ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-sixth Legislature

Second Regular Session

Senate: ED DP 4-3-0-0 | 3rd Read 16-12-2-0

SB 1369: public schools; safety; reporting requirements

Sponsor: Senator Bolick, LD 2

Committee on Education

Overview

Creates website posting, survey and reporting requirements relating to civil rights and school safety for public schools, local education agencies (LEAs) and the Arizona Department of Education (ADE).

History

The United States Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) administers the biennial civil rights data collection survey (CRDC) to public LEAs and schools that receive federal financial assistance. The CRDC collects information about student access to educational programs, activities and staff and school climate factors, such as student discipline and harassment or bullying incidents (OCR, CRDC).

Both school district governing boards (governing boards) and charter school governing bodies are required to prescribe policies for school personnel to report: 1) any suspected crime against a person or property that is a serious offense, involves a deadly weapon, dangerous instrument or serious physical injury; and 2) any conduct that poses a threat of death or serious physical injury to a person on school property (A.R.S. § 15-153).

Additionally, governing boards must enforce policies that prohibit students from harassing, intimidating and bullying other students on school property, on school buses, at school bus stops, at school-sponsored activities and through the use of school technology. These policies must include requirements for the reporting, documenting and investigating of incidents of harassment, intimidation and bullying, as well as disciplinary procedures for students (A.R.S. § 15-341).

Provisions

1. Requires each public school and LEA to post on its website the most recent information it reported to the OCR for the CRDC. (Sec. 1)

2. States a public school or LEA is not authorized to publish data protected under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1976 and must redact the information on its website to ensure compliance. (Sec. 1)

3. Directs ADE, by December 15 annually, to submit a school safety report to specified individuals that contains the number of incidents reported at each school site relating to bullying, fighting, sexual assault, threatening, intimidation, harassment, suicide, hazing and any other form of physical attack. (Sec. 2)

4. Instructs ADE to establish a survey to gather the information for the school safety report from each school district and charter school. (Sec. 2)

5. Prohibits a school district or charter school from reporting personally identifiable student data for the purposes of the school safety report. (Sec. 2)

6. Requires ADE to post the school safety report on its website in a publicly accessible format. (Sec. 2)

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10. SB 1369

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