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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
AMENDED
teacher retention; study; report
Purpose
Directs the State Board of Education (SBE) to complete an annual study to determine the retention rate of Arizona public school teachers and outlines study requirements.
Background
The SBE exercises general supervision over and regulates the conduct of the public school system. Statute outlines the SBE's powers and duties, including requirements to: 1) supervise and control the certification of persons engaged in instructional work; 2) prepare, publish and distribute reports concerning the educational welfare of Arizona; and 3) recommend to the Legislature changes or additions to the statutes pertaining to schools (A.R.S. § 15-203).
The Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) oversees all audit functions of the Legislature and state agencies, including performance, special and financial audits and special research requests. The Auditor General must perform special research requests, special audits and related assignments as designated by JLAC (A.R.S. §§ 41-1279 and 41-1279.03).
The Joint
Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) fiscal note estimates that the reporting
requirements would generate additional workload for SBE Staff and the SBE
estimates that
H.B. 2608 would increase costs to create and maintain any collection system for
the required data and require an additional full-time equivalent position to
collect, analyze and report the data, which would generate an ongoing state
General Fund cost of $175,000. JLBC estimates the cost would range from minimal
to the SBE's $175,000 estimate (JLBC
fiscal note).
Provisions
1. Requires the SBE to conduct and complete a comprehensive study to determine the retention rate of teachers in Arizona school districts and charter schools that includes:
a) any category identified by the SBE;
b) any other category identified by JLAC; and
c) an analysis of data for each SBE-approved teacher preparation program, including:
i. data relating to program completion;
ii. program emphasis, if any, including subject area and grade level; and
iii. the number of years that individuals spend working as Arizona teachers after completing the program.
2. Requires the Arizona Department of Education and the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools to collect and provide any data or information requested by the SBE for the study.
3. Requires the SBE, by December 31, 2024, and each year after, to annually submit the study results and recommendations to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and provide a copy of the report to the Secretary of State.
4. Makes conforming changes.
5. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
1. Replaces the requirements for the teacher retention study to include the number of teachers, retention rate, turnover rate and number of vacant teaching positions as specified with requirements to include any category identified by the SBE or JLAC.
2. Removes the requirement for a school district's or charter school's budget to include the number of full-time equivalent teachers that the school included in the budget for the current year.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.
House Action Senate Action
ED 1/23/24 DP 9-0-0-1 ED 2/28/24 DP 4-3-0
3rd Read 2/6/24 45-10-2-0-3
Prepared by Senate Research
April 10, 2024
MH/slp