Assigned to ED & APPROP                                                                                                   FOR COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 


ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session

 

FACT SHEET FOR h.b. 2018

 

private universities; Arizona teachers academy

Purpose

Authorizes an Arizona degree-granting private postsecondary educational institution (degree-granting private institution) that offers postbaccalaureate teacher preparation programs that lead to teacher certification to participate in the Arizona Teachers Academy (Teachers Academy), subject to a specified cap on an individual scholarship. Appropriates $10,000,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2026 to the Teachers Academy Fund (Fund).

Background

The Teachers Academy incentivizes students to enter the teaching profession and to commit to teach in Arizona public schools by providing enrolled students an annual scholarship award, up to the amount of the following, reduced by all other financial aid: 1) tuition and fees for undergraduate, graduate and community college students as outlined; 2) a National Board Certification (NBC) or renewal; and 3) a teaching certificate. For each academic year that a student receives a scholarship for tuition and fees, the student must teach for one school year in an Arizona public school. For teachers seeking an NBC, the teaching commitment is one additional year after completing the NBC requirements.

The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) administers the Fund and distributes Fund monies to eligible postsecondary institutions for scholarship reimbursements and specified Teachers Academy costs. If a scholarship does not cover tuition and fees after all other financial aid, the institution may not charge students for the remaining amount.

An eligible postsecondary institution means: 1) a university under ABOR's jurisdiction;
2) a community college that offers postbaccalaureate programs that lead to teacher certification and that has entered an agreement with ABOR relative to these postbaccalaureate programs; or
3) a college that is owned, operated or chartered by a qualifying Indian tribe on its own Indian reservation that offers postbaccalaureate teacher education programs and opts to participate in the Teachers Academy (A.R.S. ยง 15-1655).

H.B. 2018 appropriates $10,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2026 to the Fund.

Provisions

1.   Allows an Arizona degree-granting private institution that offers postbaccalaureate teacher preparation programs that lead to teacher certification to participate in the Teachers Academy and receive Fund monies.

2.   Appropriates $10,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2026 to the Fund.

3.   Caps a Teachers Academy scholarship that a degree-granting private institution provides to students at the remainder of the average in-state tuition and fees charged by Arizona public universities, minus all other financial aid.

4.   Expands the definition of eligible postsecondary institution to include an Arizona degree-granting private institution that opts to participate in the Teachers Academy.

5.   Makes technical and conforming changes.

6.   Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

ED                   1/21/25      DP       7-3-0-2

APPROP         1/22/25      DP       10-7-0-1

3rd Read          2/11/25                  33-25-2

 

Prepared by Senate Research

March 3, 2025

MH/KK/ci