SB 1470 Arizona Senate · 57th Legislature - First Regular Session

graduation; children with disabilities

SB 1470 amends Arizona's school accountability system to adjust how graduation rates are calculated for students with disabilities. Specifically, it requires that students with disabilities who graduate in their 5th, 6th, or 7th year (instead of the standard 4th year) be given the same weight in school accountability reports as students graduating on time. This change directly affects Arizona public schools and districts that report graduation rates under state accountability metrics. The bill modifies the existing data collection process but does not alter graduation requirements or timelines for students.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status failed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Mar 2025

House Passage

Jun 2025

Governor

Introduced Feb 4, 2025 Last action Jun 26, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Senate Engrossed Version → HOUSE - Amended by APPROP - passed · 5 edits

MODERATE

The House Appropriations Committee fundamentally altered SB 1470 by replacing the original bill text about school accountability for children with disabilities with entirely new content focused on reducing state health care funding. This represents a complete scope change from education policy to health care budget reductions.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from education accountability and graduation requirements for students with disabilities to health care cost containment and enrollment freezes for specific Medicaid populations.

SCOPE

Removed all provisions related to school accountability, annual achievement profiles, and graduation rate calculations for children with disabilities in grades 5-7.

Changed the bill's purpose from improving education outcomes for students with disabilities to implementing budget cuts in the state's health care cost containment system.

FISCAL

Added $2 million reduction in funding to the Arizona health care cost containment system administration for freezing enrollment of individuals eligible under section 36-2901.07.

Added $31 million reduction in funding to the Arizona health care cost containment system administration for freezing enrollment of individuals without dependent children eligible under section 36-2901.01.

Added $75 million reduction in funding from the hospital assessment fund to cover nonfederal Medicaid costs for the traditional Medicaid population.

House Engrossed Version → Senate Engrossed Version · 8 edits · Mar 13, 2025

MODERATE

This bill fundamentally shifts from reducing healthcare funding to establishing a comprehensive school accountability system. It replaces healthcare appropriation reductions with new requirements for annual school performance profiles, letter grade classifications, and a tutoring fund for failing schools. The bill also modifies special education provisions to allow students with disabilities to graduate later than the standard age if their individualized education program team determines it beneficial.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from healthcare funding adjustments to education accountability and special education services, significantly expanding the department of education's responsibilities and adding new requirements for schools.

FISCAL

Eliminated $2 million, $31 million, and $75 million in healthcare appropriations reductions that were previously intended to freeze AHCCCS enrollment for certain individuals.

Creates a new failing schools tutoring fund to purchase materials that help students meet academic standards and pass assessments.

REQUIREMENT

Requires the department of education to compile annual achievement profiles for each public school and local education agency using multiple performance indicators including test scores, graduation rates, and attendance.

Requires schools and school districts to submit necessary data to the department of education, with schools that fail to submit data becoming ineligible for classroom site fund monies.

ENFORCEMENT

Establishes an A through F letter grade system for schools, with schools receiving an F grade if they fail to meet minimum standards on majority of performance indicators.

Establishes an appeals process allowing schools to appeal their letter grades based on mitigating factors such as incorrect data identified by the department.

ELIGIBILITY

Allows students with disabilities to graduate in their fifth, sixth, or seventh year cohort with the same weight as students graduating in their fourth year cohort for accountability purposes.

Allows school districts to require students with disabilities to remain in special education services until the end of the school year in which they reach twenty-two years of age, rather than requiring graduation before that date.

Floor votes · Senate Mar 13, 2025 · House Jun 26, 2025

How they voted

27–1

Passed · 2 other

Total votes 30

Mar 13, 2025

D Democratic13

11 Yea 2

84% Yea

R Republican17

16 Yea 1 Nay

94% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

PASSED

lower

Jun 19, 2025

Lower · Passed

DPA

lower

Jun 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

DPA/SE

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Lower · Passed

lower

Mar 13, 2025

Upper · Passed

PASSED

upper

Mar 6, 2025

Upper · Passed

DPA

upper

Feb 12, 2025

Upper · Passed

DPA

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors