ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Phoenix, Arizona
experimental schools; square footage
exemption
(NOW: square footage exemption;
experimental schools)
Purpose
Requires the School Facilities Board (SFB), in its measurement of minimum square footage requirements, to exclude an experimental school from the total space available in schools used in a school district if the experimental school meets specified requirements. Prohibits the SFB from constructing a new experimental school if any school districts that qualify for a new school have not received approval for a new school.
Students FIRST established the SFB to develop capital standards, distribute state funding to ensure that adequate school facilities are built and maintained, and ensure the appropriate capital equipment is available in schools to meet the State’s academic requirements (Laws 1998, 43rd Legislature, Fifth Special Session, Chapter 1). Schools are built or maintained by monies allocated from the following funds: the deficiencies corrections fund, the building renewal fund and the new school facilities fund.
The new school facilities fund provides school districts with monies for the construction of new schools to meet the minimum adequacy guidelines adopted by the SFB. The criteria to determine district eligibility for monies from the new school facilities fund are based on annual evaluation and approval of school district enrollment projections and the additional square footage needed to maintain adequacy standards in a school district. The SFB distributes new school facilities monies to school districts based on the following formula: (number of students) x (square footage) x (cost per square foot) = allocation. Land costs are funded in addition to formula funding for new construction.
H.B. 2532 requires the SFB to exclude an experimental school from the total space available in schools used in a school district when the SFB measures minimum adequate gross square footage requirements. The bill additionally addresses requirements for the experimental school and prohibits the SFB from constructing a new experimental school if any school district that is eligible for a new school has not received approval for a school.
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) staff indicates the JLBC fiscal note to the bill provides an estimated impact that would remain unchanged in relation to this bill. According to JLBC staff, there is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state general fund in FY 2002. There may be a possible unknown savings to new school construction and basic state aid in FY 2003 and FY 2004, but only under certain circumstances that cannot be predicted.
Provisions
1. Requires the School Facilities Board (SFB), in its measurement of minimum square footage requirements, to exclude an experimental school from the total space available in schools used in a school district if the experimental school meets specified requirements.
2. Stipulates an experimental school must meet the following requirements in order to qualify under this act:
(a) The experimental school is established by a common school district and a union high school district in conjunction with a community college district pursuant to an intergovernmental agreement for the construction and operation of the school. Requires the intergovernmental agreement to address the school's use by students in community college and elementary and high school during discreet and separate times of the day and week.
(b) The school site must be located on former state trust land located contiguous to an Indian reservation and municipal park land.
(c) The applicable school districts must annex the former state trust land.
(d) The school must be constructed within five years after the conveyance of the state trust land.
(e) The school enrollment shall not exceed 1,200 common school or high school pupils at any time.
3. Prohibits the SFB from paying for an experimental school's construction if any school district that qualifies for a new school was not approved for a new school.
4. Repeals the act on July 1, 2007.
5. Provides for a general effective date.
Amendment Adopted by the Education Committee
· Adopted the strike everything amendment.
1. Makes a clarifying change to require applicable school districts to annex "former state trust land" and removes the reference that requires the annexation of the school site.
2. Prohibits the SFB from paying for an experimental school's construction if any school district that qualifies for a new school was not approved for a new school.
House Action Senate Action
APPROP 1/31/02 DP 12-1-1-2-0 ED 4/18/02 DPA/SE 6-2-0-0
3rd Read 3/21/02 51-6-3-0 APPROP 4/23/02 DP 8-0-4-0
3rd Read 5/13/02 24-3-3
Prepared by Senate Staff
May 14, 2002