The Arizona Department of Education is pleased to provide you with this state report card as a part of our compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind law. We are working hard to raise academic standards for Arizona students. We are also holding our schools accountable for how well students perform academically. We are restoring classroom discipline, which is an essential component for achieving academic excellence. We also have an extensive state program to help schools whose test scores show a need for improvement. We are working hard to make sure Arizona students and schools are performing to their absolute potential.

In view of the increased prevalence of overweight and obesity in American youths, the Arizona Department of Education’s Health and Nutrition Services has taken the initiative to evaluate the nutritional content of competitive foods and beverages sold on school campuses in Arizona. This study also intends to evaluate the financial implications to schools when replacing foods and beverages found to be less nutritious with healthier choices.

The Team Nutrition Grant Project began in 2003 with the goal to guide and assist schools to create and maintain a coordinated, comprehensive school health program. Such a program integrates a school’s child nutrition programs, with the classroom, the community, and entire school environment. A coordinated, comprehensive school health program (CSHP) can be implemented to create a healthy school environment through a “model” nutrition policy. Using the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service Team Nutrition’s Changing the Scene, A Guide to Local Action, the project proposed to implement the model at a state level by forming a state level coalition of key decision makers within the school environment.

Arizona’s Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS) is the statewide, standards-based assessment. AIMS measures the performance of students, schools, and districts on academic standards in reading, writing, and mathematics and is administered to students in grades 3, 5, 8, and high school. The central components of standards-based education include a curriculum aligned to the Standards, instructional materials aligned to the Standards, and the evaluation of teachers to ensure the Standards are integrated into instructional practices. These components are the organizational foundation for successful student achievement of the skills and knowledge of the Standards.

An update to the Flagstaff Regional Plan 2030 (FRP30), to bring its Road Network Illustration (Map 25) into compliance with Arizona Revised Statute requirements and to resolve inconsistencies between Map 25 and parts of the Flagstaff City Code. This update does not alter the intent of FRP30; it is only concerned with correcting errors, removing legal vulnerability, and improving the readability of FRP30.

The Strategic Plan comprises an ambitious set of goals and objectives. It is a “living” document that will guide our focus and activities. As such, some objectives and expected results will be subject to change as information and events unfold. Objectives and measures aligned to drive achievement have also been developed in Units, Sections, and Divisions throughout the Department.

The Secretary of State’s Office publishes this manual as a guide for Arizona notaries. Revisions to this manual include concise explanations of how to apply with our office, how to purchase a notary bond, information about your commission, duties as a public official, samples of notarial acts, and the laws and rules that govern Arizona notaries. Arizona notaries are required to have a copy of this manual and keep it as a reference.

The Arizona notary law was amended in 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, and 2004. The 1996 amendments comprised the first major revisions of the notary law in Arizona in more than 50 years. Rules, effective August 25, 2004, are included in this manual which contains:

* A question and answer section
* Notary laws
* Rules
* Instructions for completing a notary application form
* An application form
* Name/Address form
* An index

This publication contains lobbying definitions, statutes, and lobbyist forms for those interested in how to register as a lobbyist and file with our office. This booklet helps explain how to register and file lobbyist reports with the Election Services Division. Included are deadlines, instructions and reporting requirements – all at your fingertips for quick reference.