Bill Text: AZ HB2421 | 2021 | Fifty-fifth Legislature 1st Regular | Introduced


Bill Title: Schools; distance learning courses; funding

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 14-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-02-16 - House ED Committee action: do pass amended/strike-everything, voting: (6-3-1-0-0-0) [HB2421 Detail]

Download: Arizona-2021-HB2421-Introduced.html

 

 

 

REFERENCE TITLE: schools; distance learning courses; funding

 

 

 

 

State of Arizona

House of Representatives

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

2021

 

 

 

HB 2421

 

Introduced by

Representatives Carroll: Blackman, Bolick, Chaplik, Cobb, Cook, Fillmore, Grantham, Griffin, Hoffman, Nguyen, Nutt, Pingerelli, Wilmeth

 

 

AN ACT

 

amending Title 15, chapter 8, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-809; amending Title 15, chapter 9, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-901.08; relating to student instruction.

 

 

(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)

 


Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1.  Title 15, chapter 8, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-809, to read:

START_STATUTE15-809.  Distance learning courses; course catalog; application; definition

A.  Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, any school district or charter school that complies with this section may offer distance learning courses to any student in this state whether or not that student is enrolled in the school district or charter school.

B.  Any student in this state who is in any of grades six through twelve may enroll in up to two distance learning courses each year.  A student may enroll in any distance learning class offered under this section whether or not the student is enrolled in the school district or charter school that offers the distance learning course.

C.  Distance learning courses may be offered either online or via any other format.

D.  The department of education shall establish a distance learning course catalog on or before July 1, 2022 and shall update the distance learning course catalog on or before July 1 of each year thereafter.  The state board of education shall approve the distance learning course catalog.  The department of education shall indicate in the distance learning course catalog each course's classification, such as a core subject or an elective subject.  Each school district and charter school in this state shall post a link to the distance learning course catalog on its website.

E.  The state board of education shall establish application policies and procedures for distance learning courses under this section. A school district or charter school shall apply to the state board of education to offer a distance learning course and shall include at least the following in its application:

1.  Proof of excellence in the course subject the district or school proposes to offer.

2.  The proposed course format.

3.  The proposed enrollment capacity.

4.  The plan for proctoring any tests in the course.

5.  Any equipment or Technology required for student participation in the course.

6.  A plan for student support.

7.  The reimbursement fee.

F.  The state board of education may prioritize the approval of distance learning courses for the following courses:

1.  Courses in which a significant teacher shortage exists.

2.  Foreign language courses.

3.  Elective courses, including high‑level math and science courses.

G.  If a student completes and receives credit for a distance learning course that is included in the distance learning course catalog established under this section, the school in which the student is enrolled shall accept the credit and shall classify the course as indicated in the distance learning course catalog.

H.  For the purposes of this section, "distance learning course" means a course that a school district or charter school provides in an online or other format. END_STATUTE

Sec. 2.  Title 15, chapter 9, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-901.08, to read:

START_STATUTE15-901.08.  Distance learning courses; reimbursement fee; calculation of average daily membership; definition

A.  A school district or a charter school that offers distance learning courses under section 15-809 may charge a reimbursement fee for the cost of the distance learning course to be collected from the school district or charter school in which the student is enrolled.  A school district or a charter school that offers a distance learning course under section 15-809 may not include a student who is enrolled in the distance learning course but who does not attend any other courses at the school district or charter school for the purposes of calculating average daily membership.

B.  A school district or a charter school may include a student who is enrolled in the school district or charter school and who is enrolled in a distance learning course under section 15-809 in another school district or charter school for the purposes of calculating average daily membership if all of the following apply:

1.  The student completes and is awarded academic credit for a distance learning course that is in the distance learning course catalog established under section 15-809 in another school district or charter school that has received approval to offer the distance learning course.

2.  The student attends at least one course offered at the school district or charter school per semester.

3.  The school district or charter school pays the reimbursement cost of the distance learning course to the school district or charter school that offered the distance learning course in which the student enrolled.

C.  A school district or a charter school may include a student who is enrolled in the school district or charter school and who is enrolled in a distance learning course under section 15-809 at that school district or charter school for the purposes of calculating average daily membership if the student completes and is awarded academic credit for the distance learning course.

D.  Instructional hours provided by a school district or charter school through a distance learning course under section 15-809 to a student in the distance learning course must be included in the calculation of the average daily membership for that student pursuant to section 15‑901.

E.  For each distance learning course under section 15-809 that a student completes and for which the student earns academic credit, one‑eighth of an average daily membership shall be generated.  Except as otherwise provided by law, for a full‑time high school student who attends a distance learning course or courses under section 15-809, the average daily membership may not exceed 1.0.

F.  For the purposes of this section, "distance learning course" has the same meaning prescribed in section 15-809. END_STATUTE

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