Ariz. Admin. Code § R7-2-1501 - Definitions

In this Article, unless the context otherwise specifies:

1. "Administratively complete" means an ESA application that contains all components required by statute or this Article.

2. "Board" means the State Board of Education.

3. "Curriculum" means a course of study for content areas or grade levels, including any supplemental materials required or recommended by the curriculum, approved by the Department.

4. "Department" means the Arizona Department of Education.

5. "Eligible postsecondary institution" means a community college as defined in A.R.S. § 15-1401, a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona Board of Regents, or an accredited private postsecondary institution.

6. "Empowerment scholarship account" or "ESA" means an account administered by the Department and funded by the state to provide options for the education of qualified students pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-2401 et seq.

7. "Hearing Officer" means a non-partial representative with either at least three years of verified experience in the practice of law or at least one year of verified experience in conducting hearings, who oversees hearings pursuant to this Article.

8. "Informal Settlement Conference" means a meeting between the Department and the Parent in an attempt to settle the appeal prior to an appeal hearing. The Board and the Hearing Officer do not attend.

8.9. "Misuse of funds" means the use of ESA funds on goods or services not permitted by A.R.S. § 15-2402, this Article or the Department pursuant to R7-2-1507.

9.10. "Parent" means a resident of this state who is the parent, stepparent, legal guardian, or account holder of a qualified student.

10.11. "Program" means the Empowerment Scholarship Account Program.

11.12. "Qualified school" means a nongovernmental primary or secondary school or a preschool for pupils with disabilities that is located in this state or, for qualified students who reside within the boundaries of an Indian reservation in this state, and that is located in an adjacent state and that is within two miles of the border of the state in which the qualified student resides, and that does not discriminate on the basis of race, color or national origin.

12.13. "Qualified student" means a resident of this state who:

a. Is any of the following:

i. Identified as having a disability under section 504 of the rehabilitation act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794) ;

ii. Identified by a school district or by an independent third party pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-2403(J) as a child with a disability as defined in A.R.S. § 15-731 or § 15-761;

iii. A child with a disability who is eligible to receive services from a school district under A.R.S. § 15-763;

iv. Attending a school or school district that was assigned a letter grade of D or F pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-241 for the most recent year in which letter grades were assigned or is currently eligible to attend kindergarten and who resides within the attendance boundary of a school that was assigned a letter grade of D or F pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-241 for the most recent year in which letter grades were assigned. A child who meets the requirements of this item and who meets the income eligibility requirements for free and reduced-price lunches under the National School Lunch and Child Nutrition Acts (42 U.S.C. 1751 through 1793) is not subject to R7-2-1501(12)(b);

v. A previous recipient of a scholarship issued pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-891 or this Section, unless the qualified student's parent has been removed from eligibility in the Program for failure to comply pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-2403(C);

vi. A child of a parent who is a member of the armed forces of the United States and who is on active duty or was killed in the line of duty. A child who meets the requirements of this subsection is not subject to R7-2-1501(12)(b);

vii. A child who is a ward of the juvenile court and who is residing with a prospective permanent placement pursuant to A.R.S. § 8-862 and the case plan is adoption or permanent guardianship;

viii. A child who was a ward of the juvenile court and who achieved permanency through adoption or permanent guardianship;

ix. A child who is the sibling of a current or previous ESA recipient or of an eligible qualified student who accepts the terms of and enrolls in an ESA;

x. A child who resides within the boundaries of an Indian reservation in this state as determined by the Department or a tribal government; or

xi. A child of a parent who is legally blind or deaf or hard of hearing as defined in A.R.S. § 36-1941.

b. And, except as provided in R7-2-1501(12)(a)(iv) and R7-2-1501(12)(a)(vi), who meets any of the following requirements:

i. Attended a governmental primary or secondary school as a full-time student as defined in A.R.S. § 15-901 for at least 45 days of the current or prior fiscal year and who transferred from a governmental primary or secondary school under a contract to participate in an ESA. Kindergarten students who are enrolled in Arizona online instruction must receive 100 hours of logged instruction to be eligible pursuant to this subsection. First, second and third grade students who are enrolled in Arizona online instruction must receive 200 hours of logged instruction to be eligible pursuant to this subsection. Fourth, fifth and sixth grade students who are enrolled in Arizona online instruction must receive 250 hours of logged instruction to be eligible pursuant to this subsection. Seventh and eighth grade students who are enrolled in Arizona online instruction must receive 275 hours of logged instruction to be eligible pursuant to this subsection. High school students who are enrolled in Arizona online instruction must receive 250 hours of logged instruction to be eligible pursuant to this subsection. For the purposes of this subsection, students may accumulate days of enrollment and hours of instruction in the current or prior fiscal year, or a combination thereof;

ii. Previously participated in an ESA;

iii. Received a scholarship under A.R.S. § 43-1505 and who continues to attend a qualified school if the student attended a governmental primary or secondary school as a full-time student as defined in A.R.S. § 15-901 for at least 90 days of the prior fiscal year or one full semester before attending a qualified school;

iv. Was eligible for an Arizona scholarship for pupils with disabilities and received monies from a school tuition organization pursuant to A.R.S. § 43-1505 or received an Arizona scholarship for pupils with disabilities but did not receive monies from a school tuition organization pursuant to A.R.S. § 43-1505 and who continues to attend a qualified school if the student attended a governmental primary or secondary school as a full-time student as defined in A.R.S. § 15901 for at least 90 days of the prior fiscal year or one full semester prior to attending a qualified school;

v. Attended a nonpublic school for pupils with disabilities in the prior year if placement at the school was approved by the Department and contracted for by a public school district.

v.vi. Has not previously attended a governmental primary or secondary school but is currently eligible to enroll in a kindergarten program in a school district or charter school in this state or attended a program for preschool children with disabilities . For the purposes of this item, a child is eligible to enroll in a kindergarten program if the child is at least five years of age on January 1 of the current school year, is under seven years of age, and has not already completed a kindergarten program and is not enrolled in grade one of a private or governmental school in the current year; or

vi.vii. Has not previously attended a governmental primary or secondary school but is currently eligible to enroll in a program for preschool children with disabilities in this state.

14. "Stay" means a Parent may have access to a terminated ESA account pending the resolution of their appeal.

13.15. "Substantively complete" means an ESA application that meets all substantive criteria required by statute or this Article.

14.16. "Supplemental materials" referenced in A.R.S. § 15-2401(2), means relevant materials directly related to the course of study for which they are being used that introduce content and instructional strategies or that enhance, complement, enrich, extend or support the curriculum.

15.17. "Treasurer" means the Office of the State Treasurer.

16.18. Unless otherwise specifically defined herein, all defined terms shall have the same meaning as those ascribed to them in the A.R.S., Title 41.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R7-2-1501

Adopted by final rulemaking at 26 A.A.R. 2881, effective 11/1/2020. Amended by final exempt rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 180, effective 12/13/2021. Amended by final exempt rulemaking at 29 A.A.R. 542, effective 1/23/2023.