Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-553 – School districts and charter schools; classroom-based preparation program providers; teacher certification; rules; candidate eligibility; renewal

A. In addition to any alternative preparation program provider path approved by the state board of education, a school district or charter school may apply to the state board of education for authority to approve the certification of teachers as a classroom-based preparation program provider.
B. The state board of education shall adopt rules, policies and procedures to be administered by the department of education. The rules may not be more restrictive or require more than is prescribed in this subsection. The rules shall facilitate the approval and certification process pursuant to this section and provide for all of the following:
1. 1. The superintendent of a school district or the principal of a charter school must verify that the applicant for certification has made satisfactory progress and achievement with students. A teacher who is teaching courses or subjects that are tested by the statewide assessment pursuant to section 15-741 may not receive a certificate pursuant to this section until the teacher has been in the classroom for at least two years and student data has been submitted by the school district or charter school confirming that the teacher's students, at the end of the school year, either are performing at grade level or have achieved at least one year of academic growth at a rate equivalent to the state average for the students' associated peer groups.
2. 2. A school district or charter school must submit a program sequence or training schedule along with any information regarding mentoring and coaching of teacher candidates. The state board of education shall provide for a variety of options in program sequence, content and design and may not require a prescribed program sequence, content or design from the school district or charter school in order to obtain approval from the state board.
3. 3. A school district or charter school must submit data supporting the efficacy of the school district's or charter school's teacher preparation program. A school district or charter school may contract with a third-party provider to provide the teacher preparation program and may use that program's efficacy data to meet the requirements of this paragraph.
4. 4. A school district or charter school may adopt professional expectations, professional requirements or student achievement requirements that exceed the expectations and requirements prescribed by this section, including requiring candidates to complete specified coursework or trainings.
5. 5. In order to receive a classroom-based standard teaching certificate after successfully completing the program, an applicant for certification pursuant to this section must hold at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited public or private postsecondary institution and meet background and fingerprint clearance card requirements pursuant to section 15-534.
6. 6. An applicant pursuing certification pursuant to this section must demonstrate subject knowledge and professional knowledge through any available option pursuant to section 15-533.
7. 7. The application for a school district or charter school to be a classroom-based preparation program provider must include all of the following:
  1. (a) The name of the school district or charter school applying.
  2. (b) A list of all staff members responsible for administering the program and the roles and responsibilities of each person.
  3. (c) The areas of certification for which the applicant will offer the program.
  4. (d) A description of the program.
C. On the submission of verification from a school district or charter school that the requirements prescribed in this section have been met, the state board shall issue a classroom-based standard teaching certificate to the teacher.
D. Notwithstanding any other law, a school district or charter school may employ and enroll into its classroom-based preparation program any candidate who meets the background and fingerprint clearance card requirements pursuant to section 15-534 and who holds at least a bachelor's degree from an accredited public or private postsecondary institution, except that a school district or charter school that operates a classroom-based preparation program may enroll a candidate who does not currently hold a bachelor's degree from an accredited public or private postsecondary institution into the program if the candidate meets all of the following:
1. 1. The background and fingerprint clearance card requirements pursuant to section 15-534.
2. 2. Is currently enrolled in an accredited public or private postsecondary institution bachelor's degree program.
3. 3. Is not a contracted or permanent full-time teacher or the teacher of record for any classroom of students, except that the candidate may be employed by the school district or charter school.
4. 4. Does not regularly instruct students without the presence of a full-time teacher, certificated teacher, instructional coach or instructional mentor unless the candidate possesses other means of certification, including an emergency substitute certificate, substitute certificate or emergency teacher certificate.
E. Notwithstanding section 15-502, a school district or charter school shall classify each candidate who is enrolled in a classroom-based preparation program provided by the school district or charter school as a paid employee.
F. If a school district or charter school is approved as a classroom-based preparation program provider pursuant to this section, the approval is valid for six years after the date of approval. To continue as a classroom-based preparation program provider, the school district or charter school must apply for renewal before the expiration of its current approval. If the application for renewal is approved by the state board of education, the renewal is valid for six years after the date of the approval.