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KYRENE SEEKS HELP
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PRAYERFUL PAINTER
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Wednesday, December 4, 2019
BY JIM WALSH AFN Staff Writer
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rizona education officials are sponsoring a bill improving oversight of “non-certified educators,’’ plugging loopholes some accused sex offenders, and others with questionable backgrounds, have used to slip through in the past. “Uncertified educators’’ represent a broad category of school professionals, which includes about 6,000 people working in both school districts and charter schools. They would include coaches, student teachers and some administrators who have regular or occasional interaction with students. “There are gaps where fingerprint identification cards aren’t necessary for people working with kids,’’ said Alicia Williams, executive director of the Arizona Board of Ed-
Last dance
ucation. If it becomes law, the bill could impact about 2,000 uncertified school district employees throughout the state and 4,000 charter school employees. Williams said about 60 percent of charter school teachers are certified, while 40 percent are non-certified. Williams said the bill is in draft form and will be introduced in the legislative session beginning next month. The bill essentially would extend the rules already applied to certified educators to uncertified teachers as well. School districts and charter schools would be required to submit a list of all educators working with children to the state Board of Education, a practice already followed by the vast majority of districts and charter schools. “We’re trying to have oversight of unprofessional and immoral conduct,’’ Williams said.
HOME PRICES RISE
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THUNDER BIKERS ROLL
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These three Ahwatukee ballerinas - from front, Bella Gregg, Ally Nash and Avery Lewis - collectively have 40 years experience in the Ahwatukee Nutcracker. They will appear in their final performances during this month’s 20th annual production of the beloved work with a special twist from producer Kimberly Lewis. Read about it on page 34
The board currently has authority to investigate certified educators and to take action against them. During the 2018-19 school year, the board disciplined 131 educators throughout the state. The variety of disciplines included revocation of certification, surrender, suspension, and a letter of censure, Williams said. So far, 74 educators have been disciplined during the 2019-2020 school year, with another 21 are scheduled to come before the board at the Dec. 13 meeting. Williams stressed she is not attempting to expand certification, but the bill would subject non-certified educators to the same sort of discipline as certified educators. She said she is working with state Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, a former Mesa Pub-
see OVERSIGHT page 10
Discontent spurs calls for Foothills reforms BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor
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@AhwatukeeFN
Oversight of 6K noncerti�ied school workers sought
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@AhwatukeeFN |
he three homeowners were frustrated as they peppered the Foothills Community Association board with questions. By Sept. 25, it had become a ritual in some ways for Rafael deLuna III, David Randolph and Rob Doherty – and others – who had questions and concerns about why the board did, or didn’t, take action on a wide variety of issues. On Sept. 25, the three men wanted to know why the board spent less than five minutes discussing its $2 million operating budget for the coming year before adopting it. Why it met behind closed doors for nearly an hour without stating a reason, as required by law. Why it awarded a company a $30,000 contract to print a quarterly magazine without taking bids. Their questions continued. Their frustration mounted.
And after that meeting, they had enough. Now, Randolph, a 16-year Foothills homeowner, and Doherty, a 22-year homeowner in the community, have launched a petition drive to get a special election on five bylaw reforms before the association holds its annual board election in April. In October, it looked like a special election wouldn’t be necessary. Board member Drew Porter had announced creation of a bylaws committee that would be made up of “two or three board members and five to seven” residents. “A wonderful idea,” said board President Bill Fautsch, who joined the unanimous vote to approve the committee’s creation. Board member Michael Owen told the audience: “We’re having to change our culture. We have done thing on behalf of the association,
see FOOTHILLS page 17