ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

 

HB 2862: schools; instructional time models

Sponsor: Representative Udall, LD 25

Committee on Education

Overview

Allows a school district or charter school (school) to adopt an instructional time model that permits the school to deliver annual required instructional time or hours through specified modes.

History

A governing board, after at least two public hearings, may offer a four-day school week educational program or a three-day school week alternative kindergarten program, or both. These programs must meet the instructional time and hour requirements applied to a five-day school week program (A.R.S. § 15-861).

Average daily membership (ADM) is the total enrollment of part-time and full-time students, minus withdrawals, for the first 100 or 200 days of the school year. Statute outlines instructional time and hour requirements by program or grade level that correspond to ADM. Additionally, statute outlines daily attendance requirements that students must meet to be considered in attendance. These requirements are based on instructional time and hours by program or grade level (A.R.S. § 15-901).

Statute defines online course provider to mean a school, other than an online school, that is selected by the State Board of Education (SBE) or a state-approved charter authorizer to participate in Arizona online instruction (AOI) and that provides at least one online academic course that is approved by SBE.

Online school means a school that provides at least four online academic courses or one or more online courses for the equivalent of at least five hours each day for 180 school days and that is a charter school or a district public school selected by SBE to participate in AOI (A.R.S. § 15-801).

Provisions

Instructional Time Models

1.   Permits a school district governing board, after at least two public hearings, or a charter school governing body to adopt any instructional time models to meet the minimal annual instructional time and hour requirements for:

a)   Determining ADM;

b)   Determining daily attendance;

c)   Determining student count; and

d)   Any other purpose relating to instructional time or hours. (Sec. 6)

2.   Requires adopted instructional time models to ensure that students receive the required minimum instructional time or hours, as applicable, for the full school year in any day, week and course length increments. (Sec. 6)

3.   Allows a school, in its adopted instructional time model, to deliver the annual required instructional time or hours to students through any combination of:

a)   Direct instruction;

b)   Project-based learning, either in or out of the classroom; and

c)   Independent learning time to complete assignments, either in or out of the classroom. (Sec. 6)

4.   Permits a school's adopted instructional time model to define instructional time and hours to include any combination of:

a)   In-person instruction;

b)   Remote instruction;

c)   Partial proxies for time, such as completed assignments and projects; and

d)   Extracurricular activities aligned with course objectives. (Sec. 6)

5.   Allows a school to reallocate any minimum instructional time or hours per required course to other courses on a per-student basis. (Sec. 6)

6.   Grants a school the ability to stagger learning times and schedules for students and to offer courses and other instructional time options on the weekend or evening. (Sec. 6)

7.   Provides that a school may offer a mastery-based model of instruction, rather than a seat time-based model of instruction. (Sec. 6)

8.   Mandates that if a school offers a mastery-based model of instruction, the school:

a)   May promote a student to the next grade, with parental permission, if the student achieves mastery in each subject according to standards adopted by SBE; and

b)   Must notify parents:

i.   That the school offers this model of instruction;

ii. When the student achieves mastery and may be accelerated to the next grade; and

iii.   If applicable, that the student is in a blended classroom serving multiple grade levels or grade level content. (Sec. 6)

9.   Instructs a school to align its attendance policies to reflect the instructional time and hours under its adopted instructional time model. (Sec. 6)

10.  Allows a school to satisfy any time, hour and daily attendance requirements outlined in statute in any manner prescribed in the school's instructional time model. (Sec. 5)

Definitions

11.  Alters the definition of online school to mean a school that provides at least 65% of its instructional time online. (Sec. 3)

12.  Deletes the definition of online course provider. (Sec. 3)

13.  Defines instructional hours or instructional time as hours or time spent pursuant to an instructional time model.  (Sec. 5)

Miscellaneous

14.  Stipulates that as otherwise authorized by the Superintendent of Public Instruction or as otherwise prescribed under an instructional time model:

a)   The school year begins July 1 and ends June 30; and

b)   A school month is 20 school days or four weeks of five days each. (Sec. 6)

15.  Repeals A.R.S. § 15-861, relating to four-day school week and alternative kindergarten programs. (Sec. 4)

16.  Makes technical changes. (Sec. 1, 2, 3)

17.  Makes conforming changes. (Sec. 1, 2, 3, 5, 7)☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Note

18.   

19.   

20.  ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------

21.                    HB 2862

22.  Initials CH Page 0 Education

23.   

24.  ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------