Students who live outside any school district, children placed by courts or state agencies in foster or residential settings, and children of transferring military parents get new enrollment and special education rules, including set deadlines for school districts and county school superintendents.
Official title: access; special education; public schools
- September 12, 2026
- By June 30, 2027: State placing agencies must develop the placement attestation form
- Beginning in fiscal year 2027-2028: State placing agencies must provide attestation forms on request
- Before fiscal year 2027-2028: County school superintendents must develop and publish a certificate of educational convenience application form and instructions
The law's markup doesn't clearly show what changed here.
The text of the law is the only authority. What this label means
What changes
BeforeA parent of a student living in unorganized territory (an area outside any school district) with no school district of attendance had to enroll the student through open enrollment and apply to that district for a certificate of educational convenience, a document that lets a student attend school in another district.
NowThe parent may still use open enrollment, or may ask the closest adjoining school district to enroll the student, and that district shall enroll the student. The district must send a completed certificate application to the county school superintendent within 5 business days. Enrollment under a certificate is guaranteed and not subject to programmatic capacity limits.
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NowThe parent of a student in unorganized territory may ask the closest adjoining district for a child find screening (the process schools use to identify and evaluate children who may have disabilities), a special education evaluation or enrollment. That district becomes responsible for child find, and for a free appropriate public education if a child with a disability enrolls. Districts may not delay child find or special education timelines while a certificate application is processing. Early intervention programs must refer these children to that district at least 90 days before age 3.
BeforeThe county school superintendent issued a certificate of educational convenience for children placed by a state agency or court in places such as foster homes, licensed child care institutions, certain state-run or state-supported residential facilities, or state rehabilitation or correctional institutions.
NowThe school district where the placement is located shall admit these children, and they count as resident pupils. State placing agencies must create an attestation form proving the placement, and districts must accept it. On a parent's request, the child may stay in the same school after a move if the new placement is in that district or an adjoining area.
BeforeCounty school superintendents had no stated deadline to act on certificate applications.
NowCounty school superintendents must issue the certificate or send a written refusal within 5 business days. A refusal must give the reason and explain how to fix the application. They must also publish an application form and instructions, and anyone, including a parent, may submit an application directly.
BeforeA child of a parent transferring to an Arizona military installation on active duty met residency rules for school attendance. Schools had to accept enrollment applications by electronic means.
NowThe child also meets residency rules for disability-related services or accommodations. Schools must accept applications by any means, including remote applications. When the child enrolls, the district must provide services comparable to the child's previous IEP or section 504 plan until it conducts an assessment or develops a new IEP. The Department of Education must post these rules on its website.
Who it affects
- Families of students living in areas outside any school district (unorganized territory)
- Children placed by a court or state placing agency in foster homes, licensed child care institutions, certain residential facilities or state rehabilitation or correctional institutions
- Children with disabilities, including those in private schools or homeschools in these situations
- Children of active-duty military parents transferring to Arizona installations
- School districts, especially those next to unorganized territory
- County school superintendents
- State placing agencies
- Early intervention programs
- Arizona Department of Education
What you need to do
Nothing required. Parents of students living outside any school district may choose to ask the closest adjoining school district for enrollment, a child find screening or a special education evaluation, and may ask the county school superintendent which district is closest.
What the law doesn't answer
- How school districts or the state will pay any added costs of these changes
- What happens if a district or county school superintendent misses the 5-business-day deadlines
- How many students live in unorganized territory or are affected by these changes
- Why the separate state reimbursement for extra costs of educating children placed by a court or state agency was removed, and how those costs are covered now
This summary describes the law as enacted. Later laws, court rulings or referendum petitions can change the picture. Check the official text for the current wording.