ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
teacher shortage; study
committee
Purpose
Establishes a Joint
Legislative Committee to address teacher shortage issues.
In Arizona, there are currently
43,579 reported teachers and 2,047 individuals holding emergency teaching
certificates, according to the Arizona Department of Education. Approximately half of Arizona’s current
teachers are eligible to retire within the next 10 years. Since the state acquires approximately
15,000 new students annually, it is estimated that Arizona would need to hire
an additional 30,000 teachers within the next ten years, according to the
Arizona Education Association.
S.B. 1513 establishes a
Joint Legislative Committee on the Teacher Shortage to address issues related
to the supply of teachers in Arizona, focusing on issues such as certification
of teachers from out of state, retirement portability, the need for teachers in
specific fields, and teacher pay.
There is no fiscal impact to
the state general fund associated with this bill.
1. Establishes a 10-member Joint Legislative Committee on the Teacher Shortage (Committee).
2. Requires the Committee to compile data relating to: (a) the predicted supply of teachers in Arizona, (b) teacher pay issues, (c) certification of teachers from out of state and retirement portability and (d) shortage of teachers in specific fields.
3. Requires the Committee to report to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate by December 1, 2001 relating to the following:
(a)
An
estimate of the total teacher shortage and the shortage of teachers in specific
fields for the next five years.
(b)
Recommended
statutory changes to reduce the teacher shortage.
(c)
Administrative
changes recommended by schools, the Department of Education, or the State Board
of Education to assist in reducing the teacher shortage.
4. Repeals the Joint Legislative Committee on Teacher Shortage after December 1, 2001.
5. Provides for a general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Staff
March 6, 2001