AZ HB2700

Adds new requirement for school district governing board members to complete either 8+ hours of professional development training in school district governance or attend a professional development training workshop, if offered by the superintendent of public instruction, county school superintendent, or school district superintendent.

Establishes qualification requirements for governing board candidates, including being a registered voter and resident of the district for one year, plus four years of postsecondary education or relevant experience in areas such as school finance, budgets, property, student health and safety, student achievement, open meeting law, conflicts of interest, fiduciary responsibilities, or school district governance.

Allows substitute teachers related by spouse or immediate family to members of small school districts' governing boards to be employed if they share the same household for the preceding four years, with the board member recused from voting on substitute teacher matters.

Requires county school superintendents to publish candidate statements on their websites, including candidate photographs and disclosures of relationships to current board members, with statements limited to 500 words and posted no later than 14 days before general election early ballots are mailed.

Allows current governing board members serving on the effective date to continue until their terms expire; the qualification requirements are delayed until December 31, 2028.