AZ COMMON CORE ACTIVISM
Review our complete list of
Common Core Action Items
to find out what you can do in your local communities to stop The Common Core System= Standards + High-Stakes Testing + Data Mining.
Support Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), Diane Douglas,
with her efforts to "Restore local control over standards and the
statewide assessment" by e-mailing her your suggestions on how to "Restore Local
Control" at: [email protected] or
(602)542-5423. Attend one of the Arizona Department of Education's (ADE's)
"We Heard You Tour"
events that are traveling around the state to hear how she plans
to fix our education concerns in Arizona from the "We are listening tour."
Express what you want changed in K-12 education, or submit your comments
on their website
called Hearing Every
Voice. Read through Superintendent Douglas's Education Plan
Kids Can't Afford to Wait.
Are you confused with the process that bills go through in the
AZ Legislature? Review this document "AZ
Legislature 101" and this document "Legislative
Glossary" to understand how this bill process works in our AZ Senate
and House of Representatives. See how an Arizona Bill goes from an "Idea
to a Law" here.
2015 AZ Legislation:
SB1191- This bill puts a moratorium on the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) assessment to obtain a passing score to graduate for the 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-1018 school years. This bill was signed into law by Governor Ducey on 2/20/15.
SB1289- This bill disbanded the A-F Accountability System for the 2014-2015 and the 2015-2016 school years. It also put a moratorium on the statewide assessment (AzMERIT) from being counted towards a student's GPA for the same time frame. A new accountability system will be established by the SBE, with cooperation from the ADE, and presented to the Governor and AZ Legislature by December 2015. This bill was signed into law by Governor Ducey on 3/26/15.
SB1305- This bill would establish a "Continuous Standards Improvment Committee" to evaluate the "Arizona College and Career Ready" standards for improvements once a year. This bill failed in the Senate on 2/24/15 with a 12-18 vote.
SB1306- This bill would protect student data from being shared with "outside entites" and establish an approval process requirement with "parental consent" before any student data was shared. This bill failed in the House on 4/2/15 with a 29-30 vote.
SB1458- This bill would allow local school districts and governing school bodies of charter schools to adopt their own standards and assessment as long as they were as good as or better the the previous Y1999 Arizona State Standards. This bill failed in the Senate with a 10-19-1 vote.
SB1464- This bill would protect student and teacher data from being shared with "outside entites" and establish an approval process requirement with "parental consent" before any student data was shared. This bill failed to ever make it out of the first Senate Education Committee so it died.
HB2050- This bill would allow the Senate to remove State Board of Education (SBE) members from office if a 2/3rds vote in the Senate occurred. This bill never made it out of the first House Education Committee so it died.
HB2180- This bill would require the State Board of Education (SBE) to provide a "Menu of Assessments" that a local school district or governing school body could choose from to assess their students on yearly progress. This bill was "retained" on 3/24/15 in the Senate so it died.
HB2190- This bill would "Repeal and Replace" the Common Core Standards (aka Arizona College and Career Ready Standards) and replace them with our own "Arizona Standards" written by the State Board of Education (SBE), and estbalish a method for protecting student data from being shared with "outside entities." This bill failed on 3/30/15 in the Senate with a 13-16-1 vote.
HB2246- This bill would allow parents to "opt out" of the statewide assessment and not allow students to be penalized with a low GPA nor schools with a letter grade due to "opting out." It would require the State Board of Education (SBE) to establish and "opt out" form at the local school district and governing charter school level for parents to use. This bill failed in the Senate on 3/31/15 with a 14-15-1 vote, and this bill was "reconsidered" for another vote on 4/1/15 and failed again with a 15-15 vote.
2014 AZ Legislation:
SB1395- School Districts or Charter Schools may "opt out" of any competency requirements or assessments adopted by the State Board of Education. They must adopt their own standards or assessments, as a replacement, and they must meet competency requirements that are as good as Year 1999 standards and assessments or greater. This bill died in the Senate on March 17th with a 12-17 vote.
SB1396- Requires school districts and charter schools to adopt standards that meet or exceed standards in our state from the Year 1999, provide competency requirements, a minimum course of study and assessments unless they agree to those adopted and prescribed by the State Board of Education. This bill was amended with SB1095 (Withdrawal from PARCC bill) in the Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) by Senator Chester Crandell. This bill died in the Senate on March 17th with a 12-17 vote.
SB1388- Eliminates the State Board of Education ability to adopt standards and puts standard adoption in the hands of the school districts and charter schools. These standards must meet or exceed previous standards established in our state from the Year 1999 and provide competency requirements for grade promotion and assessment of content knowledge. The school district or charter school then obtains approval of standards chosen by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. This bill was put "on hold" and died in the Senate.
SB1095- This state shall withdrawal from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers and may not implement the assessments aligned to the Common Core standards by that partnership. This state cannot enter or renew an agreement with any outside entity that develops academic standards and assessment for use in multiple state without approval, in writing, by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate. This bill was "amended" onto SB1396 during Senate Committee of the Whole (COW) on 3/12/14. This bill died in the Senate on March 17th with a 12-17 vote.
SB1310- The State Board of Education may not adopt or revise curricular standards in a manner that would effectively implement the Common Core Standards.The State board shall withdraw from PARCC and shall select an existing national administered standardized test that is currently accepted as a high school achievement and college entrance exam. This bill died during the Third Read in the Senate!
SB1155-The governing board of a school district or the governing body of a charter school may opt out of any competency requirements or assessments that are based on the Common Core standards or assessments that are aligned with standards or assessment proposed by PARCC. This bill died in the Senate and never made it out of its first education committee.
SB1121-Prevents a school district or charter school from administering a standardized test during the 2014-2015, 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school year if a passing score on that test is required for a student to graduate from high school. This bill was put "on hold" on 2/20/14 in the Senate and never made it out of its first education committee.
SB1466-This Bill establishes a 3-yr "smart technology pilot program" to encourage the deployment of "whole-school technology" in public school. Will allow the Department of Education to spend $5,000,000 from the state general fund in support of this program. It also allows the school districts and charter schools chosen to have "temporary waivers from school finance laws" to have increased flexibility in their budgets. This bill died in the Senate Education Committee on 2/20/14.
HB2316-This bill protects local education control and student privacy. The Department of Education may provide guidance and technical assistance to schools but may not require the adoption specific curricula or instructional approaches. Insures a 60 day public review process before a meeting is held where state academic changes are to be made, and these comments must be posted on Department of Education's website. Data collected on our students must meet state and federal laws which are designed to protect student privacy. This data cannot be shared with the federal government or vendors for the purpose of marketing or business development.This bill passed through the entire Arizona Legislature with a 16-7-7 vote in Senate Third Read and a 35-20-5 vote in the House Final Read. This bill was transmitted to the Governor's office! The Governor vetoed this bill and called it "redundant and not necessary." Since when is "local control over education" and "protecting student privacy" redundant and not necessary?! Contact the Governor and comment on your displeasure for her "vetoing HB2316!"
2013 AZ Legislation:
HB 2318- Exempting Schools from Federal mandates who don't accept Federal funding. This bill was introduced by Representative Eddie Farnsworth (LD12). It has passed through the House and Senate. Contact Governor Brewer to VOTE YES on this very important "school exemption" bill!
HB 2047- PARCC to AIMS Transition. This bill was introduced by Representatives Doris Goodale (LD5) and Paul Boyer (LD20). It has passed through the House and died in the Senate in the Educaton Committee hearing on 3/21/13 due to our education efforts and work at the legislature. Great work! However, an amendment was introduced by Senator Rich Crandall under HB2425 as a "technical correction" to resurrect the student assessment test and to kill AIMS. This amendment also gave complete control to the AZ Department of Education over the future student assessment test (PARCC or whatever assessment was decided on) and eliminated all control of these assessments by the Legislature. Not a smart move! This bill passed really quick in the Senate on 3/21/13 and in the House on 3/26/13 without legislators having a clear knowledge of what they were voting for. This bill is now with the Governor's office for approval. HB2425 was signed by the Governor and is now law. Way to go Legislature!
HB 2563- This bill prepares teachers for Common Core implementation. This bill was introduced by Representatives Miranda, Gabaldon, Gallegos, et al. It has passed through the House and is now being reviewed in the Senate. This bill was "held" in the Senate Rules Committee on 3/5/13 so it died this session.
HB 2399- This bill allows school districts to increase their bond indebtedness limitations. This bill was introduced by Representatives Carter, Stevens Dial, et al. This bill would increase our property taxes by $400 million if implemented! This bill was "held" initially on 2/11/13 but it was brought up again on 6/10/13 for "reconsideration" and passed in the House. This bill was added as an amendment to the Governor's budget during the "special session."
SB1450- If a school violates the Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA) Act state funds will be withheld from that school. This bill was introduced by Representative Kimberly Yee (LD20). It has passed through the Senate and is in the House. This bill did not make it out of the House after 4/30/13 so it died this session.