Assigned to ED FOR COMMITTEE
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, First Regular Session
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1328
teachers; braille literacy; rules
Purpose
Modifies the methods for a teacher to demonstrate braille competency for certification in
educating blind pupils and visually impaired pupils. Requires the State Board of Education (SBE)
to adopt rules to ensure that blind pupils and visually impaired pupils receive appropriate quality
blindness compensatory skills training.
Background
The SBE must ensure that braille instruction sufficiently enables each blind pupil to
communicate effectively and efficiently in all subject areas with the same level of proficiency
expected of the pupil's peers of comparable ability and grade level. Teachers certified in educating
blind pupils and visually impaired pupils in Arizona must demonstrate braille competency by
successfully completing: 1) a nationally-validated test, when available; or 2) a braille test
developed in the University of Arizona's visual impairment program.
Blind pupil means a pupil who meets one or more of the following: 1) cannot successfully
use vision as a primary and efficient channel for learning; 2) exhibits such a low degree or amount
of visual acuity or visual field that vision is not considered as a primary mode of learning; or
3) has a medically indicated prognosis of visual deterioration (A.R.S. ยง 15-214).
The National Blindness Professional Certification Board (NBPCB) provides certification
for professionals trained in the use of Structure Discovery methods and principles. The NBPCB
oversees the National Orientation and Mobility Certification, National Certification in
Rehabilitation Teaching for the Blind and the National Certification in Access Technology for the
Blind. Additionally, the NBPCB oversees the National Certification in Unified English Braille,
which measures braille proficiency (NBPCB).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this
legislation.
Provisions
1. Requires a teacher, to demonstrate braille competency for certification in educating blind
pupils and visually impaired pupils, to successfully complete:
a) a national certification in unified English braille examination, rather than a nationally
validated test, when available; or
b) a comparable braille test developed in a university-level teacher preparation program for
blind and visually impaired pupils, rather than a braille test developed in the University of
Arizona's visual impairment program. FACT SHEET
S.B.1328
Page 2
2. Requires the SBE to adopt rules to ensure that blind pupils and visually impaired pupils receive
appropriate quality blindness compensatory skills training to allow each pupil to complete the
expanded core curriculum goals in the pupil's individualized education program.
3. Specifies that the SBE-adopted rules must ensure that:
a) teachers of orientation and mobility instruction for blind pupils or visually impaired pupils
are required to demonstrate competence in the field of orientation and mobility by
possessing and maintaining a national orientation and mobility certification or an
orientation and mobility specialist certification; and
b) teachers of rehabilitation teaching for blind pupils or visually impaired pupils are required
to demonstrate competence in independent living skills by possessing and maintaining a
national certification in rehabilitation teaching for the blind or demonstrating proof that the
teacher is a certified vision rehabilitation therapist.
4. Defines compensatory skills as the skills needed by blind or visually impaired pupils to access
all areas of the general curriculum.
5. Defines expanded core curriculum as the knowledge, concepts and skills typically learned
incidentally by sighted pupils that must be taught to blind or visually impaired pupils using
alternative techniques.
6. Defines orientation and mobility as the ability to travel safely and effectively in one's
environment using alternative blindness skills.
7. Defines rehabilitation teaching as instruction in the compensatory skills and access technology
skills needed to perform activities of daily living.
8. Makes technical and conforming changes.
9. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 6, 2023
LB/MH/slp