STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2nd Session of the 54th Legislature (2014)

HOUSE BILL 2479	By:	Wood

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2011, Section 628.13, which relates to concurrent enrollment in college or university courses; clarifying statutory language; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2011, Section 628.13, is amended to read as follows:
Section 628.13  A.  The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, in cooperation with the State Board of Education, shall actively encourage the concurrent enrollment in college or university courses of high school students of exceptional ability.  The State Regents and State Board shall establish concurrent enrollment requirements and take all necessary actions to ensure the availability of concurrent enrollment opportunities.
B.  The State Board of Education in cooperation with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall prepare promotional materials explaining the requirements, features, and opportunities of concurrent enrollment and shall ensure that the independent school districts distribute the materials to each student prior to enrollment for each year of high school.
C.  No institution of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education shall deny enrollment in any course to any otherwise qualified high school student, or student of at least thirteen (13) years of age who is receiving high-school-level instruction at home, who meets the requirements of concurrent enrollment, nor shall any independent school district prohibit any student who meets the requirements of concurrent enrollment from participating.
D.  1.  Each Any high school senior who meets the eligibility requirements for concurrent enrollment shall be entitled to receive a tuition waiver equivalent to the amount of resident tuition for a maximum of six (6) credit hours per semester.
2.  Tuition waivers provided pursuant to this section shall be granted without any limitation on the number of waivers granted in any year other than the amount of funds available for the program and the number of eligible applicants.  The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall establish an application process and criteria for prioritizing applicants on the basis of need, timeliness of application, or other factors as determined by the State Regents.
E.  When a student earns college credit through concurrent enrollment, school districts shall provide academic credit for any concurrently enrolled higher education courses that are correlated with the academic credit awarded by the institution of higher education.  Academic credit shall only be transcripted as elective credit if there is no correlation between the concurrent enrollment higher education course and a course provided by the school district.
SECTION 2.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2014.

54-2-9051	KB	01/12/14