ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-sixth Legislature

Second Regular Session

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

House: ED DPA 6-4-0-0

SB 1583: school admission; annual parental disclosure

Sponsor: Senator Wadsack, LD 17

Caucus & COW

Overview

Requires public schools to annually provide parents with a document that contains specified disclosures relating to school choice, educational options and parents' rights. Instructs a public school to assist a parent or guardian who chooses a charter school or to participate in the Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) Program.

History

A child between 6 and 16 years old must attend a school and be instructed in at least reading, grammar, mathematics, social studies and science. The child's guardian must choose a public, private or charter school, a homeschool or sign a contract to participate in the ESA Program (A.R.S. § 15-802).

The State Board of Education (SBE) is required to annually design a public awareness effort to distribute materials to the public that: 1) communicate the ability to choose any public school; 2) include resources to learn about school choice options; and 3) provide instruction on how to request enrollment. (A.R.S. § 15-816.01).

The Parents' Bill of Rights asserts that: 1) a parent has the fundamental right to direct their child's upbringing, education, health care and mental health; and 2) a governmental entity may not infringe on parents' rights without demonstrating a compelling governmental interest. The Parents' Bill of Rights declares that parents have inalienable rights that are more comprehensive than the rights listed in statute (A.R.S. §§ 1-601, 1-602).

ADE must develop and post on its website a statutory parental rights handbook for parents of children enrolled in school districts and parents of children enrolled in charter schools. Each school district and charter school must post a link to the respective handbook on a publicly accessible portion of its website (A.R.S. § 15-249.16).

Provisions

1. Directs each public school to annually provide the parent or guardian of each enrolled student a document that discloses:

a) the school's letter grade;

b) a list of charter schools located within a reasonable distance from the school;

c) an overview of the ESA Program, including the award amount available and approved expenses; and

d) a written notice that includes prescribed statements relating to:

i. school choice in Arizona;

ii. available educational options, including a school district, charter school, private school, private educational services provider, private vendor, homeschool, the ESA Program and tuition scholarships or grants from a school tuition organization (STO); and

iii. the Parents' Bill of Rights.

2. Details content, formatting and style requirements for the written notice in the disclosure document.

3. Requires the disclosure document to include:

a) an area for the parent or guardian to initial after each prescribed disclosure; and

b) a phone number for ADE.

4. Instructs the public school to annually file the initialed and signed disclosure document in the student's permanent file and provide the parent or guardian with a copy.

5. Stipulates a public school must, after receiving the required disclosure document, assist any parent or guardian who chooses to pursue admission to a charter school or to participate in the ESA Program.

6. Requires ADE to create a form for the disclosure document that public schools may use.

Amendments

Committee on Education

1. Modifies the prescribed statements included in the disclosure document by clarifying that funding through the ESA Program or from an STO is available to a parent unless the parent chooses to homeschool their child.

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5. SB 1583

6. Initials CH/RP Page 0 Caucus & COW

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