During a recent government meeting, discussions centered on educational funding, policy changes, and the approval of increased pay for homebound teachers.

One key topic was the potential for additional funding for transportation due to increased mileage requirements under the new statute language of ARS 15,816. While officials acknowledged the possibility of increased mileage reimbursement, they could not confirm any additional funding at this time.

The meeting also addressed changes to state testing protocols. Concerns were raised about whether the state assessments would expand to include social studies, alongside existing evaluations in English language arts, mathematics, and science. Officials indicated that no updates had been received regarding the inclusion of social studies assessments, although there was a push for increased instruction on topics such as the Holocaust and other genocides, as mandated by the new statute.

Mental health instruction was another significant point of discussion. Questions arose regarding the qualifications required for educators teaching mental health, particularly concerns about physical education teachers being assigned this role. Officials committed to reviewing the relevant statutes to clarify these qualifications.

The board also discussed the hiring process for professional staff, specifically regarding the timeline for candidates to accept contract offers. The current policy was left open for board discretion, with a recommendation to consider a 21-day acceptance period.

In a notable proposal, the board considered increasing the hourly pay for homebound teachers from $20 to $30. This adjustment aims to attract qualified educators to provide essential services to students unable to attend school due to health issues. The funding for this increase would come from the maintenance and operations budget, with officials confirming that the impact would be minimal given the small number of homebound students.

The meeting concluded with a motion to approve the pay increase for homebound teachers, reflecting a commitment to supporting students with special needs.