The Arizona Revised Statutes have been updated to include the revised sections from the 57th Legislature, 2nd Regular Session. Please note that the next update of this compilation will not take place until after the conclusion of the 58th Legislature, 1st Regular Session, which convenes in January 2027.
This online version of the Arizona Revised Statutes is primarily maintained for legislative drafting purposes and reflects the version of law that is effective on January 1st of the year following the most recent legislative session. The official version of the Arizona Revised Statutes is published by Thomson Reuters.
15-825. Certificates of educational convenience; issuance; effect on enrollment records; reporting requirements; posting requirements; definitions
A. A pupil who is precluded by distance, lack of adequate transportation facilities or a parent's or guardian's employment from attending a school in the school district or county of the pupil's residence or who resides in unorganized territory may apply to the pupil's school district of residence or, for a pupil who resides in unorganized territory, the school district of attendance for a certificate of educational convenience. If a pupil who resides in unorganized territory does not have a school district of attendance and seeks to enroll in a public school in this state, the pupil's parent may enroll the pupil in a school pursuant to article 1.1 of this chapter or request enrollment of the pupil in the adjoining school district that is geographically closest to the pupil's residence. If a pupil's parent requests enrollment of the pupil in the adjoining school district that is geographically closest to the pupil's residence by submitting online enrollment paperwork to the school district, by attempting to enroll the pupil in person at a school district office or at a school that is operated by the school district, or by requesting enrollment assistance in a telephonic, electronic or in-person communication with the school district or a school that is operated by the school district, the school district shall enroll the pupil. A school district that receives a request for enrollment pursuant to this subsection shall submit a completed certificate of educational convenience application for the pupil to the county school superintendent electronically, in person or by regular mail not later than five business days after receiving the request and any required documentation, except that a school district may submit the application by regular mail only if the school district cannot electronically submit the application. If it appears to the county school superintendent that it is not feasible for the pupil to attend a school in the school district or county of residence, the county school superintendent shall issue a certificate of educational convenience authorizing the pupil to attend a school in an adjoining school district or county, whether within or without this state. A school district that receives a request for enrollment or an application for a certificate of educational convenience pursuant to this subsection may not delay child find activities, parental consent for a special education evaluation or timelines under 34 Code of Federal Regulations section 300.301 or 300.323 because a certificate of educational convenience application is processing. If a certificate of educational convenience is issued as provided in this subsection, the school enrollment of a pupil is as follows:
1. The school enrollment of a pupil who is precluded from attending a school in this state and who must attend school in another state, when certified to the county school superintendent by the official in charge of the school attended, is deemed for the purpose of determining student count to be enrollment in the school of the county or school district of the student's residence.
2. The school enrollment of a pupil from unorganized territory or from another school district is deemed for the purpose of determining student count to be enrollment in the school district of actual attendance.
B. If a certificate of educational convenience is issued for a pupil whose parent or guardian is employed and domiciled by a state institution as prescribed by section 15-976, tuition may be charged as follows:
1. For group B children with disabilities:
(a) Who are from unorganized territory or whose parent or guardian is employed by a state institution as prescribed by section 15-976, the superintendent of public instruction shall reimburse the district of attendance for the excess costs as provided in section 15-824, subsection E, paragraph 4.
(b) Who are from another school district, the school district of residence shall reimburse the district of attendance for the excess costs as provided in section 15-824, subsection E, paragraph 4.
2. For pupils who are precluded from attending a school in this state and who must attend a school in another state:
(a) If the pupil resides in a school district in this state, the district of residence shall pay the amount charged by the district of attendance.
(b) If the pupil resides in unorganized territory, the superintendent of public instruction shall pay the amount charged by the district of attendance.
C. The county school superintendent who issues a certificate of educational convenience shall notify the superintendent of public instruction of the issuance of the certificate. The superintendent of public instruction shall draw a warrant in favor of the school district of actual attendance for the amount charged, whether for common or high school attendance, as provided in section 15-824.
D. The total amount of state monies that may be spent in any fiscal year by the superintendent of public instruction for certificates of educational convenience shall not exceed the amount appropriated or authorized by section 35-173 for that purpose. This section does not impose a duty on an officer, agent or employee of this state to discharge a responsibility or create any right in a person or group if the discharge or right would require an expenditure of state monies in excess of the expenditure authorized by legislative appropriation for that specific purpose.
E. Each county school superintendent shall:
1. Not later than five business days after receiving a certificate of educational convenience application pursuant to this section, either:
(a) Issue a certificate of educational convenience authorizing the pupil to attend the school district that is identified in the application and notify the school district and the pupil's parent that the certificate has been issued.
(b) Notify in writing the school district that is identified in the application and the pupil's parent that the county school superintendent is not issuing a certificate of educational convenience for the pupil. The notification required by this subdivision must explain the reason the county school superintendent is declining to issue a certificate of educational convenience and instructions for curing deficiencies in the application.
2. On or before January 1 of each year, report to the department of education the total number of certificates of educational convenience that the county school superintendent issued pursuant to subsection A of this section during the previous calendar year.
3. Before fiscal year 2027-2028, develop and make publicly available a certificate of educational convenience application form and instructions for submitting the application form. A county school superintendent may develop an online application portal for the purposes of this paragraph if the portal allows any person who may submit an application pursuant to this section, including a school district, a pupil, a pupil's parent or a pupil's legal representative, to submit an application through the portal.
4. On request from a pupil or the parent of a pupil who resides in an unorganized territory, identify the adjoining school district that is geographically closest to the pupil's residence.
F. The department of education shall maintain the reports received under subsection E, paragraph 2 of this section and shall post the reports on the department's website.
G. Each school district in this state that adjoins an unorganized territory shall:
1. Include a certificate of educational convenience application form and instructions regarding supporting documentation with proof of residency documentation requirements in enrollment packets.
2. Post on the school district's website both of the following:
(a) The form and instructions described in paragraph 1 of this subsection.
(b) Instructions for parents who elect to submit the applications to the county school superintendent.
H. Enrollment is guaranteed for any pupil for whom a certificate of educational convenience is issued pursuant to this section and is not subject to programmatic capacity limitations.
I. Subsection A of this section does not preclude a pupil, a pupil's parent, a pupil's legal representative or any other interested party from submitting an application for a certificate of educational convenience for the pupil to the county school superintendent.
J. For the purposes of this section:
1. "Child find" has the same meaning prescribed in section 15-768.
2. "Free appropriate public education" has the same meaning prescribed in section 15-768.
3. "Parent" has the same meaning prescribed in section 15-761.
4. "Unorganized territory" means a geographic area that is not located within the boundaries of any school district.