On September 4, 2009 Governor Brewer signed portions of HB 2011, one of the bills the Legislature passed on August 20, 2009.  This bill contains numerous policy changes affecting school personnel. While some of these items may be language changes that MDCTA can assist the district with, others are not.

Due to Governor Brewer's actions, school district's have their full 2% inflation factor.  However, she line item vetoed the soft capital (we're operating under the same soft capital which we had after the legislature cut it in Jan 2009).  Soft Capital money can be used for any operating or capital expenditures in FY10.

Many K-12 funding cuts remain:

• The amount of per student funding is less than we received last year.
• No building renewal funds.
• No funding for actual utility costs (excess utilities).
• ADM is now capped at 1.0 based on the percentage of total time a student is enrolled in Madison.
• Districts at 91% of formula amount.

In addition, the following policy changes impacting school employees will become effective unless repealed. (excerpt from http://www.arizonaea.org/politics.php?page=482)

Release time and association time

• It is unlawful for a school district employment contract to include compensated days for professional association activities.  (HB2011: page 61, lines 24-33)

No contract dates

• A school district will no longer have to issue contracts by May 15 to teachers.  (HB2011: page 62, lines 39-45; page 63, lines 1-18)
  Salary reductions
• The May 15 statutory deadline for notice of salary reduction has been removed and school districts will now set their own salary reduction deadline. (HB2011: page 66, lines 35-37)

Teachers with continuing status (those with 3+ years of experience

• A school district is prohibited from adopting policies that provide employment retention priority for teachers based on tenure or seniority.  (HB2011: page 59, lines 35-37)
• A school district is able to reduce the salary of a teacher with continuing status in any manner.  The prior statutory protection said that a salary reduction of a continuing status teacher can only occur under a general salary reduction. (HB2011: page 66, lines 26-34
• The improvement time that a school district must allow a teacher to correct inadequate classroom performance is reduced from 85 instructional days to 60 instructional days after receiving notice.  (HB2011: page 64, line 18)

Probationary teachers (those with fewer than 3 years of experience)

• Probationary teachers will no longer need to be notified of nonrenewal by April 15.  (HB2011: page 16, lines 34-45; page 62, lines 1-38)

Reduction-In-Force (RIF)

• A school district no longer has to give a preferred right of reappointment to a job for a teacher who has lost his/her job through the reduction-in-force (RIF) process.  (HB2011: page 66, lines 38-43)

Hearing on dismissal or long-term suspension

• Changes the effective date for dismissal or long-term suspension without pay of a teacher from 30 days to 10 days after giving notice.  (HB2011: page 63, line 28)
• Reduces the time frame for a teacher to file a written request for a hearing on dismissal or long-term suspension from 30 days to 10 days of the notification.  (HB2011: page 65, line 21)

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