Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/706050
12 ADVOCATE | SUMMER 2016 at the capitol House Education Bills HB2088 schools; assessments; surveys; informed consent AEA OPPOSED Prohibits public schools from administering specified surveys to students without notifying and obtaining written informed consent from parents and prescribes penalties for violations. Trailer amendment added to HB2190 to remove prohibition on use of survey data in Teacher/Principal Evaluations but prohibition on their use for A-F letter grades remains. HB2190 education; omnibus AEA NEUTRAL Repeals and amends multiple sections of Title 15. Intended to implement the recommendations of ADE's Title 15 Review Committee. Multiple amendments added, including: • Language partially fixing issues with HB2088 • Provides exemption for 3rd graders who qualify to be retained due to low reading scores, allows promotion if student receives intervention/remedial services during the summer or subsequent school year and demonstrates sufficient progress. • Amended to include HB2234 and HB2008 HB2481 schools; primary property tax rates AEA OPPOSED Requires school district tax levies to be the lesser of the QTR or DSL and eliminates the 4% cap on budget balance carryforward. Changes eligibility criteria for Supplemental State Aid. HB2544 schools; statewide achievement assessment; menu AEA SUPPORTS Requires SBE to adopt multiple locally adopted assessments, LEAs can select which test to use for high school in the 17-18 school year and to study feasibility for grades 3-8. Includes some mandates on vendors related to quality and the ability to equate scores to AzMERIT. Contains intent clause related to reducing duplicative testing. HB2620 education; certification renewal fees AEA SUPPORTS Removes the dollar amounts limiting how much SBE can charge for certificate renewal. Amended to include some provisions of SB1416 to delineate powers and duties of the SBE and SPI/ADE. Transfers the Certification Investigative Unit to ADE and provides for the transition. Senate Education Bills SB1208 teacher certification; reciprocity AEA NEUTRAL Modifies requirements for certification renewal and reciprocity as follows: • Waives Professional Knowledge/Subject matter exams ONLY IF teacher seeking reciprocity passed their home state's Professional Knowledge/Subject matter exams • Limits the AZ/US Constitution & Professional Knowledge/ Subject requirement to teachers (removes administrators) and exempts • Limits SEI endorsement requirement to teachers teaching sheltered or structured immersion classes, allows districts and charter to require the endorsement as a condition of employment. • Extends the renewal period for a standard certificate from 6 to 8 years. • Prohibits ADE and SBE from restricting the placement of intern teachers and authorizes those placement decisions be based on agreements between the teacher prep program and the LEA. SB1219 extracurricular and athletic activities; accessories AEA SUPPORTS Prohibits public schools and interscholastic athletic associations from barring students from wearing religious/cultural accessories while participating in extracurricular or athletic activities. SB1280 empowerment scholarship accounts; eligibility; administration AEA OPPOSED Contains ADE administrative changes. Authorizes ADE to approve ESA curriculum. Expands allowable uses for ESA funds to include: tuition for vocational/life skills, associated services including Ed and psychological evaluation, assistive tech rentals and Braille translation services and uniforms. Reduces enrollment requirements for students who attended and AOI to be eligible. Expands program eligibility to: • Siblings of an eligible applicant who accepts the ESA and signs the contract (now siblings of current participants are eligible, meaning the student must have an ESA for a year before their sibling could apply) • Students who attended a public pre-school program for pupils with disabilities • Children of parents who are legally blind, deaf or hard of hearing • Students with a Section 504 plan who must use instructional materials in a specialized format 2016 Enacted Legislation General Effective Date: August 6, 2016 Continues on p. 36.