Arizona Charter Schools 2024: 30 Years Strong

We are thrilled to announce the 30th Year Anniversary of the Arizona Charter School Law. For three decades, charter schools have committed to providing quality education, fostering community, and empowering students to achieve their highest potential.

Thank you to all the incredible students, dedicated school leaders and teachers, and supportive families who have made this possible. Here's to many more years of success and growth!

Join us in celebrating #30YearsStrong along with the Arizona Charter Schools Association. We'd love to hear from you! Share your memories, stories, and favorite moments with us on social media. Use #30YearsStrong or #AzCharters30Years to join the conversation.

To amplify your experience download the social media kit which includes ideas and content for your use.

Call for Art- 30 Years Strong

Compliance Guidance Requirements

In May of 2024, the Board took action removing the requirement to sign and submit the document known as the Compliance Statement of Assurance. However, the Board and Board staff maintain that it is important to provide charters this helpful guidance. Therefore, we are providing this document to you under a new name to communicate the new legislative requirements for FY 2025, as well as the previously existing requirements. A new Compliance Guidance will be issued yearly.

No action is required upon receipt of this document and no submission is required related to the Compliance Guidance; however, we hope charter holders take the time to review this document to assist in their endeavors to be compliant. We are aware of many charter holders that chose to use the Compliance Statement of Assurance as an internal quarterly compliance checklist, and encourage the Compliance Guidance to be used in this way if it makes sense within your systems.

If you have any questions regarding the requirements, please reach out to your Education Program Manager.

AZCSP 2024 Grant Application Approved

We congratulate the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) and the Arizona Charter Schools Program (AZCSP) on their recent grant approval! The AZCSP 2024 grant application has been approved. The first application training will be held on Monday, October 7th. Preregistration is not required. For more information, please visit the ADE website by clicking the button below.

News from Arizona State Board of Education

A message from the Arizona State Board of Education:

September 23, 2024

Below are highlights from the State Board of Education’s September 23^rd meeting. Recordings of these meetings are available on YouTube.

The Board recognized Emily Sanchez, a 9^th grade student at Holbrook High School and Caylin Kendrick, a 7^th grade student at Thunderbolt Middle School as the September 2024 Students of the Month.

Consent Agenda Items

The Board discussed and voted to approve items on the consent agenda.

A-F Cut Scores

The Board received a presentation from Sean Smith, Chief Accountability Officer at the Arizona Department of Education, and Board Staff on accountability cut scores for Traditional, Hybrid, Alternative, and Arizona Online Instruction (AOI) schools for the 2023-2024 school year.

Proportionate Share Funding

The Board received a presentation from Colette Chapman, Associate Superintendent at the Arizona Department of Education, and Chris Brown, Assistant State Director for Exceptional Student Services at the Arizona Department of Education, on proportionate share funding and special education.

Perkins V Arizona State Plan

The Board received a presentation from Trevor Stokes, Vice-President of Career Readiness Initiatives at Pathways to Careers, on the progress of development of the Arizona State Plan for Perkins V 2024-2027.

Antelope Union High School District Receivership Update

The Board received an update regarding receivership progress at Antelope Union High School District pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-103 and 15-107.

Arizona Department of Education Cost Student

The Board called for a cost-study by the Arizona Department of Education for building and developing a system by which ADE is able to collect and aggregate data on the number of students who are issued a denial for a full and individual evaluation by a school or district.

Rulemaking

The Board voted to open rulemaking procedures for A.A.C. R7-2-401.E.4, timeline for the issuance of prior written notice and availability of contact information. The Board received updates on the following rulemaking procedures:

• A.A.C. R7-2-1307, A.A.C. R7-2-1309, and A.A.C. R7-2-704, Educator Discipline
• A.A.C. R7-2-301.A.4.b., and A.A.C. R7-2-302.A.1.b., Instruction on the Holocaust and other genocides
• A.A.C. R7-2-401.G.4., Special Education Age of Transition Services

Certification Actions

The Board voted to take all of the following disciplinary actions on relevant educators.

• Approve the voluntary surrender of educator certificates
• Approve the revocation of any and all educator certificates pursuant to A.R.S. §15-534.04(C)
• Approve the non-issuance and/or revocation of certificates pursuant to A.A.C. R7-2-1307
• Approve the summary suspension of certificates pursuant to A.A.C. R7-2-1309(A)
• Approve Negotiated Settlement Agreements
• Issue a letter of censure
• Approve the revocation of certificates with/without conditions
• Approve the suspension of certificates with conditions
• Approve the revocation of the right to work in an Arizona district or charter school with conditions
• Approve motion for hearing

Educator Discipline Lookup

Prior to hiring both certified and non-certified educators, schools are required to check the Arizona Department of Education’s (ADE) public-facing and internal systems for possible discipline or open investigations for immoral or unprofessional conduct.

To assist schools, the Board is providing a list of many of the educators who were disciplined at the most recent meeting. Please note that this information is only a snapshot of most educators who were disciplined at the most recent Board meeting and does not, in and of itself, satisfy the requirement for schools to check ADE’s systems described above prior to hiring. Because educators have the right to appeal their disciplinary action, there may be an approximately 30-day lag in reporting some disciplinary action. To view the list please use this link: https://c0abe837.caspio.com/dp/5a506000251753529c6846539a08.

Meeting Schedule

The next regular Board Meeting is scheduled for October 21^st at 9am.

CISA Releases Anonymous Threat Response Guidance and Toolkit for K-12 Schools

A message from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency:

School Safety Partners,

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released the Anonymized Threat Response Guidance: A Toolkit for K-12 Schools, a new resource to help kindergarten through grade 12 (K-12) schools and their law enforcement and community partners create tailored approaches to addressing anonymous threats of violence, including those received on social media. The toolkit outlines steps school leaders can take to assess and respond to anonymous threats, better prepare for and prevent future threats, and work in coordination with law enforcement and other local partners when threats arise. It is co-sealed with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which provided expert feedback on the toolkit’s key principles and strategies.  

Social media-based and other types of anonymous threats of violence against K-12 institutions are common. These threats can erode trust that schools are safe places, contribute to losses in learning and instruction time, overwhelm school and law enforcement resources and have lasting psychological impacts on school communities.

The K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance was developed to provide K-12 stakeholders with information to both protect school communities and limit the disruption and trauma that can be caused by anonymous threats. By providing guidance to inform decision-making about the urgency and credibility of individual threats, school and public safety leaders may be able to more effectively balance the full range of risks faced by K-12 organizations.

The toolkit emphasizes six key strategies for schools to consider when addressing anonymous threats:

• Build awareness about reporting to detect threats early and deter future threats.
• Develop a partnership structure that will help address threats. This includes school administrators, law enforcement personnel and mental health professionals.
• Engage law enforcement to manage threat situations and decide when to scale response actions up or down.
• Balance initial response steps to ensure the campus is safe. Most critically, treat each threat as credible, and from there, work with necessary partners to determine how to approach an immediate response.
• When appropriate, tap into multidisciplinary threat assessment teams to support interventions and expedite response if the subject who made the threat becomes known.
• Take steps throughout the school year to prepare for threats. Establish a response protocol and practice other types of emergency management activities, such as training exercises for staff. 

The release also includes a supplemental reference guide that provides streamlined information for K-12 stakeholders to understand and utilize some of the best practices from the full toolkit. Both products were developed to support the diverse range of K-12 school settings across the United States and are based on current practices of K-12 organizations and law enforcement agencies.

The new toolkit and guide were announced at CISA’s 2024 National Summit on K-12 School Safety and Security, an annual event that brings together K-12 school leaders and practitioners to discuss and share actionable recommendations that enhance safe and supportive learning environments.

To learn more and access the K-12 Anonymized Threat Response Guidance, please visit cisa.gov/resources-tools/resources/k-12-anonymized-threat-response-guidance.

Charter School Success Story: San Tan Charter School

Congratulations to San Tan Charter School in Gilbert for being awarded a $9,500 grant from the Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation! This money will be used to make improvements to the school's two garden areas.

Call for ASBCS Advisory Councils

The Arizona State Board for Charter Schools (ASBCS) is seeking individuals to serve on our Student Advisory Council (SAC) and Parent Advisory Council (PAC).

Please see the flyers above for more information regarding requirements for serving on the Arizona State Board for Charter Schools Advisory Councils.

Please reach out to Alyssa McDonald at alyssa.mcdonald@asbcs.az.gov or (480) 432-4104 with any questions.

Call for Charter School Success Stories

We would love to follow our charter schools on social media. If we do not follow your school, please reach out to us!