ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Fifty-seventh Legislature First Regular Session
	House: ED DPA/SE 7-2-2-1

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HB 2883: technical correction; school district boards

NOW: school districts governing boards; training

Sponsor: Representative Hernandez L., LD 24

House Engrossed

Overview

Establishes two biennial training requirements for school district governing board (governing board) members. Makes a governing board member ineligible for nomination, election or appointment to a governing board if they fail to complete the required biennial trainings.

History

A person is eligible for election to a governing board if the person: 1) is a registered Arizona voter; 2) has been a resident of the school district for at least one year immediately preceding election day; and 3) is not subject to registration as a sex offender (A.R.S. § 15-421).

Governing boards are tasked with numerous statutory powers, including: 1) prescribing and enforcing policies and procedures to govern schools that are not inconsistent with rules prescribed by the State Board of Education; 2) managing and controlling school property; 3) constructing or purchasing school buildings and sites as authorized; and 4) using school monies received from the state and county to pay employee salaries and contingent expenses of the school district (A.R.S. § 15-341).

The Arizona Auditor General (OAG), in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), establishes the Uniform System of Financial Records (USFR) for all school districts to use each fiscal year. The USFR prescribes the minimum internal control policies and procedures to be used by school districts for accounting, financial reporting, budgeting, attendance reporting and other compliance requirements (A.R.S. § 15-271) (USFR).

Provisions

1. Requires ADE, in consultation with the OAG, to develop a training program for governing board members that may be delivered through any combination of:

a) an in-person workshop;

b) a virtual workshop;

c) self-paced online training modules. (Sec. 2)

2. Instructs ADE to provide the ADE- and OAG-developed training program to the governing board members of each school district. (Sec. 2)

3. Directs the OAG to establish training requirements for the ADE- and OAG-developed training program and to require the training program include instruction on:

a) public school finance;

b) USFR compliance;

c) how to develop and revise a school district budget;

d) audit requirements and procedures;

e) how to prepare the annual financial report;

f) best practices related to internal controls; and

g) reports and resources provided by the OAG. (Sec. 2)

4. Mandates each governing board member complete training on:

a) school district governance;

b) fiduciary duties of governing board members;

c) how to develop, adopt and implement governing board policies;

d) community engagement and collaboration with stakeholders;

e) student outcome-focused school district governance;

f) the legal and ethical responsibilities of governing board members; and

g) any other professional development topics that are relevant to service as a governing board member. (Sec. 2)

5. Requires each governing board member of each school district to complete both trainings biennially. (Sec. 2)

6. Allows ADE to charge the school district for the cost of providing the OAG- and ADE-developed training and requires the school district to pay for any costs incurred by ADE for the training. (Sec. 2)

7. Requires each governing board member, at least biennially, to report to the county school superintendent the date on which the governing board member completed the required biennial training. (Sec. 2)

8. Makes a governing board member ineligible to be a candidate for nomination, election or appointment to the office of governing board member in any school district if a county school superintendent determines the governing board member has failed to complete the required biennial trainings. (Sec. 1, 2, 3)

9. Makes technical and conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 3)

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13.                   HB 2883

14. Initials CH           Page 0 House Engrossed

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