ARIZONA STATE SENATE

LAURA BENITEZ

LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH ANALYST

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

Telephone: (602) 926-3171

RESEARCH STAFF

TO:                  MEMBERS OF THE SENATE

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

DATE:            January 28, 2022

SUBJECT:      Strike everything amendment to S.B. 1328, relating to high-quality teacher program; extension

Purpose

Effective July 1, 2023, continues the High-Quality Teacher Professional Development Pilot Program (Pilot Program) as a statutory program.

Background

In 2017, the Legislature directed the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to establish the Pilot Program, which is set to terminate on July 1, 2023. Under the Program, SBE-certified teachers currently teaching at an Arizona public school may apply to receive up to $2,000 in scholarship and grant assistance to obtain additional credentials and certifications from an accredited postsecondary educational institution to teach in high-need content areas. A high-need content area is any math, science, technology, engineering or career and technical education content.

A Pilot Program scholarship or grant recipient agrees to teach in an Arizona public school for at least three years after completing the professional development coursework or program. An applicant who accepts a scholarship or grant and does not fulfill the teaching requirement must fully repay the scholarship or grant amount. ADE may retain up to three percent of monies appropriated to the Pilot Program and must annually report the Pilot Program results to the Governor, President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives (Laws 2017, Ch. 284, as amended by Laws 2019, Ch. 265).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1. Codifies the Pilot Program as the statutory High-Quality Teacher Professional Development Program.

2. Becomes effective on July 1, 2023.