local law enforcement agency any affidavit received pursuant to this section which that appears to be inaccurate or suspicious in form or content.

G. Within five ten school days after enrolling a transfer pupil from a private school or another school district, a school shall request directly from the pupil's previous school a certified copy of the pupil's record. The requesting school shall exercise due diligence in obtaining the copy of the record requested. Notwithstanding any financial debt owed by the pupil, any school requested to forward a copy of a transferring pupil's record to the new school shall comply and forward the record within ten school days after receipt of the request unless the record has been flagged pursuant to section 15-829. If the record has been flagged, the requested school shall not forward the copy and shall notify the local law enforcement agency of the request. School districts shall include in the educational records required by this subsection data collected pursuant to sections 15-741 and 15-766, as prescribed by the state board of education.

H. Any disclosure of educational records by the school district or charter school shall comply with the family educational rights and privacy act of 1974 (20 United States Code section 1232g).

I. The provisions of This section do does not apply to homeless pupils as defined in section 15-824, subsection C.END_STATUTE