ACADEMICS / PUBLIC EDUCATION SYSTEM
Registration for Maricopa County public schools usually occurs in late spring, but it is also possible to register in August and on the opening day of school. School offices are also open for registration two weeks before the school year begins. Registration takes place at the school your child will attend. You will need proof of age (such as a legal birth certificate) and a current immunization record. The month, day, and year of each immunization must be included and the form must be signed by a physician.
Arizona state law requires up-to-date immunizations for entry into kindergarten and first grade. All school districts must show proof that every student has received the required immunizations or is exempt. If immunizations are incomplete, parents are given 15 days after enrollment to present proof of complete immunization. Also required is a health checkup within 18 months before entering first grade, and no later than 90 days after entering first grade. To enter kindergarten, a child must be at least five years of age prior to September 1 of the current school year (or at least six years of age on or before September 1 for first grade.) For more information or answers to your specific questions on education in Arizona, contact the following:
Arizona Department of Education
1535 West Jefferson Street
Phoenix 602-542-4361
www.ade.az.gov
Arizona Partnership for Immunization
320 E. McDowell Road
Phoenix 602-288-7566
www.whyimmunize.org
Performance Indicators
Arizona administers state-developed and national achievement tests to monitor the effectiveness of public education and to pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in the current curriculum. Depending upon grade level, students may take part in Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS), Alternate State Achievement Test (ASAT), National Assessment of Educational Programs (NAEP), and the Stanford Achievement Test (Stanford 9). For more information on achievement tests and/or results by school, district, or state, contact:
Academic Standards & Accountability
Arizona Department of Education
Phoenix 602-542-5031
www.ade.az.gov/standards
Charter Schools
Charter schools are public, state-funded schools created through state legislation in 1994. Charter schools contract with the State Board of Education, the State Board for Charter Schools, or a district to provide an education service. These schools do not charge tuition, yet they enjoy freedom from many of the regulations imposed on public schools. Charter schools are designed to offer a learning environment that improves achievement and expands academic choices for parents and students. For further details on charter schools, contact your county superintendent of schools or the state charter schools association:
Arizona Charter Schools Association
Phoenix 602-424-2512
www.azcharters.org
La Paz Superintendent of Schools
1112 Joshua
Parker 928-669-6183
www.lapazschools.org
Mohave County Educational Service Center
809 East Beale
Kingman 928-753-0747
www.mcss.k12.az.us
