Arizona HB 2605: doulas; voluntary certification

Bill Text

HB2605 - 572R - I Ver 

 REFERENCE TITLE: qualified students; statewide assessment; requirements

 State of Arizona

 House of Representatives

 Fifty-seventh Legislature

 Second Regular Session

 2026

 HB 2605

 Introduced by 

 Representative 
 Blackman

AN 
ACT

amending sections 15-741, 15-743 
and 15-2402, Arizona Revised Statutes; relating to school assessment and 
accountability.

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 15-741, Arizona Revised 
Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-741. Assessment of pupils; definition

A. The state board of education shall:

1. Adopt rules for the purposes of this article 
pursuant to title 41, chapter 6.

2. Adopt and implement a statewide assessment to 
measure pupil achievement of the state board-adopted academic standards in 
reading, writing and mathematics in at least four grades designated by the 
state board.� The state board shall determine the manner of 
implementation. The state board may administer assessments of the 
academic standards in social studies and science, except that a pupil shall not 
be required to meet or exceed the social studies or science standards measured 
by the statewide assessment.

3. Ensure that the tests prescribed in this section 
are uniform throughout this state.

4. Ensure that the tests prescribed in this section 
are able to be scored in an objective manner and are not intended to advocate 
any sectarian, partisan or denominational viewpoint.

5. Ensure that the tests prescribed in this article 
collect only types of pupil nontest data that are approved by the state board 
at a public meeting and published on the website of the state board pursuant to 
paragraph 7 of this subsection.

6. Include within its budget all costs pertaining to 
the tests prescribed in this article. If sufficient monies are 
appropriated, the state board may provide achievement test services to school 
districts that request assistance in testing pupils in grades additional to 
those required by this section.

7. Survey teachers, principals and superintendents 
on achievement-related nontest indicators, including information on 
graduation rates by ethnicity and dropout rates by ethnicity for each grade 
level.� Before the survey, the state board shall approve at a public meeting 
the nontest indicators on which data will be collected and shall post in a 
prominent position on the home page of the state board's website a link to the 
nontest indicators entitled "What nontest data does the state of Arizona 
collect about Arizona pupils?". The linked webpage shall state 
the types of data collected, the reasons for the collection of the data and the 
entities with which the data is shared. In conducting the survey and 
collecting data, the state board shall not violate the provisions of the family 
educational rights and privacy act (P.L. 93-380), as amended, or disclose 
personally identifiable information.

8. Establish a fair and consistent method and 
standard by which test scores from schools in a district may be evaluated 
taking into consideration demographic data. The state board shall 
establish intervention strategies to assist schools with scores below the 
acceptable standard. The state board shall annually review district 
and school scores and shall offer assistance to school districts in analyzing 
data and implementing intervention strategies. The state board shall 
use the adopted test and methods of data evaluation for a period of at least 
ten years.

9. Participate in other assessments that provide 
national comparisons as needed.

10. Require in the contract for the statewide 
assessment pursuant to this section that test scores and assessment data from 
the third grade reading portion of the statewide assessment adopted pursuant to 
this section be received by local education agencies on or before May 15 of 
each academic year and that the scores and assessment data from all other 
portions of the statewide assessment adopted pursuant to this section be 
received by local education agencies on or before May 25 of each academic 
year.� The state board shall impose penalties on the contractor for scores 
received after these dates. If the state board alters the statewide 
assessment testing window for any reason, the state board may adjust the dates 
by which local education agencies are required to receive the scores and 
assessment data proportionately.� If the state board adjusts the dates by which 
local education agencies are required to receive the scores and assessment 
data, the state board may not impose penalties on the contractor unless the 
scores and assessment data are received after the adjusted dates.

B. The achievement tests adopted by the state board 
as provided in subsection A of this section shall be given at least 
annually. Nontest indicator data and other information shall be 
collected at the same time as the collection