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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session |
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HB2684: crisis management team; underperforming districts
Sponsor: Representative Udall, LD 25
Committee on Education
Overview
An emergency measure that directs the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to establish a crisis management team to intervene and recommend necessary changes for persistently underperforming school districts that meet specific criteria.
History
Receivership and Fiscal Crisis Teams
Statute directs SBE to appoint a receiver or fiscal crisis team to a school district that is determined to be insolvent or has grossly mismanaged its finances. Once appointed, the receiver or fiscal crisis team is required to submit a financial improvement plan to SBE (A.R.S. § 15-103). The school district is removed from receivership only after the Auditor General certifies the school district has been financially solvent for one fiscal year, the receiver certifies there is no longer gross mismanagement and SBE determines the school district is able to pay its debts.
Additionally, if a school district fails to take appropriate action to resolve an overexpenditure or commits an overexpenditure that will cause the school district's overall expenditures to exceed its general budget limit or unrestricted capital limit by $50,000 or .5%, SBE is required to either: 1) direct ADE to contract with a fiscal crisis team; or 2) appoint a receiver. The school district must then submit, in consultation with the fiscal crisis team or receiver, a fiscal management report to SBE (A.R.S. § 15-107)
School Improvement Plans
School district governing boards must develop and submit an improvement plan for any school that receives a 'D' letter grade to the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and respective county educational service agency within 90 days of receiving notice of the letter grade. The improvement plan must include any necessary components identified by SBE (A.R.S. § 15-241.02(A)).
Schools that receive a 'D' letter grade for three consecutive years are assigned an 'F' letter grade unless an alternative letter grade is assigned after an appeal. SBE may also assign an 'F' letter grade to schools that have been assigned a 'D' letter grade for fewer than three consecutive years if it determined that there is no reasonable likelihood that the school will achieve an average level of performance within the next two years (A.R.S. § 15-241.02(D)).
Statute requires the SPI and respective county educational agency to assign a solutions team to a school that receives either a 'D' or 'F' letter grade. The solutions team is instructed to first consider the school's existing improvement plan, then present its findings for necessary changes to the school administrator and district superintendent. Within 45 days, the governing board must submit to ADE and the county educational service agency an action plan on how the school district will assist the school in incorporating the findings of the solutions team into the improvement plan (A.R.S. § 15-241.02(E)).
Provisions
Crisis Management Team
1. 
Directs ADE to establish a crisis
management team to intervene and recommend necessary changes for any
persistently underperforming school district that:
a) Is located in a county with a population between 200,000 and 220,000;
b) Is a unified school district;
c) Reported an average daily membership between 190 and 210 in FY 2018;
d) Received an 'F' letter grade in school years 2016-2017 and 2018-2019; and
e) Had less than 5% of students who were proficient on the AzMerit in English language arts and math. (Sec. 1)
2. Specifies that members of the crisis management team are appointed by the SPI and must consist of the following:
a) ADE staff with expertise and experience in school improvement;
b) An expert in tribal consultation and tribal affairs;
c) An expert in school improvement for rural schools;
d) An employee of the Office of Indian Education; and
e) Other persons deemed appropriate. (Sec. 1)
3. Requires the crisis management team to establish a work plan to evaluate the local circumstances and needs of the school district and consult with tribal stakeholders, school district governing board members, school district employees, community members, parents and other persons to determine the following:
a) The impediments to academic success;
b) Barriers to an effective school community;
c) Specific changes that are needed to increase academic outcomes and prevent teacher and staff turnover;
d) Outstanding financial impediments and appropriate solutions; and
e) The long-term plan to sustain a successful school, including potential changes to governance or boundaries or whether receivership or consolidation. (Sec. 1)
4. Stipulates that the school district must terminate the contract of the school district superintendent if the crisis management team determines the school district is unable to meet the educational needs of the community without a change in administration. (Sec. 1)
5. Allows the crisis management team to assist the school district governing board in identifying candidates to act as an interim superintendent. (Sec. 1)
Information Requests and Recommendations
6. Requires the school district to provide information requested by the crisis management team within two weeks. (Sec. 1)
7. Permits the school district to request additional time to complete an information request if the school district outlines the reasons why it will take more than two weeks to complete the request. (Sec. 1)
8. Mandates the crisis management team provide the school district with specific written recommendations to implement that will address the issues identified as contributing to the school district's persistent academic underperformance. (Sec. 1)
9. Requires the school district to notify the crisis management team in writing within two weeks after receiving the recommendations either:
a) Outlining the school district's efforts to implement the recommendations; or
b) Rejecting a recommendation and providing reason. (Sec. 1)
Reporting Requirement
10. Specifies that the crisis management team must submit a preliminary report by July 1, 2020 and a final report by December 31, 2020 to the Governor, Speaker of the House of Representatives, President of the Senate, ADE and the House of Representatives and Senate Education and Appropriation Committees chairpersons that include the following:
a) The specific recommendations for improvement;
b) The outcome of any consultations;
c) Recommendations on the long-term viability of the school district; and
d) A projected implementation timeline for recommended changes. (Sec. 1)
Implementation Plan and Timeline
11. Allows the crisis management team to request that ADE notify the school district of an implementation plan for sustainability if it is determined that a long-term sustainability plan is viable. (Sec. 1)
12. Directs ADE to compile all recommendations of the crisis management team, establish an implementation timeline and provide the school district an implementation plan and projected implementation timeline. (Sec. 1)
13. Mandates the school district to evaluate the implementation plan and respond in writing to ADE outlining the adoption of the implementation plan and any necessary modifications. (Sec. 1)
14. Requires the school district to provide regular reports to ADE on implementation and allows the school district to request assistance in community stakeholder engagement. (Sec. 1)
Funding
15. Allows the SPI to retain a portion of the state monies the school district would be entitled to receive to compensate members of the crisis management team, except that the SPI may not use the monies to compensate ADE employees. (Sec. 1)
Miscellaneous
16. Contains a legislative intent clause. (Sec. 2)
17. Contains an emergency clause. (Sec. 3)
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21. Initials CH Education
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