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SB1693 - 572R - I Ver
REFERENCE TITLE:
school district superintendents;
certification; requirements
State of Arizona
Senate
Fifty-seventh Legislature
Second Regular Session
2026
SB 1693
Introduced by
Senators
Diaz: Fernandez, Gonzales, Hatathlie, Kuby, Miranda, Sears
AN
ACT
amending sections 15-501.01 and 15-503,
Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to school district superintendents.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Section 15-501.01, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE
15-501.01.
Requirements for teachers, superintendents and educator
preparation programs; certificates; rules; reciprocity; placement; posting
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 teachers:
1. Standard teaching certificate.
2. Alternative teaching certificate for persons who
obtain training pursuant to subsection C, paragraph 1 of this section.
3. Subject-matter expert standard teaching
certificate for persons who obtain training pursuant to subsection C, paragraph
8 of this section.
4. Classroom-based standard teaching
certificate for individuals who obtain training from a school district or
charter school.
5. Career and technical education teaching
certificate.
C. The state board of education shall adopt rules to
carry out the purposes of this section.� The rules:
1. Shall provide for a variety of alternative
teacher and administrator preparation programs that allow for variations in
program sequence and design to apply for program approval.� The state board
shall adopt rules pursuant to this paragraph designed to allow for a variety of
formats and shall not require a prescribed answer or design from the program
provider in order to obtain approval from the state board. Any rules
adopted by the state board pursuant to this paragraph shall be substantially
different from the rules adopted for the approval of traditional preparation
programs and may not unnecessarily restrict a variety of alternative
preparation programs from operating and providing instruction in this
state. The state board shall evaluate each program provider based on
the program's ability to prepare teachers and administrators and to recruit
teachers and administrators with a variety of experiences and
talents. The state board shall allow universities under the
jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents, community colleges in this state,
private postsecondary institutions licensed by this state, school districts,
charter schools, professional organizations, nonprofit organizations and
private entities to apply for program approval and shall create application
procedures and certification criteria that are substantially less restrictive
than those for traditional preparation programs. At the completion
of an alternative preparation program, graduates shall:
(a) Hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited
postsecondary education institution.
(b) If applicable, demonstrate professional
knowledge and subject knowledge proficiency pursuant to section 15-533.
(c) Obtain a valid fingerprint clearance card
pursuant to section 15-534.
(d) If applicable, complete training in structured
English immersion as prescribed by the state board pursuant to section 15-756.09.
(e) If applicable, complete training in research-based
systematic phonics instruction as prescribed in paragraph 2 of this subsection.
(f) Demonstrate the required proficiency in the
Constitutions of the United States and Arizona as prescribed in section 15-532.
2. Shall require that, within three years after a
certificate for elementary education or early childhood education is issued,
the certificate holder complete, from a public or private provider, at least
forty-five classroom hours or three college-level credit hours, or
the equivalent, in both research-based:
(a) Science of reading instruction, including
systematic phonics instruction.
(b) Reading instruction, including training on
assessments, instructional practices and interventions to improve student
reading proficiency. Instruction provided pursuant to this
subdivision must meet the requirements for dyslexia training prescribed in
section 15-219.
3. Beginning August 1, 2025, shall establish a
literacy endorsement as a requirement for all certificated teachers who provide
literacy instruction in kindergarten programs or in any of grades one through
five as determined by the board. The rules shall require that a
certificated teacher who receives a certificate after August 1, 2025 and who
provides literacy instruction in kindergarten programs or in any of grades one
through five must obtain a literacy endorsement within three years after the
teacher's certificate is issued. The rules shall require that a
certificated teacher who received a certificate before August 1, 2025 and who
provides literacy instruction in kindergarten programs or in any of grades one
through five must obtain a literacy endorsement on or before August 1, 2028.�
The literacy endorsement shall require the teacher to complete evidence-based
science of reading training or coursework as determined by the board and to
pass a literacy instruction assessment to show that the teacher is capable of
doing all of the following:
(a) Effectively teaching foundational reading
skills, phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and comprehension.
(b) Implementing reading instruction using
high-quality instructional materials.
(c) Providing effective instruction and
interventions for students with reading deficiencies, including students with
characteristics of dyslexia.
4. Shall require all approved educator preparation
programs in elementary education, early childhood education and mild-moderate
special education, as defined by the state board of education, to require the
courses that are necessary to obtain a literacy endorsement pursuant to
paragraph 3 of this subsection.
5. Shall establish a process to allow a local
education agency, at the request of a teacher, to verify to the department of
education that the teacher possesses the instructional knowledge and skills
prescribed in paragraph 3 of this subsection, demonstrated through classroom
observations and student achievement data across subgroups using evidence-based
measures. A certificated teacher who has had a local education
agency verify the teacher's knowledge and skills in the science of reading
pursuant to this paragraph is not required to complete the coursework, training
or assessment requirements prescribed in paragraph 3 of this subsection to
obtain the literacy endorsement.
6. Shall not require a teacher to obtain a master's
degree or to take any additional graduate courses as a condition of
certification or recertification.
7. Shall
allow but shall not
require the superintendent of a school district to obtain
a
standard professional superintendent
certification from the state board
of education.
8. Shall provide for the issuance of a subject-matter
expert standard teaching certificate to persons who have expertise in a content
area or a subject matter. Persons who are certified pursuant to this
paragraph shall complete training, if applicable, in structured English
immersion as prescribed by the state board pursuant to section 15-756.09.�
Persons who are certified pursuant to this paragraph are exempt from the
subject knowledge proficiency requirements prescribed in section 15-533
and from the proficiency requirements prescribed in section 15-532 on the
Constitutions of the United States and Arizona. Persons who are
subject to subdivision (a) of this paragraph are also exempt from the
professional knowledge proficiency requirements pursuant to section 15-533.�
A person who obtains a subject-matter expert standard teaching
certificate pursuant to this paragraph may provide instruction in the person's
field of expertise in grades six through twelve at any public school in this
state.� Issuance of the subject-matter expert standard teaching
certificate may not be conditioned on the person's employment with a local
education agency. A person who meets the requirements of this
paragraph shall be issued a subject-matter expert standard teaching
certificate without having to demonstrate professional knowledge proficiency
pursuant to section 15-533, except that the person shall have at least
two years to demonstrate professional knowledge proficiency pursuant to section
15-533.� School districts shall evaluate and provide support pursuant to
section 15-537 to teachers who are certified pursuant to this
paragraph. If a person fails to meet the professional knowledge
requirements of this section within two years, the department of education or
state board of education may temporarily suspend the subject-matter
expert standard teaching certificate. A certificate that is
temporarily suspended pursuant to this paragraph is not considered a
disciplinary action, and a person shall be allowed to correct the deficiency
within the remaining time of the subject-matter expert standard teaching
certification. This paragraph does not require a person who has
obtained another type of teaching certificate from the state board to obtain a
subject-matter expert standard teaching certificate pursuant to this
paragraph in order to provide instruction in grades six through
twelve. Persons who are certificated pursuant to this paragraph
shall review and attest to reviewing the best practices for social media and
cellular telephone use between students and school personnel adopted by the
state board of education pursuant to section 15-203, subsection A,
paragraph 44 before receiving a certificate and, within two years after
receiving a certificate, complete training in professionalism and ethics from a
public or private provider approved by the state board of education, which may
include a no-cost option to the person provided by the state
board. A person is eligible for a subject-matter expert
standard teaching certificate pursuant to this paragraph if the person has a
baccalaureate degree and meets any of the following requirements:
(a) Has taught courses relevant to a content area or
subject matter for the last two consecutive years and for a total of at least
three years at one or more regionally or nationally accredited public or
private postsecondary institutions. A person demonstrates compliance
with this requirement by providing the state board with written proof of
employment for specific durations from one or more qualifying postsecondary
institutions.
(b) Has either a baccalaureate degree, a master's
degree or a doctoral degree in a specific subject area that is relevant to a
content area or subject matter taught in public schools.
(c) Demonstrates expertise through relevant work
experience of at least five years in a field that is relevant to a content area
or subject matter taught in public schools. A person demonstrates
compliance with this requirement by providing the state board with written
proof of employment.
9. Notwithstanding section 15-533, shall
exempt persons applying for a secondary education certificate from the subject
knowledge portion of the proficiency examination if the state board determines
that the person has work experience in science, technology, engineering or
mathematics and can demonstrate adequate knowledge of a particular subject
through a postsecondary education degree or twenty-four credit hours of
relevant coursework.
10. Shall allow for a certificate issued to a person
pursuant to subsection B, paragraph 1, 3, 4 or 5 of this section or section 15-203
or 15-782.01, as applicable, to be both issued and renewed for at least
twelve years and may not require more than fifteen hours of continuing
education credits each year in order to renew that certificate pursuant to this
paragraph.
11. Shall allow for a certificate issued to a person
pursuant to subsection B of this section or section 15-132, 15-203
or 15-782.01, as applicable, and any endorsement or approved area related
to that certificate, to be renewed at least two years but not more than ten
years after that certificate expires without any other requirements adopted by
the state board of education or the department of education if the person is in
good standing and possesses a valid fingerprint clearance card issued pursuant
to section 15-534. A certificate renewed pursuant to this
paragraph shall be identical to the expired certificate.
D. The rules for certification reciprocity shall
include a requirement that the applicant possess a comparable valid
certification from another state and be in good standing with that other
state. An applicant who possesses a valid certification from another
state and a fingerprint clearance card pursuant to section 15-534 and who
is in good standing with that other state shall be issued a comparable standard
certificate or a comparable certificate issued pursuant to section 15-132,
15-203 or 15-782.01, as applicable, without any other requirements
from the state board of education or the department of education. A
person who is issued a certificate pursuant to this subsection is not required
to meet any requirement prescribed in section 15-533.
E. Placement decisions of teaching intern
certificate holders issued pursuant to subsection C, paragraph 1 of this
section and section 15-552 shall be based on agreements between the
teacher preparation provider, the provider's partner organizations and the
local education agency. The practices of the department of education
and the rules and policies of the state board of education may not restrict
placement of teaching intern certification holders based on local education
agency instructional models and may only consider the academic quality of the
school, the effectiveness of the teaching intern certification holder's on-site
mentor and the opportunity for a wide variety of schools and school models to
access teaching intern certification holders.
F. Notwithstanding subsection A of this section, the
following persons are not required to have a baccalaureate degree:
1. A teacher who is otherwise exempt by law from
obtaining a baccalaureate degree and who provides instruction in STEM or career
and technical education pursuant to section 15-782.01.
2. A person who obtains any of the following:
(a) A Native American language certificate.
(b) A student teaching intern certificate.
(c) A junior reserve officer training corps
certificate.
(d) An athletic coaching certificate.
(e) An emergency substitute certificate.
G. On or before November 15 of each year, the
department of education shall report and post on its website all of the
following:
1. The total number of teaching certificates issued
in the previous calendar year disaggregated by the type of teaching certificate
and demographics.
2. The total number of currently issued teaching
certificates in this state disaggregated by the type of teaching certificate
and demographics.
3. Any other historical data or trends regarding
certificated individuals in this state.
END_STATUTE
Sec. 2. Section 15-503, Arizona Revised
Statutes, is amended to read:
START_STATUTE
15-503.
Superintendents, principals, head teachers and school
psychologists; term of employment; evaluation; contract delivery; nonretention
notice
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 superintendent to have
both of the following:
(
a
)
A
valid fingerprint clearance card that is issued pursuant to title 41, chapter
12, article 3.1.
(
b
) A standard
professional superintendent certification from the state board of education
pursuant to section 15-501.01, subsection c, paragraph 7.
2. Appoint a head teacher.
3. Jointly with another governing board employ a
superintendent or a principal, or both. If the governing board
jointly employs a superintendent, the governing boards shall jointly determine
the qualifications for the superintendent by action taken at a public meeting.�
The governing boards shall require a superintendent to have
both
of the following:
(
a
)
A
valid fingerprint clearance card that is issued pursuant to title 41, chapter
12, article 3.1.
(
b
) A standard
professional superintendent certification from the state board of education
pursuant to section 15-501.01, subsection c, paragraph 7.
B. The term of employment of superintendents may be
for any period not exceeding three years, except that if the superintendent's
contract with the school district is for multiple years pursuant to this
subsection
,
the school district shall not offer to extend
or renegotiate the contract
until no
earlier than fifteen
months before
the expiration of
the contract
EXPIRES
.� The term of employment of principals may be for any
period not exceeding three years, except that if the principal's contract with
the school district is for multiple years
,
the school
district shall not offer to extend or negotiate the contract until May of the
year preceding the final year of the contract.� The school district governing
board or the governing body of the charter school shall communicate the
superintendent's or principal's duties with respect to the classroom site fund
established by section 15-977.
C. The governing board shall establish systems for
the evaluation of
evaluating
the
performance of principals and other school administrators and certificated
school psychologists in the school district. In the development and
adoption of these performance evaluation systems, the governing board shall
avail itself of the advice of its administrators and certificated school
psychologists. Each evaluation shall include recommendations as to
areas of improvement in the performance of the certificated school psychologist
if the performance of the certificated school psychologist warrants
improvement. After transmittal of an assessment, a governing board
designee shall confer with the certificated school psychologist to make
specific recommendations as to areas of improvement in the certificated school
psychologist's performance. The governing board designee shall
provide assistance and opportunities for the certificated school psychologist
to improve performance and shall follow up with the certificated school
psychologist after a reasonable period of time for the purpose of ascertaining
that the certificated school psychologist is demonstrating adequate
performance. The evaluation process for certificated school
psychologists shall include appeal procedures for certificated school
psychologists who disagree with the evaluation of their performance, if the
evaluation is for use as criteria for establishing compensation or dismissal.
D. On or before May 15 each year, the governing
board shall offer a contract for the next school year to each certified
administrator and certificated school psychologist who is in the last year of
the person's contract unless, on or before April 15, the governing board, a
member of the board acting on behalf of the governing board or the
superintendent of the school district gives notice to the administrator or
certificated school psychologist of the governing board's intention not to
offer a new contract.� If the governing board has called for an override
election for the third Tuesday in May as provided in section 15-481, the
governing board shall offer a contract for the next school year to each
certified administrator or certificated school psychologist who is in the last
year of the person's contract on or before June 15 unless,
no
not
later than five days after the override election excluding
Saturday, Sunday and legal holidays, the governing board, a member of the
governing board acting on behalf of the governing board or the superintendent
of the school district gives notice to the administrator or the certificated
school psychologist of the governing board's intention not to offer a new
contract. The administrator's or the certificated school
psychologist's acceptance of the contract shall be indicated within thirty days
after the date of the written contract or the offer is revoked. The
administrator or certificated school psychologist accepts the contract by
signing the contract and returning it to the governing board or by making a
written instrument that accepts the terms of the contract and delivering the
written instrument to the governing board.
E. Notice of the governing board's intention not to
reemploy the administrator or certificated school psychologist shall be made by
delivering the notice personally to the administrator or the certificated
school psychologist or by sending the notice by certified mail, postmarked on
or before the applicable deadline prescribed in subsection D of this section,
and directed to the administrator or the certificated school psychologist at
the person's place of residence as recorded in the school district records.
F. The governing board shall make available the
evaluation and performance classification of each principal in the school
district to school districts and charter schools that are inquiring about the
performance of the principal for hiring purposes.
END_STATUTE
Sec. 3.
Existing contracts; applicability
A. A school district may
not offer, execute, extend or renew a contract for the employment of a
superintendent for any term that includes the 2027-2028 school year, or
any subsequent school year, if the superintendent does not have a valid
standard professional superintendent certification from the state board of
education.
B. Any individual who is
employed as a school district superintendent and who has not obtained a
standard professional superintendent certification from the state board of
education pursuant to section 15-501.01, Arizona Revised Statutes, as
amended by this act, shall obtain a standard professional superintendent
certification not later than June 30, 2027.� A school district may terminate a
superintendent's employment for failure to comply with the requirements
prescribed by this subsection.