AZ SB1708

Requires Arizona empowerment scholarship account (ESA) students in grades 3-12 to take either a nationally standardized norm-referenced achievement test or the state assessment annually and report results to the Department of Education, with exemptions for students with disabilities.

Mandates the Department of Education provide the required assessment to qualified ESA students and allows school districts to charge ESA students fees for assessment costs without being required to provide the assessment themselves.

Expands annual reporting requirements to include disaggregated ESA program data by eligibility category and school type in state assessment reports and comparative data.

Creates a new audit team in the Auditor General's office to conduct performance audits of qualified schools receiving ESA funds, requiring schools to publicly post the percentage of ESA monies spent in the classroom.

Qualified schools accepting ESA payments must comply with audit reporting and hearing participation requirements under section 41-1279.03, despite protections against state control over nonpublic schools.