The proposed bill seeks to update current statutes related to special education evaluation procedures and the enrollment of pupils in unorganized territories. It would allow parents to contact adjoining school districts for Child Find screenings, special education evaluations, and enrollment requests, making those districts responsible for related activities. Additionally, the Arizona Department of Education would be required to investigate complaints about violations of these requirements and to compile and publish annual reports on such investigations. The bill also modifies the process for obtaining Certificates of Educational Convenience (CECs) by removing the requirement for parents to enroll pupils via open enrollment before applying for a CEC and allowing direct requests for enrollment in adjoining school districts instead. Moreover, the bill introduces provisions for children of active military duty parents, allowing them to use temporary housing addresses as proof of residency and requiring school districts to accept enrollment applications through various means, including remote applications. It mandates that school districts coordinate with previous schools to ensure continuity of services and accept unofficial records pending validation. The bill emphasizes timely resolution of disputes related to CEC applications and mandates the Arizona Department of Education to investigate complaints regarding violations of statutes related to CECs. Overall, these updates aim to enhance educational rights and services for vulnerable student populations, particularly those with disabilities and children of military families.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-768, 15-824, 15-825, 15-944, 15-947, 15-976, 15-761, 15-802, 15-901, 15-823, 15-816.01, 15-971, 15-903, 15-905, 41-1959, 35-173, 15-1181, 15-1204, 15-1102, 1979-1980, 1980-1981, 1981-1982, 1982-1983, 1983-1984, 1984-1985, 1985-1986, 15-946, 15-943, 15-945, 15-943.01, 15-825.01, 15-481, 15-974, 15-910, 15-910.01, 15-964