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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session |
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HB 2883: small school adjustment; student count
Sponsor: Representative Tsosie, LD 6
Committee on Education
Alters the student count required for a school district or accommodation school to qualify for the small school adjustment (SSA).
History
The SSA allows a school district governing board (governing board) or county school superintendent to: 1) adopt a budget that exceeds the school district's or accommodation school's general budget limit without a budget override election; and 2) revise its budget to include the costs for additional students who were not anticipated when the budget was adopted. To qualify for the SSA, a common school district, unified school district or an accommodation school must have a student count in kindergarten programs and the 1st-8th grades (K-8) of 125 or less, and a high school district, unified school district or an accommodation school must have a student count in the 9th-12th grades of 100 or less.
Statute requires, in order for a school district to levy a primary property tax for the SSA, the following to occur: 1) the governing board must send a petition to the county school superintendent requesting authority to revise its budget; 2) the county school superintendent must recommend the action to be taken on the petition and forward the recommendation and petition to the county board of supervisors (BOS); and 3) the county BOS must hold a hearing on the petition and determine whether to allow, allow after revision or deny the petition. A county school superintendent, to qualify an accommodation school for the SSA and the authority to exceed the accommodation school's budget limit, must send a revised budget to the county BOS, which then must hold a hearing and determine whether to allow, allow with revision or deny the budget revision (A.R.S. § 15-949).
Provisions
1. Increases the student count that qualifies a school district or an accommodation school for an SSA as follows:
a. for a common school district, a unified school district or an accommodation school, a student count in K-8 of 160, rather than 125, or less; and
b. for a high school district, a unified school district or an accommodation school, a student count in the 9th-12th grades of 160, rather than 100, or less.
2. Modifies the formula to calculate the SSA for a school district that exceeded the student count limits by subtracting 160, rather than 100, from the elementary or secondary student count.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.
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7. Initials CH HB 2883
8. 2/15/2026 Page 0 Education
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