HB 2118
Initials CH Page 1 Transmitted
ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Fifty-fifth Legislature
Second Regular Session
House: ED DPA 9-1-0-0 | 3rd Read 44-15-1-0
Senate: ED DP 7-0-1-0 | 3rd Read 26-0-4-0
Final Pass: 39-13-8
HB 2118: schools; alternative education; revisions
Sponsor: Representative Kaiser, LD 15
Transmitted to the Governor
Overview
Alters the membership of the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools (ASBCS). Details
enrollment and funding procedures for students who withdraw from a school and enroll in an
alternative education program or alternative school. Allows alternative education to include the
use of any instructional time model.
History
Statute permits a school district governing board (governing board) to contract with any public
body or private person to provide alternative education programs. Alternative education means
the modification of the school course of study and adoption of teaching methods, materials and
techniques to provide educationally for pupils in the 6th-12th grades who are unable to profit from
the regular school course of study and environment (A.R.S. § 15-796).
Currently, to apply for alternative status, a school must apply to the Arizona Department of
Education (ADE) and: 1) have an adopted mission statement; 2) have an educational program
and support services that align to its mission statement; 3) offer a high school diploma if a
secondary school; 4) receive current year state assessment scores for their students; and 5) have
at least 70% of a student body that falls under outlined at-risk categories (ADE).
School districts may count pupils who are not physically in attendance in a recognized school but
who are enrolled in and physically in attendance in an alternative education program for the
purposes of daily attendance. Governing boards are to prescribe procedures for verifying the
attendance of these pupils. However, school districts operating alternative schools must comply
with the annual hours of instruction as outlined in statute (A.R.S. §§ 15-797, 15-901).
The Student Accountability Information System (SAIS) is the student data system maintained by
ADE. School and career technical education districts are required to submit student level and
school finance data to ADE (A.R.S. Title 15, Chapter 9, Article 8).
ASBCS currently consists of the Superintendent of Public Instruction (or their designee), six
members of the general public, two members of the business community, a charter school teacher
and a charter school operator (A.R.S. § 15-182).
Provisions
1. Alters the membership of ASBCS by:
a) Reducing the number of general public members from six to five; and
b) Adding a member who is an ADE-recognized alternative charter school operator. (Sec. 1)
2. Specifies all ASBCS members serving on the general effective date may continue to serve
until the expiration of their normal terms and directs the Governor to make all subsequent
appointments as prescribed by statute. (Sec. 6) HB 2118
Initials CH Page 2 Transmitted
3. Authorizes an alternative education program or alternative school to enroll and receive funding
for a student without a withdrawal form from the student's previous school if the withdrawal
has been verified in SAIS and the alternative education program or alternative school retains
electronic documentation verifying the withdrawal. (Sec. 3)
4. Permits the alternative education program or alternative school in which a student is currently
enrolled to continue to enroll the student if the student's previous school incorrectly codes the
student as a graduate in SAIS. (Sec. 3)
5. Directs ADE, on notification that a student who has been incorrectly coded as a graduate and
is enrolled in an alternative education program or alternative school, to allocate funding for
the student beginning on the date of the student's enrollment in the alternative education
program or alternative school. (Sec. 3)
6. Modifies the definition of alternative education to include the use of any instructional time
models. (Sec. 3)
7. Includes alternative education programs and alternative schools in statute relating to
instructional time models. (Sec. 5)
8. Allows an alternative education program or alternative school to deliver the required statutory
annual instructional time or hours to students on any day of the week. (Sec. 3)
9. Defines SAIS. (Sec. 3)
10. Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1, 3, 4)
11. Makes conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note