Assigned to ED                                                                                                                       FOR COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 


ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session

 

FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2765

 

Arizona teachers academy; community colleges..

Purpose

Expands the definition of eligible postsecondary institution for the purposes of the Arizona Teachers Academy by including any Arizona community college.

Background

The Arizona 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 Arizona Teachers Academy Fund (Fund) and distributes Fund monies to eligible postsecondary institutions for scholarship reimbursements and specified Arizona 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 Arizona Teachers Academy (A.R.S. ยง 15-1655).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.   Expands the definition of eligible postsecondary institution by including any Arizona community college, rather than an Arizona community college that offers postbaccalaureate programs that lead to teacher certification and has entered an agreement with ABOR relative to such postbaccalaureate programs.

2.   Makes technical and conforming changes.

3.   Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

ED                   2/18/25      DP       12-0-0-0

3rd Read          2/26/25                  57-0-3

Prepared by Senate Research

March 10, 2025

MH/KK/ci