This bill requires the SFB and Arizona Department of
Administration to annually publish a list of vacant and partially used
buildings owned by the state or by school districts, that may be suitable for
school operations. States that buildings used for special education services,
preschool programs, schools open for less than five years or magnet schools may
not be qualified as vacant or partially used. Only applies to less than 25% of
the district school buildings. Requires the SFB to make the list publicly available on its
site and, upon request, to: 1.
Charter school applicants; 2.
SFB applicants who are applying for additional space;
and 3.
Existing school districts and charter schools. Requires the list prepared by SFB to include: 1.
The address of each building; 2.
A short description of each building; 3.
The building owners name; and 4.
Any other pertinent information related to the
vacancy and capacity of each building. Requires the list to be summitted annually to the Governor, President
of the Senate and Speaker of the House, as well as provided for the Secretary
of State and the State Board for Charter Schools. Prohibits a district from restricting a charter school or private
school from negotiating to buy or lease a property, for sale or lease by a
school district, in the same manner as other potential buyers. Requires the SFB to establish reporting guidelines for districts
to report any school or school buildings that are vacant or partially used. SFB
must inspect school buildings to ensure the accuracy of these reports. Prohibits a school district from accepting an offer for the sale or lease of the vacant or partially used building that is less than an offer from a charter or private school. Clarifies that a school district governing board: - Is not required to call an election for the sale or lease of a building or a partially used building if it has been vacant or partially used for at least 3 years.
- May call an election to lease, as lessor or as lessee, school buildings and grounds for 20 years or more; and
- Must call a special election if it does not enter into a lease of 20 or more years for the school buildings or grounds listed on the ballot within 20 years of the date of the election and continues to seek this lease.
Specifies that an owner of a building is not required to
sell or lease the building to any prospective buyer or tenant because of being
included on the list. Prohibits an owner on the list from withdrawing the property from sale solely because a charter or private school is the highest bidder. Allows a lease to be terminated or renewed and requires a building owner to justify a proposed increase to the lessee, which may include considerations for the percentage of revenue dedicated to: 1.
educational facilities; 2.
inflators related to student enrollment
increases; 3.
the annual gross domestic product price
deflator. 4. expenses for building and parking lot maintenance and upgrades. Allows a school district to sell used equipment to a charter
or private school, prior to selling or disposing of the equipment by other
means. Allows a school district to form a partnership, according to
a written agreement, with a charter school, another school district or a
military base to: 1.
operate a school; 2.
offer educational services in a district building,
including a vacant or partially used building; 3.
offer educational services in any building on
the entity's property. Allows a school district governing board to: 1.
enter into leases or lease-purchase agreements
for school buildings or grounds for periods of less than 20 years, rather than
15 years, that are subject to voter approval for school building construction
as prescribed; or 2.
sell school sites or enter into leases or
lease-purchase agreements for school buildings and grounds for a period of 20
years or more, rather than 15 years or more, if authorized by a vote of the
school district electors. Requires a special
election to reauthorize the governing board to negotiate a lease, if the lease
is not entered into within 20 years, rather than 10 years, of the election
date. Exempts, from being subject to approval at an election, the
sale or lease of a school building or the lease of a portion of a building if
the building is vacant or partially used for at least three years. Exempts buildings used for career and technical education from the definiton of a partially used building. |