ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-seventh Legislature

First Regular Session

House: ED DPA 11-0-0-1

HB 2585: school open enrollment; tribal students

Sponsor: Representative Garcia, LD 8

Caucus & COW

Overview

Includes, in the definition of resident transfer pupil as it relates to open enrollment, a pupil whose residence is on tribal land and who is enrolled in or seeking enrollment in a school that is within one of the three closest school districts to the pupil's residence.

History

School district governing boards must establish and implement an open enrollment policy, which is a policy to allow a: 1) resident pupil (pupil whose residence is within the attendance area of a school) to enroll in any school located within other school districts; 2) resident transfer pupil (resident pupil who is enrolled in or seeking enrollment in a school that is within the school district but outside the attendance area of the pupil's residence) to enroll in any school within the school district; and 3) nonresident pupil (pupil who resides in Arizona and who is enrolled in or is seeking enrollment in a school district that they do not reside in) to enroll in any school within the school district (A.R.S. § 15-816)

A school district must enroll at any time any resident pupil who applies for enrollment to the school district. A school district must give enrollment preference to and reserve capacity for: 1) resident pupils; 2) pupils returning to the school from the prior year; and 3) siblings of enrolled pupils. A school district may give enrollment preference to children who: 1) are in foster care; 2) are unaccompanied youth; 3) attend a closing school; 4) are the children of a U.S. Armed Forces member who is on active duty or was killed in the line of duty. A school district may give enrollment preference to and reserve capacity for: 1) pupils who are the children of school district employees; 2) resident transfer pupils and their siblings; and 3) pupils who meet additional criteria established by the school district governing board (A.R.S. § 15-816.01).

Provisions

1. Expands the definition of resident transfer pupil, as it relates to open enrollment, to include a pupil:

a) whose residence is located on tribal land; and

b) who is enrolled in or seeking enrollment in a school that is within one of the three closest school districts to the pupil's residence, other than the school district in which the pupil resides. (Sec. 1)

2. Determines the closest school districts to the pupil's residence by calculating the shortest distance from the pupil's residence to the boundaries of each school district. (Sec. 1)

3. Defines tribal land. (Sec. 1)

Amendments

Committee on Education

1. Narrows resident transfer pupil to a pupil whose residence is located on tribal land and outside the boundaries of any school district.

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5. HB 2585

6. Initials CH Page 0 Caucus & COW

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