The proposed bill, if enacted, would amend current Arizona statutes to require the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to conduct an annual comprehensive study on teacher retention rates in school districts and charter schools. This study would include detailed data on certificated and non-certificated teachers, their teaching assignments, locations, years of experience, and demographic segments. Additionally, it would analyze vacant teaching positions and the effectiveness of teacher preparation programs. The bill also mandates that ADE submit the study results and recommendations to key state officials and maintain a publicly accessible dashboard with the findings.

Furthermore, the bill appropriates $100,000 from the Teacher Certification Fund for the fiscal year 2025-2026 to support the implementation of these requirements. It also updates existing statutes by adding new reporting requirements for school districts and charter schools regarding the number of full-time equivalent teachers included in their budgets, disaggregated by subject area and grade level. The bill removes outdated provisions related to salary displays and replaces them with more relevant data collection and reporting obligations.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-189.05, 15-501.02, 15-903, 15-501.01, 15-183
House Engrossed Version: 15-189.05, 15-501.02, 15-903, 15-501.01, 15-183