HB 2884 Summary

• Requires all school personnel at qualified schools accepting ESA (Arizona empowerment scholarship account) funds to obtain a valid fingerprint clearance card and be eligible for employment at school districts or charter schools.

• Mandates that all academic instructors at qualified schools have at least a bachelor's degree, three years of teaching experience, or specialized skills/knowledge in their subject matter.

• Establishes annual audits by the auditor general to ensure qualified schools comply with fingerprinting and personnel requirements; noncompliant schools must reimburse the department for ESA funds received in the prior school year.

• Updates fingerprinting requirement definitions to include qualified schools and allows these schools to communicate fingerprint clearance card status to other schools for employment purposes.

• Requires current school personnel at qualified schools to comply with fingerprinting requirements within six months of the act's effective date.