Education (Higher Education)

introduced · Arizona · House Jun 13, 2026

HB 4132: ESAs; expenditures; enrollment; limitations.

Arizona's HB 4132 expands the state's Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program to allow more students to access education funds. It adds income requirements ($200,000 annual threshold, adjusted for inflation after 2027) for families seeking eligibility, while also allowing students who previously attended public school to transfer to an ESA. Funds can cover tuition at participating schools, textbooks, educational therapies, tutoring (capped at $2,000 yearly), and approved online programs. The bill explicitly restricts using ESA funds for school tuition organizations concurrently and requires parents to sign agreements detailing how funds must be spent.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill expands state-funded ESA program using public expenditures for education, directly allocating state budget resources to private school options.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands ESA program for broader educational access, funding options, and allows public school transfers, advancing student choice and program reach.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

Track

introduced · Arizona · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 1726: STOs; scholarship reporting; identification numbers

SB 1726 requires certified school tuition organizations (STOs) in Arizona to report detailed student data to the Department of Education annually. It creates a student identifier system to track scholarship recipients and mandates STOs to submit specific information, including each student's family income level (categorized by federal lunch program thresholds), the amount of scholarship received, and the school attended. The bill also requires STOs to report the number and dollar amounts of scholarships awarded to students in different income brackets, broken down by school. The Department of Education must then post this aggregated data publicly on its website by March 31 each year. This bill directly affects STOs, students receiving scholarships, and the Department of Education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires STOs to track scholarship recipients' income levels and school attendance, ensuring equitable access for low-income students per federal lunch program thresholds.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

Track

introduced · Arizona · Senate Feb 9, 2026

SB 1699: empowerment scholarship accounts; distribution; intervals

SB 1699 establishes Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (AESA) to provide public funds for K-12 education outside public schools. It directly affects parents of qualifying students who choose to withdraw from public school districts or charter schools and use AESA funds. The bill specifies that account monies can cover tuition at qualified schools, textbooks, educational therapies (for students meeting specific disability criteria), tutoring, approved curricula, and other education-related expenses like transportation and assistive technology. Parents must agree not to enroll students in public schools, accept concurrent private scholarships, or homeschool while using AESA funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill allocates state funds via AESA for private education, increasing budget expenditure for education choice programs.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates public funding for private school options, expanding educational access beyond public schools through scholarship accounts.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

Track

introduced · Arizona · House Jan 26, 2026

HB 2831: school safety program; alternative proposals

HB 2831 establishes Arizona's School Safety Program within the Department of Education to fund school safety initiatives. It directly affects public school districts and charter schools, which can apply for up to three years of funding to cover costs for school resource officers, counselors, social workers, safety technology, training, or campus infrastructure improvements. Schools must submit detailed proposals outlining safety needs, plans for collaboration with law enforcement or mental health resources, and evaluation methods. If a school cannot place requested personnel, it may instead apply for an "alternative proposal" to fund safety technology, training, or building upgrades like secured entrances. The program requires annual spending plan updates and verification visits by the Department of Education.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates state funding for school safety programs, directly allocating budget resources to public safety initiatives under government spending.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates state funds for school safety initiatives including counselors, resource officers, and infrastructure improvements, directly advancing school environment and safety within education funding.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds counselors/social workers (mental health services) under school safety program, directly supporting mental health care in schools.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Safety Student Health Mental Health

Track

introduced · Arizona · House Jan 26, 2026

HB 2618: veterans; scholarship waivers; counseling; benefits

HB 2618 provides tuition waivers at Arizona public universities and community colleges for children or spouses of Arizona Gold Star Military Medal recipients who were killed or died from injuries in the line of duty while stationed in Arizona, limited to those under age 26. It also mandates trauma counseling for family members of deceased service members and Gold Star recipients for at least 10 years. The bill establishes a Fallen Guard Family Relief Fund to offer benefits like burial supplements, emergency aid, tuition reimbursements, and mental health services to immediate family members of Gold Star recipients. The Department of Veterans' Services will verify eligibility and coordinate these benefits under amended statutes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tuition waivers at Arizona public universities for military families, expanding access to higher education through financial aid.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates 10-year trauma counseling for military families, directly supporting mental health services as a core component of the bill.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransProvides tuition waivers, trauma counseling, and burial benefits for Gold Star families - directly expands veteran family support through new funding and services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Mental Health Veteran Education Veteran Mental Health

Track

in committee · Arizona · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 2180: appropriation; AZ REACH

HB 2180 appropriates $2.5 million from Arizona's general fund for the University of Arizona's AZ REACH program during fiscal year 2026-2027. The bill directly affects the University of Arizona as the recipient of this state funding. The legislature intends this appropriation to be ongoing in future years, establishing a recurring funding source for AZ REACH. This is a procedural funding bill with no substantive policy changes beyond the allocation amount and recipient.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $2.5M recurring state funds to University of Arizona's AZ REACH program, directly funding a public education initiative within state budget90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAppropriates $2.5M to University of Arizona's AZ REACH program, providing ongoing state funding for higher education initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Higher Education

Track

introduced · Arizona · Senate Feb 4, 2026

SB 1576: certification requirements; private school teachers

SB 1576 requires private school teachers who instruct blind or visually impaired students in Arizona to obtain specific certification. Teachers must either earn certification from a nationally or internationally recognized organization for working with blind students, or complete a state-approved university teacher preparation program. This requirement overrides existing general teacher certification rules (Section 15-161) and applies only to private schools serving this student population. The State Board of Education will develop implementing rules but cannot change the core certification standards outlined in the bill.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires specialized certification for teachers of blind students, strengthening educational quality and protections for a specific student group within private schools.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Teachers

Track

in committee · Arizona · House Jan 27, 2026

HB 2236: appropriation; northeast Arizona training center

HB 2236 appropriates $4.3 million from Arizona's general fund for capital improvements at the northeast Arizona training center operated by Northland Pioneer Community College in Navajo County. The funds must be used exclusively for public safety workforce training, including modernizing the driving track to meet state standards, expanding classroom space for law enforcement and emergency services programs, and upgrading related infrastructure. The college must report by December 2027 on how the money was spent, progress toward training standards, completed facility upgrades, and enrollment/outcomes data. This bill directly affects public safety training programs and their participants in northeast Arizona.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAppropriates $4.3M from general fund for public safety training infrastructure, advancing state budget allocation for public services.95% confidence ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeFunds capital improvements for law enforcement training at a public safety center, directly supporting workforce development in criminal justice law enforcement programs.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationFunds $4.3M for capital improvements at community college training center, directly supporting higher education infrastructure and workforce program expansion.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationModernizes driving track for public safety training, aligning with transportation safety standards and vehicle regulation infrastructure.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations State Budget Law Enforcement Higher Education

Track

introduced · Arizona · Senate Jan 27, 2026

SB 1361: empowerment scholarship accounts; postsecondary education

SB 1361 creates Arizona Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, providing state-funded scholarships for students to use at approved educational providers. It directly affects Arizona students and their parents, who must sign agreements to use funds only for specific educational expenses like tuition at qualified schools, textbooks, tutoring, special education services (for eligible students), and postsecondary education costs. Key provisions include restrictions on concurrent use with school tuition organizations, requirements for approved providers (e.g., fingerprinted staff), and annual eligibility reviews for students nearing age 22. The bill expands educational options beyond traditional public schools while specifying allowable uses of funds through detailed expense categories.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates state-funded scholarships for K-12 and postsecondary education, expanding access and providing direct funding for educational expenses like tuition, textbooks, and special education services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education School Choice Student Financial Aid

Track

introduced · Arizona · House Jan 22, 2026

HB 2638: school mental health professionals; academy

HB 2638 creates the Arizona School Mental Health Professionals Academy to address staffing shortages in public schools. It provides graduate students pursuing school psychology, social work, or counseling degrees with scholarships covering tuition and fees (up to three years) at eligible Arizona institutions, in exchange for a one-year service commitment in public schools after graduation. The program prioritizes critical need areas like rural schools, Indian reservation schools, and schools serving students with disabilities. The Arizona Board of Regents manages a dedicated fund for administering the academy, tracking participants, and ensuring graduates fulfill their service obligations in public schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides scholarships for mental health professionals to address school staffing shortages in underserved areas, directly funding and strengthening school support services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProvides scholarships for mental health professionals in schools to address staffing shortages, directly advancing mental health services access in educational settings.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Health Mental Health

Track