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Committee advances four education bills on teacher data, water-safety notices and instructional models
Summary
The House Education Committee returned four bills with due-pass recommendations covering private participation in the Arizona Teachers Academy, a water-safety notification for families, posting of instructional-time models and an annual teacher retention study. The committee recorded roll-call results for each measure.
The House Education Committee on Jan. 17 advanced four bills by recorded votes. Committee members discussed background, fiscal implications and public testimony before returning each measure with a due-pass recommendation.
Votes at a glance
- House Bill 2018 (Arizona Teachers Academy: private institution participation; FY2026 appropriation $10,000,000): Returned with a due-pass recommendation. Committee tally: 7 yes, 3 no, 0 abstain, 2 absent. The bill would allow eligible private postsecondary institutions to participate in the Arizona Teachers Academy and caps the ATA scholarship reimbursement to the public in-state average; private institutions would cover any remainder so students are not charged. The committee also noted the sponsor’s assertion that the $10 million would address current public-university wait lists while broadening eligibility.
- House Bill 2019 (water-safety information for parents): Returned with a due-pass recommendation as amended (requires ADE to compile water-safety and local swim-provider information and school districts to provide the ADE web address at initial enrollment). Committee tally: 10 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain, 2 absent. Proponents included drowning-prevention advocates and YMCA representatives; testimony recounted personal loss and cited evidence that formal swim lessons reduce drowning risk.
- House Bill 2069 (instructional time model posting): Returned with a due-pass recommendation (requires school districts and charters to file instructional-time models with ADE and for ADE to post combinations and funding impacts). Committee tally: 10 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain, 2 absent. Supporters said central posting increases transparency and helps districts learn best practices.
- House Bill 2020 (annual teacher retention study and public dashboard; $100,000 appropriation from teacher certification fund FY2026): Returned with a due-pass recommendation. Committee tally: 10 yes, 0 no, 0 abstain, 2 absent. The bill requires ADE to publish an annual study of retention and turnover, vacancy counts and time‑to‑fill data and to maintain an interactive dashboard for public access. Witnesses said detailed, site-level data are essential to target retention efforts.
Why it matters: The measures collectively address teacher pipeline funding, parental safety information, transparency on instructional models and better data on teacher turnover. Several items include fiscal components; HB2018 and HB2020 include appropriations that will be considered during the budget process.
Next steps: Bills that received due-pass recommendations will proceed through subsequent legislative steps. Committee staff and sponsors will provide requested fiscal and programmatic follow-up information to members before floor consideration.
