Assigned to K-12 & APPROP                                                                                    AS PASSED BY THE SENATE

 

 

 

 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Forty-seventh Legislature, Second Regular Session

 

AMENDED

FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2552

 

schools; gifted pupils; programs; funding

 

Purpose

 

            Appropriates $2 million from the state General Fund in FY 2006-2007 to the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to increase funding for gifted education programs in school districts. Broadens gifted education program requirements and responsibilities for school districts, the State Board of Education (SBE) and the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI).

 

Background

 

            Section 15-779, Arizona Revised Statutes, defines a “gifted pupil” as a “child who is of lawful school age, who due to superior intellect or advanced learning ability, or both, is not afforded an opportunity for otherwise attainable progress and development in regular classroom instruction and who needs special instruction, or special ancillary services, or both, to achieve at levels commensurate with his intellect and ability.” A.R.S. § 15-779.02 allows a school district or charter school to identify any number of pupils as gifted but at a minimum those students who score at or above the 97th percentile on a nationally-normed standardized test. Statute requires that gifted instruction provided by a school district or charter school must differ in complexity of content, learning and thinking process, quality and variety of product and learning environment from regular education. ADE must approve each school district and charter plan for gifted education to ensure that the programs meet minimum state requirements.

 

            School districts and charter schools receive funding through the “Group A” weight in the K-12 Basic State Aid formula for educational programs for gifted pupils. School districts also obtain separate funding through the Gifted Support Program established in A.R.S. § 15-779.03. Currently, eligible school districts may apply for funding equal to $55 per pupil for three percent of the district’s student count, or $1,000, whichever is greater. If program funding is insufficient to fully fund this formula, ADE reduces allocations on a prorated basis. In FY 2005-2006, the Gifted Support Program received approximately $1.4 million from the state General Fund, and is expected to fund approximately $40 per pupil.

 

            There is a fiscal impact of $2 million to the state General Fund in FY 2006-2007 due to the appropriation.

 

Provisions

State Board of Education

 

1.      Requires SBE to adopt guidelines for use by a school district governing board to identify pupils eligible to receive gifted education program services, and any other guidelines or rules necessary to conduct gifted education programs in the state.

 

School District Governing Board

 

2.      Requires a school district governing board to modify a course of study and adapt teaching methods for gifted students who are educationally disadvantaged due to a disability or difficulty writing, reading or understanding English and removes the restriction that these gifted students may not be instructed separately or in different facilities from other gifted pupils.

 

3.      Requires a school district to evaluate, identify and provide gifted education without unreasonable delay to previously identified gifted pupils transferring from another school district or charter school.

 

4.      Directs a school district governing board to incorporate gifted education as part of an integrated and differentiated learning experience during the regular school day.

 

5.      Expands the scope and sequence used by a school district governing board to conduct gifted education to include program design, identification, curriculum, instruction, social development, emotional development, professional development of school teachers, administrators, counselors and psychologists, parent and community involvement, program assessment and budgeting.

 

6.      Stipulates that budget information submitted in the scope and sequence contain data on identification and program costs that provides sufficient data for ADE to effectively administer and evaluate the gifted education program.

 

7.      Requires SBE and ADE to review criteria contained in the scope and sequence at least once every four years and approve the entire scope and sequence by July 1 every five years unless changes occurred during any of those years.

 

8.      Increases the percentage of state aid withheld as a noncompliance penalty for a school district that fails to submit the scope and sequence or receive full approval from the SPI.

 

Superintendent of Public Instruction

 

9.      Creates new required monitoring and oversight responsibilities for the SPI to:

a)      distribute additional assistance for gifted programs to school districts that apply and are approved for funding by ADE under rules adopted by SBE.

b)      provide assistance upon request of a school district governing board in the design, implementation and evaluation of gifted pupil programs, including but not limited to, staff development programs for administrators, teachers and counselors.

c)      encourage school districts to develop locally innovative programs for gifted pupils and procedures for ongoing parental involvement in the planning and evaluation of gifted education.

d)     guarantee that all authorized monies expended for gifted education programs are in accordance to program requirements.

 

Gifted Support Funding

 

10.  Increases the additional assistance for gifted programs in FY 2006-2007 from the current formula ($55 for three percent of the school district’s student count, or $1,000) to $75 for four percent of the student count, or $2,000, whichever is more.

 

11.  Expands the requirement to conduct evaluation studies of gifted programs to all school districts from only those school districts that received additional assistance for their gifted programs.

 

12.  Prohibits a school district supplanting monies received from additional assistance for gifted pupils.

 

Miscellaneous

 

13.  Modifies the definition of “gifted education” and “gifted pupil” to include that appropriate academic course offerings and gifted education services must be an integral part of the regular school day.

 

14.  Appropriates $2 million from the state General fund in FY 2006-2007 to ADE for funding the gifted education program formula.

 

15.  Continues permanently the existing SBE rule requiring certified elementary school teachers to complete a minimum of 45 classroom hours or three college credit hours on phonics instruction.

 

16.  Contains intent language.

 

17.  Becomes effective on the general effective date.

 

Amendments Adopted by K-12 ED Committee

 

·         Deletes the repeal date of the SBE rule requiring phonics instruction for certified elementary teachers.

 

Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole

 

1.      Modifies the gifted education funding formula.

 

2.      Eliminates the inflation factor in the gifted education funding formula.

 

3.      Includes a new appropriation.

 

4.      Removes an existing appropriation.

 

5.      Alters the fiscal impact statement.

 

House Action                                                              Senate Action

 

ED                   2/8/06       DPA     8-2-0-0                  K-12 ED         3/15/06     DPA     7-1-0-0

APPROP (B)  2/14/06     DP        14-0-0-1                APPROP         3/21/06     DP        9-1-1-0

3rd Read           3/6/06                    42-13-5-0              3rd Read           6/20/06                  24-4-2-0

 

Prepared by Senate Research

June 20, 2006

DN/jas