Arizona Revised Statutes

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101 (2026)

Definitions

✓ current as of May 2026

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In this title, unless the context otherwise requires:

1. "Accommodation school" means either:

(a) A school that is operated through the county board of supervisors and the county school superintendent and that the county school superintendent administers to serve a military reservation or territory that is not included within the boundaries of a school district.

(b) A school that provides educational services to homeless children or alternative education programs as provided in section 15-308, subsection B.

(c) A school that is established to serve a military reservation, the boundaries of which are coterminous with the boundaries of the military reservation on which the school is located.

2. "Assessed valuation" means the valuation derived by applying the applicable percentage as provided in title 42, chapter 15, article 1 to the full cash value or limited property value, whichever is applicable, of the property.

3. "Charter holder" means a person that enters into a charter with the state board for charter schools. For the purposes of this paragraph, "person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, association or public or private organization of any kind.

4. "Charter school" means a public school established by contract with the state board of education, the state board for charter schools, a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents, a community college district or a group of community college districts pursuant to article 8 of this chapter to provide learning that will improve pupil achievement.

5. "Child with a disability" means a child with a disability as defined in section 15-761.

6. "Class A bonds" means general obligation bonds approved by a vote of the qualified electors of a school district at an election held on or before December 31, 1998.

7. "Class B bonds" means general obligation bonds approved by a vote of the qualified electors of a school district at an election held from and after December 31, 1998.

8. "Competency" means a demonstrated ability in a skill at a specified performance level.

9. "Course" means organized subject matter in which instruction is offered within a given period of time and for which credit toward promotion, graduation or certification is usually given. A course consists of knowledge selected from a subject for instructional purposes in the schools.

10. "Course of study" means a list of required and optional subjects to be taught in the schools.

11. "Dual enrollment course" means a college-level course that is conducted on the campus of a high school or on the campus of a career technical education district, that is applicable to an established community college academic degree or certificate program and that is transferable to a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents. A dual enrollment course that is applicable to a community college occupational degree or certificate program may be transferable to a university under the jurisdiction of the Arizona board of regents.

12. "Elementary grades" means kindergarten programs and grades one through eight.

13. "Fiscal year" means the year beginning July 1 and ending June 30.

14. "Governing board" means a body organized for the government and management of the schools within a school district or a county school superintendent in the conduct of an accommodation school.

15. "Lease" means an agreement for conveyance and possession of real or personal property.

16. "Limited property value" means the value determined pursuant to title 42, chapter 13, article 7. Limited property value shall be used as the basis for assessing, fixing, determining and levying primary property taxes.

17. "Nontest" means not relating to knowledge or skills in reading, writing, mathematics, social studies, science or any other course.

18. "Parent" means the natural or adoptive parent of a child or a person who has custody of a child.

19. "Person who has custody" means a parent or legal guardian of a child, a person to whom custody of the child has been given by order of a court or a person who stands in loco parentis to the child.

20. "Primary property taxes" means all ad valorem taxes except for secondary property taxes.

21. "Private school" means a nonpublic institution where instruction is imparted.

22. "School" or "public school" means any public institution established for the purposes of offering instruction to pupils in programs for preschool children with disabilities, kindergarten programs or any combination of elementary grades or secondary grades one through twelve.

23. "School district" means a political subdivision of this state with geographic boundaries organized for the purpose of the administration, support and maintenance of the public schools or an accommodation school.

24. "Secondary grades" means grades nine through twelve.

25. "Secondary property taxes" means ad valorem taxes used to pay the principal of and the interest and redemption charges on any bonded indebtedness or other lawful long-term obligation issued or incurred for a specific purpose by a school district or a community college district and amounts levied pursuant to an election to exceed a budget, expenditure or tax limitation.

26. "Subject" means a division or field of organized knowledge, such as English or mathematics, or a selection from an organized body of knowledge for a course or teaching unit, such as the English novel or elementary algebra.

Notes of Decisions

Cited in 39 cases (7 in the last 5 years), 1972–2026 · leading case: Roosevelt Elementary Sch. Dist. No. 66 v. Bishop, 877 P.2d 806 (Ariz. 1994).

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Roosevelt Elementary Sch. Dist. No. 66 v. Bishop, 877 P.2d 806 (Ariz. 1994). · cites it 8× “See A.R.S. §§ 15-101 to -1901. The statutes assign tasks to the state and delegate others to the counties and local school districts.”

Mitchell v. Gamble, 86 P.3d 944 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2004). · cites it 5× “Compare A.R.S. § 15-101(19) (defining “[s]chool”) with § 15-101(20) (defining “[s]ehool district”).”

Caviness v. Horizon Cmty. Learning Ctr., Inc., 590 F.3d 806 (9th Cir. 2010). · cites it 3× “” Ariz.Rev. Stat. § 15-101(3) (footnote omitted).”

Shelley Savage v. Glendale Union High Sch., Dist. No. 205, Maricopa Cnty., 343 F.3d 1036 (9th Cir. 2003). · cites it 2× “010(2) (each school district is “a political subdivision of the State of Nevada whose purpose is to administer the state system of public education” — a provision the court found significant), with Ariz.Rev.Stat. § 15-101(20) (“ ‘School District’ means a political subdivision of…”

JH2K I LLC v. Ariz. Dep't of Health Servs., 438 P.3d 676 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2019). · cites it 6× “Although the AMMA does not define "school," its implementing regulations adopt the definitions in A.R.S. § 15-101. See A.A.C. R9-17-101(23) and (25).”

DIANA H. v. Rubin, 171 P.3d 200 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2007). · cites it 4× “§§ 15-101(15) ("`[p]arent' means the natural or adoptive parent of a child or a person who has custody of a child"); 15-101(16) ("`[p]erson who has custody' means a parent or legal guardian of a child, a person to whom custody of the child has been given by order of a court or a…”

Dowling v. Stapley, 211 P.3d 1235 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2009). · cites it 2× “While the Treasurer’s complaint names Dowling as Superintendent and as the sole member of the District Governing Board, this is because in her role as Superintendent she acted as the sole member of the District Governing Board pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-101(12) (“ ‘Governing board’…”

Window Rock Unified Sch. Dist. v. Reeves, 861 F.3d 894 (9th Cir. 2017). · cites it 2× “See Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101 (23) (“‘School district’ means a political subdivision of this state .”

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Cmty. Sch. v. State, 23 P.3d 103 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2001). · cites it 5× “section 15-101(20) (Supp.2000), it contains no such definition for charter schools.”

Adams v. Comm'n on Appellate Court Appointments, 254 P.3d 367 (Ariz. 2011). · cites it 2× “Section 1(3) refers to “other public office” in contrast to service as an IRC commissioner, a state office, and “public office” therefore includes other state offices.”

Anderson v. Valley Union High Sch., 270 P.3d 879 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2012). · cites it 2× “But even so, this is an argument merely for the incorporation of a portion of § 41-785(F), specifically the portion directing the superior court to review the appeal “pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6”; incorporation of the right to appeal under § 41-785(G) does not…”

Dowling v. Stapley, 179 P.3d 960 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2008). · cites it 2× “A.R.S. § 15-101 (Supp.2007). That section, however, provides no statutory definition of “county.”

Show all 39 citing cases →

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(11) — 1 case

Visionquest Nat'l, Ltd. v. Pima Cnty. Bd. of Adjustment Dist. No. 1, 703 P.2d 1252 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1985).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(12) — 1 case

Dowling v. Stapley, 211 P.3d 1235 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2009). “While the Treasurer’s complaint names Dowling as Superintendent and as the sole member of the District Governing Board, this is because in her role as Superintendent she acted as the sole member of the District Governing Board pursuant to A.R.S. § 15-101(12) (“ ‘Governing board’…”

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(13) — 2 cases

Visionquest Nat'l, Ltd. v. Pima Cnty. Bd. of Adjustment Dist. No. 1, 703 P.2d 1252 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1985).

State v. Reed, 832 P.2d 694 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1992).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(14) — 2 cases

Norquip Rental Corp. v. Sky Steel Erectors, Inc., 854 P.2d 1185 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1993).

Maricopa Turf, Inc. v. Sunmaster, Inc., 842 P.2d 1370 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1992).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(15) — 5 cases

Roosevelt Elementary Sch. Dist. No. 66 v. Bishop, 877 P.2d 806 (Ariz. 1994). “See A.R.S. §§ 15-101 to -1901. The statutes assign tasks to the state and delegate others to the counties and local school districts.”

DIANA H. v. Rubin, 171 P.3d 200 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2007). “§§ 15-101(15) ("`[p]arent' means the natural or adoptive parent of a child or a person who has custody of a child"); 15-101(16) ("`[p]erson who has custody' means a parent or legal guardian of a child, a person to whom custody of the child has been given by order of a court or a…”

Tucson Unified Sch. Dist. v. Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corp., 849 P.2d 790 (Ariz. 1993).

Kyrene Sch. Dist. No. 28 v. City of Chandler, 722 P.2d 967 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1986).

Diana H. v. Arizona Dep't of Econ. Sec. (Ariz. Ct. App. 2007).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(19) — 2 cases

Mitchell v. Gamble, 86 P.3d 944 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2004). “Compare A.R.S. § 15-101(19) (defining “[s]chool”) with § 15-101(20) (defining “[s]ehool district”).”

Mitchell v. Gamble, Jenson (Ariz. Ct. App. 2004).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(20) — 6 cases

Shelley Savage v. Glendale Union High Sch., Dist. No. 205, Maricopa Cnty., 343 F.3d 1036 (9th Cir. 2003). “010(2) (each school district is “a political subdivision of the State of Nevada whose purpose is to administer the state system of public education” — a provision the court found significant), with Ariz.Rev.Stat. § 15-101(20) (“ ‘School District’ means a political subdivision of…”

Mitchell v. Gamble, 86 P.3d 944 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2004). “Compare A.R.S. § 15-101(19) (defining “[s]chool”) with § 15-101(20) (defining “[s]ehool district”).”

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Cmty. Sch. v. State, 23 P.3d 103 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2001). “section 15-101(20) (Supp.2000), it contains no such definition for charter schools.”

Pima Cnty. v. State of Arizona (Ariz. 2024).

Pima Cnty. v. State (Ariz. Ct. App. 2021).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(21) — 7 cases

JH2K I LLC v. Ariz. Dep't of Health Servs., 438 P.3d 676 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2019). “Although the AMMA does not define "school," its implementing regulations adopt the definitions in A.R.S. § 15-101. See A.A.C. R9-17-101(23) and (25).”

Adams v. Comm'n on Appellate Court Appointments, 254 P.3d 367 (Ariz. 2011). “Section 1(3) refers to “other public office” in contrast to service as an IRC commissioner, a state office, and “public office” therefore includes other state offices.”

Anderson v. Valley Union High Sch., 270 P.3d 879 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2012). “But even so, this is an argument merely for the incorporation of a portion of § 41-785(F), specifically the portion directing the superior court to review the appeal “pursuant to title 12, chapter 7, article 6”; incorporation of the right to appeal under § 41-785(G) does not…”

Adams v. Com'n on Appellate Ct. Appointments, 254 P.3d 367 (Ariz. 2011).

Batty v. Glendale Union High Sch. Dist. No. 205, 212 P.3d 930 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2009).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(22) — 4 cases

3 Sl v. State (Ariz. Ct. App. 2024).

Austin v. Peoria (Ariz. Ct. App. 2015).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(23) — 1 case

Legacy Educ. v. Asbcs (Ariz. Ct. App. 2018).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(25) — 2 cases

Pima Cnty. v. State (Ariz. Ct. App. 2021).

Pima Cnty. v. State of Arizona (Ariz. 2024).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(3) — 3 cases

Caviness v. Horizon Cmty. Learning Ctr., Inc., 590 F.3d 806 (9th Cir. 2010). “” Ariz.Rev. Stat. § 15-101(3) (footnote omitted).”

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Cmty. Sch. v. State, 23 P.3d 103 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2001). “section 15-101(20) (Supp.2000), it contains no such definition for charter schools.”

Shelby Sch. v. Arizona State Bd. of Educ., 962 P.2d 230 (Ariz. Ct. App. 1998).

— Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 15-101(4) — 5 cases

Craven v. Huppenthal, 338 P.3d 324 (Ariz. Ct. App. 2014).

Legacy Educ. v. Asbcs (Ariz. Ct. App. 2018).

Umb Bank v. Parkview (Ariz. Ct. App. 2023).

State v. Young (Ariz. Ct. App. 2024).

Barthinia Bates v. Daisy Educ. Corp., et al. (D. Ariz. 2026).

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