Bill Text: AZ HB2658 | 2022 | Fifty-fifth Legislature 2nd Regular | Engrossed
Bill Title: Community colleges; adult education
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2022-03-29 - Senate APPROP Committee action: do pass amended/strike-everything, voting: (10-0-0-0) [HB2658 Detail]
Download: Arizona-2022-HB2658-Engrossed.html
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House Engrossed
community colleges; adult education |
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State of Arizona House of Representatives Fifty-fifth Legislature Second Regular Session 2022
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HOUSE BILL 2658 |
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An Act
amending title 15, chapter 2, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-217; relating to the department of education.
(TEXT OF BILL BEGINS ON NEXT PAGE)
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:
Section 1. Title 15, chapter 2, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-217, to read:
15-217. Community college adult education workforce development program; fund; annual report
A. The community college adult education workforce development program is established within the state board of education, to be operated in cooperation with the department of education, to provide adult learners with integrated education and training programs and additional study and support services that lead to the issuance of both of the following:
1. A high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma.
2. An industry-recognized credential or community college degree.
B. To be eligible to participate in the program, the program applicant must be a regionally accredited community college that is a recognized high school diploma or HIGH SCHOOL equivalency DIPLOMA provider and provides education and workforce training that leadS to industry-recognized credentials or community college degrees. If a program applicant meets the requirements of this subsection, the department of education shall distribute monies to the program applicant as prescribed in subsection C of this section.
C. The community college adult education workforce development program fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations and any other monies. The department of education shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. Notwithstanding any other law, a program school shall be funded as follows:
1. For fiscal years 2022-2023 and 2023-2024:
(a) The program school may receive up to $3,000 per full-time student enrolled in the program each fiscal year. Part-time students shall be funded in proportion to the number of enrolled courses or hours of instruction.
(b) The department of education shall distribute fund monies to all program SCHOOLS THAT meet the criteria PRESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION b OF THIS SECTION in a proportional manner based on the number of adult learners each PROGRAM SCHOOL serves.
2. For fiscal year 2024-2025 and each fiscal year thereafter, the program school shall receive funding pursuant to the adult education and workforce performance funding model adopted by the state board of education, subject to legislative appropriation.
D. On or before July 1, 2024, the state board of education, in consultation with the department of education, shall adopt an adult education and workforce performance funding model. Funding provided to a program school shall be based on the average performance of the community college in the prior two fiscal years. The state board of education shall consider all performance expectations adopted under subsection H of this section, except that enrollment may not be considered.
E. A program SCHOOL shall use monies received under this section to supplement and not supplant current program offerings. In addition to any monies received from the fund, a program SCHOOL may accept and spend federal monies and private grants, gifts, contributions and devises to assist the program SCHOOL in carrying out the purposes of this section. The department of education may retain up to five percent of fund monies received each fiscal year for administrative costs associated with the program. A program SCHOOL shall use monies received under subsection C of this section for adult learners to participate in a high school diploma or high school equivalency DIPLOMA program that also offers an industry-recognized credential or community college degree. A portion of monies may be used for additional support services to ensure the success of adult learners in the program, including the following:
1. Transportation assistance for ADULT LEARNERS with a demonstrated need.
2. Child care services for dependents of adult learners while the adult learner is on site.
3. College and career counseling.
4. Job placement assistance
F. For each year that monies are appropriated by the legislature to the fund established by subsection C of this section, on or before September 30, each program SCHOOL shall submit a report regarding the community college adult education workforce development program to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state. eACH report shall include, at a minimum, all of the following INFORMATION FOR EACH PROGRAM SCHOOL FOR THE PRECEDING SCHOOL YEAR:
1. The number of adult learners enrolled in the program.
2. The completion rate of high school diplomaS AND high school equivalency diplomaS EARNED BY adult learners enrolled in the program.
3. The average progress of ADULT LEARNERS toward meeting completion criteria.
4. The number and type of industry-recognized credentials, COMMUNITY COLLEGE degree credits and COMMUNITY COLLEGE degrees earned by adult learners enrolled in the program.
5. A descriptive summary of the community college adult education workforce development program offered.
6. The number of adult learners who have newly acquired proficiency in the English language.
7. The number of adult learners or graduates who have matriculated at an institution of higher learning or postsecondary educational institution.
8. The number of adult learners or graduates who have newly acquired employment at a wage that is at least one hundred fifty percent of the state minimum wage.
G. The state board of education, in cooperation with the department of education, may request information from any program applicant or SCHOOL for the purposes of determining program eligibility and funding distributions under this section.
H. On or before July 1, 2024, the state board of education, in cooperation with the department of education, shall adopt performance expectations to evaluate program SCHOOLS. The performance expectations shall include measurements of adult learner progress toward earning a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma, the graduation rates of adult learners earning at least one academic credit, the number of industry-recognized credentials earned, the number of adult learners who have newly acquired proficiency in the English language, the number of adult learners or graduates who have matriculated at an institution of higher learning or postsecondary educational institution, the number of adult learners or graduates who have newly acquired employment at a wage that is at least one hundred fifty percent of the state minimum wage and other relevant measures as adopted by the state board, in cooperation with the department. The state board, in cooperation with the department, may develop a process to bring a program SCHOOL into compliance or revoke the program SCHOOL's authorization to participate in the program, at the discretion of the state board, in cooperation with the department.
