Page 14 - The EDGE BTS 2024
P. 14
LEGISLATIVE WRAP-UP
BY JENNIFER MACLENNAN
New Laws Aimed at Student Safety Take Effect Soon
Jennifer MacLennan
The Arizona Legislature wrapped up its 2024 These measures highlight the need for school
season with a focus on student safety. The districts to remain vigilant in the monitoring of
Arizona School Risk Retention Trust, Inc. (the student safety and in shoring up hiring practices.
Trust), shares this focus. Claims involving sexual The Trust has training material and resources on
abuse and molestation continue to pose great risk its website to assist in combating sexual abuse
for school districts and unmitigable harm to the and molestation, including best practice protocols
children they serve. for human resources personnel.
Here are some of the safety-related measures Beyond safety issues, the Legislature enacted
adopted by the Legislature and signed into law operational changes involving foster care students
by the governor during the recently completed (House Bill 2645). Specifically, school districts
session: must adopt a policy to provide academic credit
and other protections to foster care students
• The Legislature amended state law to require
enrolling in 9th to 12th grades. The State Board
that non-certificated individuals finish any
of Education is tasked with creating guidelines
discipline proceedings in another state before
for considering academic credit (the staff at the
working in Arizona schools (Senate Bill
State Board expects to present the guidelines to
1560).
the Board in early fall). Finally, district staff are
• Sex offenders may no longer run for school
required to meet with foster care students within
boards (Senate Bill 1280).
10 days after enrollment to create a graduation
• Sex offenders with legal custody of their
plan.
children must notify local sheriffs if they
change their child’s school enrollment
In another significant operational change, districts
(Senate Bill 1404).
may not issue contracts to certificated teachers
• Persons of trust who commit offenses in a
prior to March 15 (House Bill 2906). In recent
school safety zone are subject to increased
years, districts had locked in staff early in the
penalty (House Bill 2064).
school year to assist in planning. Now, however,
• School applicants are required to disclose given that Arizona law provides teachers with 15
if they have pled guilty, pled no contest, or business days to return a contract of employment,
have been convicted of or are awaiting trial and given that spring breaks typically fall in
on a list of crimes against children (Senate March, school districts will likely not know how
Bill 1558). Failure to disclose is now a crime. many teachers will be returning until mid-April.
• Finally, the Legislature amended the criminal Additional school-related legislative changes
code to outlaw enticement of a child through from this year’s session included measures
electronic means (House Bill 2310). addressing the following:
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14 THE EDGE BACK TO SCHOOL 2024
