7 new education laws parents should know

The 2018 legislative session is in the books, and it was arguably one of the most consequential sessions in history for Arizona public education.

Here are seven new laws parents should know about. Most go into effect Aug. 3.

$400 million education plan House Bill 2663,

sponsored by state Rep. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, is the education portion of the 2019 budget that Gov. Doug Ducey signed. It was at the center of the six-day teacher walkout.

The budget includes $400 million for public schools — the most significant increase in education funding for Arizona schools in more than a decade. The final funding largely mirrored what the governor had proposed in mid-April, amid the #RedForEd efforts.

Included in the budget is about $273 million aimed at giving teacher pay raises next year, and $100 million in capital funding that could be used to pay for things such as new textbooks, buses or support staff pay increases.

Mandating recess in Arizona schools

Senate Bill 1083,

sponsored by state Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, requires Arizona’s district and charter schools to provide two recess periods for students in kindergarten through third grade.

Starting in 2019, the two recesses must be offered through fifth grade.

‘Report cards’ for public schools SB 1411,

sponsored by state Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, expands Arizona’s school-letter grade accountability system to take into consideration a “dashboard” of performance indicators that will each be individually graded on an A-F scale, like a report card.

Under the current grading system, schools earn one grade that is determined mostly by AzMERIT scores.

The State Board of Education, which will be responsible for creating the dashboard, had already explored this option.

Extending Prop. 301 SB 1390,

sponsored by state Sen. Kate Brophy-McGee, R-Paradise Valley, and state Rep. Doug Coleman, R-Apache Junction, assures Arizona schools will receive for another 20 years, an annual $667 million in education funding generated through a 0.6 percent sales tax rate known as Proposition 301.

Schools had warned of a looming fiscal cliff before the extension of the voter-approved sales tax, which was set to expire in mid-2021. This law extends the existing tax through 2041.

God in the classroom SB 1289,

sponsored by state Sen. Gail Griffin, R-Hereford, allows teachers and administrators to post the state motto “Ditat Deus” or its English translation “God enriches” in classrooms.

The law adds to the list of historical phrases allowed to be posted in Arizona schools. The list includes the national motto, “In God We Trust,” along with the national anthem, Pledge of Allegiance, Arizona constitution, Declaration of Independence and acts of U.S. Congress.

Full-day kindergarten standards SB1082,

sponsored by state Sen. Sylvia Allen, R-Snowflake, stipulates that full-day kindergarten instruction “be academically meaningful” and “meet or exceed the academic standards for kindergarten.”

Currently, Arizona funds only 21⁄ hours of instruction for kindergarten pupils, and kindergarten itself is not considered to be a grade.

Most public schools offer a full day’s instruction to parents, about six hours, sometimes by charging tuition or through local property-tax funding.

‘Seal of Civics Literacy’ House Bill 2561,

sponsored by Rep. Paul Boyer, R-Phoenix, makes graduating seniors “who have attained a high level of proficiency in civics” eligible for a new distinction on their diplomas: the State Seal of Civics Literacy.

The Arizona Department of Education is responsible for setting the requirements for the new program, which is similar to the State Seal of Biliteracy program lawmakers passed in 2016.