SB 1056 — schools; letter grades; absenteeism; illnesses

SB1056 - 532R - IS Ver     PREFILED   Senate JANEngrossed 04  2018  REFERENCE  TITLE:State of Arizona Senate Fifty-third Legislature Second Regular Session   SENATE BILL 1056       AN ACT   amending sections 15‑241 and 15‑346, Arizona Revised Statutes;

schools;

letter grades;

absenteeism;

illnesses       State of Arizona Senate Fifty-third Legislature Second Regular Session   SB 1056   Introduced by Senators Allen S:

Borrelli     AN ACT   amending section 15‑241, Arizona Revised Statutes;

K.  If the state board of education uses chronic absenteeism as a factor in determining annual achievement profiles or letter grade classifications pursuant to this section, a pupil who is absent due to a severechronic illnesshealth thatproblem isas verifieddefined in writingsection by15-346 a physician licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 13 or is not considered chronically absent for the purpose of this determination.

END_STATUTE Sec. 2.  Section 15-346, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-346.  Policies and procedures concerning pupils with chronic health problems;

definition A.  The governing board shall adopt policies and procedures concerning pupils with chronic health problems in consultation with parents, teachers and at least one health professional.  The policies and procedures shall be designed to provide continuing learning for pupils with chronic health problems while they are absent from school and to provide for the integration of pupils with chronic health problems into the regular education program as much as possible.  The policies and procedures shall include provisions for:

1.  Homework availability to ensure that pupils with chronic health problems have the opportunity to keep up with assignments and avoid losing credit because of their absence from school.

2.  Flexibility in physical education activity requirements so that pupils with chronic health problems may participate in the regular physical education program to the extent that their health permits.

B.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to obstruct, interfere with or override the rights of parents or guardians concerning the education and health care of pupils with chronic health problems.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize school personnel to either:

1.  Authorize absences from school for a pupil with a chronic health problem without the prior consent of the pupil's parent or guardian.

2.  Recommend, prescribe or provide medication to a pupil with a chronic health problem without the prior consent of the pupil's parent or guardian.

C.  For the purposes of this section, "pupils with chronic health problems" means:

1.  Pupils who are not homebound, but who are unable to attend regular classes for intermittent periods of one or more consecutive days because of illness, including mental illness, disease, pregnancy complications or accident as certified by a health professional who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 7, 8, 13, 14, 17 or 25 or a registered nurse practitioner who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 15.  2.  Pupils who suffer from a condition requiring management on a long‑term basis as certified by a health professional who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 7, 8, 13, 14, 17 or 25 or a registered nurse practitioner who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 15.

3.  Pupils who have an infant with a severe health problem as certified by a health professional who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 7, 8, 13, 14, 17 or or a registered nurse practitioner who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 15.