15-532. Examination on state and United States constitutions; reciprocity requirement; exemption; intergovernmental agreement or contract for administration and evaluation

A. A person who is applying for a certificate authorizing the person to become a teacher in a school, in addition to fingerprinting and other requirements, shall either complete the required classes or pass a satisfactory examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitutions of the United States and Arizona.

B. A person who has not met the requirements of this section at the time application is made but who has met all other requirements shall be granted a certificate for at least three years, except that a person who has not met the requirements of this section but who has met all other requirements and who applies for a certificate authorizing the person to teach an academic course that focuses predominantly on history, government, social studies, citizenship, law or civics shall be granted a certificate for not more than one year. No additional certificate may be granted until all requirements have been fulfilled as provided by the regulations of the state board of education governing certification of teachers. A person who is applying for reciprocity pursuant to section 15-203, subsection A, paragraph 27 shall be issued a standard certificate and demonstrate completion of the requirements pursuant to the timelines established in this section. The department of education or state board of education may temporarily suspend the standard certificate of a person who fails to meet the requirements of this section within the prescribed time frames. A certificate that is temporarily suspended pursuant to this subsection is not considered a disciplinary action and a person shall be allowed to correct the deficiency within the remaining time of the standard certification.

C. A noncertified person, qualified under the federal and state plans for vocational education, shall be exempt from this section for the purpose of acting as an instructor for special adult and evening classes.

D. The state board of education may enter into intergovernmental agreements or contracts pursuant to title 11, chapter 7, article 3 for the administration and evaluation of the examination on the provisions and principles of the Constitutions of the United States and Arizona. Notwithstanding section 15-531, the intergovernmental agreement or contract shall specify the fee for the administration and evaluation of the examination and may provide for the retention of all or part of the monies by the contractor administering and evaluating the examination.

E. A university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents shall offer the classes required by this section to students who are pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in education or a bachelor of science degree in education at that university.