Title 15 — Education
18 chapters · 856 sections in this title.
A.R.S. § 15-501 Definitions
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In this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires: 1. "Administrator" means any school district administrator except a school principal who devotes at least fifty percent of the principal's time to classroom teaching. 2. "Certificated teacher" means a person who holds a cert…
A.R.S. § 15-501.01 Requirements for teachers; teaching certificates; rules; reciprocity; placement; posting
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A. Notwithstanding any other law, all teachers who are certificated pursuant to this section must have a baccalaureate degree and a valid fingerprint clearance card. B. The state board of education shall adopt rules for the issuance of the following types of certificates for teac…
A.R.S. § 15-502 Employment of school district personnel; payment of wages of discharged employee
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A. The governing board at any time may employ and fix the salaries and benefits of employees necessary for the succeeding year. The contracts of all certificated employees shall be in writing, and all employees shall be employed subject to section 38-481. The governing board may …
A.R.S. § 15-503 Superintendents, principals, head teachers and school psychologists; term of employment; evaluation; contract delivery; nonretention notice
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A. The governing board may: 1. Employ a superintendent or principal, or both. If the governing board employs a superintendent, the governing board shall determine the qualifications for the superintendent by action taken at a public meeting. The governing board shall require a su…
A.R.S. § 15-504 Contract days for professional association activities; prohibition
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School district employment contracts shall not include compensated days for professional association activities. For the purposes of this section, professional association activities do not include conduct that occurs during a field trip for pupils. This section does not prohibit…
A.R.S. § 15-505 Discipline; educator information system; personnel list; definitions
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A. Pursuant to the rules and procedures adopted pursuant to section 15-203, the state board of education shall investigate written complaints alleging that a noncertificated person has engaged in immoral or unprofessional conduct. B. The state board of education may review a comp…
A.R.S. § 15-506 Flag, Constitution and Bill of Rights display; recitation of pledge of allegiance; moment of silence; exemption
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A. School districts and charter schools shall: 1. Acquire United States flags that are manufactured in the United States and that are at least two feet by three feet and hardware to appropriately display the United States flags. 2. For grades seven through twelve, acquire a legib…
A.R.S. § 15-507 Abuse of teacher or school employee in school; classification
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A person who knowingly abuses a teacher or other school employee on school grounds or while the teacher or employee is engaged in the performance of his duties is guilty of a class 3 misdemeanor.
A.R.S. § 15-508 Dismissal for failure to comply with certain laws
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Wilful neglect or failure on the part of a school superintendent, principal, teacher or other officer of a school to observe and carry out the requirements of sections 15-532 and 15-710 is sufficient cause for dismissal or removal of such person from his position, and the superin…
A.R.S. § 15-509 School employees; applicants; criminal conviction disclosures; violation; classification; definition
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1. A dangerous crime against children pursuant to section 13-705. 2. A violation of section 13-1404 or 13-1406 in which the victim was a minor. 3. An act committed in another state or territory that if committed in this state would have been subject to disclosure pursuant to para…
A.R.S. § 15-510 Authorization of leaves of absence; application; preservation of rights
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A. The governing board may authorize leaves of absence for school district personnel when it deems such leaves of absence to be reasonable and for good cause and not detrimental to education within the school district. B. Leaves of absence shall be limited to a period of not to e…
A.R.S. § 15-511 Use of school district or charter school resources or employees to influence elections; prohibition; civil penalty; definitions
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A. A person acting on behalf of a school district or a person who aids another person acting on behalf of a school district shall not spend or use school district or charter school resources, including the use or expenditure of monies, accounts, credit, facilities, vehicles, post…
A.R.S. § 15-512 Noncertificated personnel; fingerprinting personnel; background investigations; affidavit; civil immunity; violation; classification; definition
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A. Noncertificated personnel and personnel who are not paid employees of the school district and who are not either the parent or the guardian of a pupil who attends school in the school district but who are required or allowed to provide services directly to pupils without being…
A.R.S. § 15-513 Transportation employees; chemical abuse education; drug tests; costs; termination from employment; appeal; definition
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A. Beginning on January 1, 1991, a transportation employee shall submit to drug and alcohol testing if the supervisor of the employee, or the supervisor's designee, has probable cause that the employee's job performance has been impaired by the use of alcohol or a drug in violati…
A.R.S. § 15-514 Immoral or unprofessional conduct; duty to report; immunity; definitions
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A. Any certificated personnel, a noncertificated person or a member of a school district governing board or charter school governing body who reasonably suspects or receives a reasonable allegation that a public school employee, including employment through a third-party contract…
A.R.S. § 15-515 Duty to report violations occurring on school premises
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All school personnel who observe a violation of section 13-3102, subsection A, paragraph 12 or section 13-3111 on school premises shall immediately report the violation to the school administrator. The administrator shall immediately report the violation to a peace officer. The p…
A.R.S. § 15-516 Teacher immunity
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A full-time teacher who is employed by a school district or a charter school is immune from personal liability for all acts done and actions taken in good faith in evaluating or grading any student.
A.R.S. § 15-531 Fees
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A. The state board of education may fix and collect fees for: 1. The issuance and evaluation, singly or both, of any provisional, basic or standard teaching certificate, any administrative, specialized service, nurse, career and technical education, vocational education or substi…
A.R.S. § 15-531.01 Certification expiration; military service; one year extension
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A. A certificate issued pursuant to this article to any member of the Arizona national guard or the United States armed forces reserves shall not expire while the member is serving on federal active duty and shall be extended one year after the member returns from federal active …
A.R.S. § 15-532 Examination on state and United States constitutions; reciprocity requirement; exemption; intergovernmental agreement or contract for administration and evaluation
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A. A person who is applying for a certificate authorizing the person to become a teacher in a school, in addition to fingerprinting and other requirements, shall either complete the required classes or pass a satisfactory examination on the provisions and principles of the Consti…
A.R.S. § 15-533 Proficiency examination; examination reciprocity
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A. To qualify for a standard teaching certificate, or equivalent certificate later adopted by the state board of education, a person must pass each component of the proficiency examination developed and administered by the state board of education unless otherwise exempted by law…
A.R.S. § 15-534 Fingerprinting; review and disciplinary action; violation; classification
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A. A person who applies for a certificate as prescribed in section 15-203 shall have a valid fingerprint clearance card that is issued pursuant to title 41, chapter 12, article 3.1. Applicants who possess a certificate pursuant to section 15-203 and who apply for additional certi…
A.R.S. § 15-534.01 Withdrawal of applications for administrative deficiencies; denial of applications for substantive deficiencies; certification time frames
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B. If an application for certification is substantively incomplete, as prescribed in title 41, chapter 6, article 7.1, the department of education may issue a written notice requesting the applicant to supply additional documents or other information. The department of education …
A.R.S. § 15-534.02 Restrictions on applications for certification after the surrender, revocation or denial of certificate; definition
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A. A person shall not submit an application for certification with the state board of education for a period of five years if any of the following occurs: 1. The person surrenders a certificate issued by the state board of education. 2. The person's certificate is revoked by the …
A.R.S. § 15-534.03 Service of documents; change of address notice requirement
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A. Every notice or decision issued by the state board of education pertaining to the denial of an application for initial certification or renewal of a certificate or pertaining to disciplinary action against a certificated person shall be served by personal delivery or certified…
A.R.S. § 15-534.04 Reciprocal discipline; certificated and noncertificated persons; definition
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A. A final adjudication or judgment in another jurisdiction that a certificated or noncertificated person has engaged in immoral or unprofessional conduct shall be treated as immoral or unprofessional conduct for the purposes of any disciplinary proceeding conducted against that …
A.R.S. § 15-535 Sectarian instruction prohibited
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A teacher who uses sectarian or denominational books or teaches any sectarian doctrine or conducts any religious exercises in school is guilty of unprofessional conduct and his certificate shall be revoked. This section shall not be construed to prohibit a teacher from teaching t…
A.R.S. § 15-536 Offer of contract to probationary teacher; acceptance; notice to teacher of intention not to reemploy; definition
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A. On or after March 15 of each year, the governing board shall offer a teaching contract for the next ensuing school year to each probationary teacher, unless the governing board, a member of the governing board acting on behalf of the governing board or the superintendent of th…
A.R.S. § 15-537 Performance of certificated teachers; evaluation system; alternative performance evaluation cycle; confidentiality
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A. The governing board shall establish a system to evaluate the performance of certificated teachers in the school district that results in at least one evaluation of each certificated teacher by a qualified evaluator each school year or as provided in subsection B of this sectio…
A.R.S. § 15-537.01 Posting of best practices for teacher and principal evaluation systems
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A. On or before September 15, 2012, the department of education shall identify and prominently post on the website maintained by the department the best practices for the implementation and assessment of principal and teacher evaluation systems. B. The best practices posted by th…
A.R.S. § 15-538 Preliminary notice of inadequacy of classroom performance; performance improvement plan; adoption of definition
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A. The governing board of any school district shall give any certificated teacher notice of intention to dismiss or not to reemploy if such intention is based on charges of inadequacy of classroom performance. The governing board or its authorized representative, at least forty-f…
A.R.S. § 15-538.01 Offer of contract to continuing teacher; definition
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A. On or after March 15 of each year, the governing board shall offer to each continuing teacher a contract renewal for the next ensuing school year unless the governing board, a member of the governing board acting on behalf of the governing board or the superintendent of the sc…
A.R.S. § 15-538.02 Teachers with short-term certificates; dismissal; notice
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Notwithstanding any other law, the governing board may dismiss a teacher who holds a teaching intern certificate, an emergency teaching certificate or another type of nonstandard certificate that is valid for one year or less without complying with the requirements of section 15-…
A.R.S. § 15-539 Dismissal of certificated teacher; due process; written charges; notice; hearing on request
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A. On a written statement of charges presented by the superintendent, charging that there exists cause for the suspension without pay for a period of time greater than ten school days or dismissal of a certificated teacher of the district, the governing board, except as otherwise…
A.R.S. § 15-540 Suspension prior to dismissal of a certificated teacher; written charges; salary
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A. Upon a written statement of charges adopted by the governing board charging a certificated teacher of the school district with cause for suspension without pay or dismissal, the governing board may immediately place the teacher on administrative leave of absence and give him n…
A.R.S. § 15-541 Hearing on dismissal
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A. The governing board shall decide whether to hold a hearing on the dismissal or suspension without pay for a period of time longer than ten days of a certificated teacher as provided in this article. If the governing board decides not to hold a hearing, the governing board shal…
A.R.S. § 15-542 Hearing costs; counsel; limitations on evidence; reinstatement
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A. The governing board shall pay all expenses of the hearing. The certificated teacher and the governing board shall pay their own attorney and witness fees, except if the governing board does not suspend the teacher without pay or dismiss the teacher, the governing board shall p…
A.R.S. § 15-543 Appeal from decision of board
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A. The decision of the governing board is final unless the certificated teacher files, within thirty days after the date of the decision, an appeal with the superior court in the county within which he was employed. B. The decision of the governing board may be reviewed by the co…
A.R.S. § 15-544 Limitations on reduction of salaries or personnel
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A. A governing board may reduce salaries or eliminate certificated teachers in a school district in order to effectuate economies in the operation of the district or to improve the efficient conduct and administration of the schools of the school district. B. Notice of a general …
A.R.S. § 15-545 Resignation restrictions; unprofessional act; penalty
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A certificated teacher shall not resign after signing and returning his contract, unless the resignation is first approved by the governing board. A teacher who resigns contrary to this section shall be deemed to commit an unprofessional act and, upon request of the governing boa…
A.R.S. § 15-546 Rights in employment not vested
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The provisions of this article may be modified, amended or repealed at any time and no person shall be deemed to have acquired any vested right to continuing employment under or by virtue of any provision of this article.
A.R.S. § 15-547 Preservation of years of employment
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The years of employment of a certificated teacher who has been employed by a school district for more than the major portion of three consecutive school years shall be preserved if such teacher transfers from a common school district to a high school district or from a high schoo…
A.R.S. § 15-549 Compulsory leaves of absence for criminal charges; continued salary
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A. If any certificated teacher is charged by criminal complaint, information or indictment with any criminal offense which would be deemed cause for dismissal, the governing board may immediately place the teacher on compulsory leave of absence for a period of time extending for …
A.R.S. § 15-550 Unprofessional conduct; penalty; definition
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A. A person who has been convicted of a dangerous crime against children as defined in section 13-705 or has been convicted of a violation of section 13-1404 or 13-1406 in which the victim was a minor or section 13-1405 or an act committed in another state or territory that if co…
A.R.S. § 15-551 Confidentiality of pupil's name; disciplinary hearing; civil penalty
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A. The governing board and the state board of education shall keep confidential the name of a pupil involved in a hearing before either board regarding the dismissal or discipline of a school district employee or an action on a certificate. The board shall not disclose the pupil'…
A.R.S. § 15-552 Alternative teacher development program; report
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(Rpld. 7/1/30) A. The state board of education shall establish an alternative teacher development program for the purpose of accelerating the process of identifying, training and placing highly qualified individuals into low-income schools through the use of teaching intern certi…
A.R.S. § 15-553 School districts and charter schools; classroom-based preparation program providers; teacher certification; rules; candidate eligibility; renewal
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A. In addition to any alternative preparation program provider path approved by the state board of education, a school district or charter school may apply to the state board of education for authority to approve the certification of teachers as a classroom-based preparation prog…
A.R.S. § 15-554 School districts and charter schools; locally based school leadership preparation program providers; certification; rules
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B. The state board of education shall adopt rules, policies and procedures to be administered by the department of education. The rules may not be more restrictive or require more than is prescribed in this section. The rules shall facilitate the approval and certification proces…