Bill Text: AZ HB2658 | 2022 | Fifty-fifth Legislature 2nd Regular | Introduced
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-Introduced.html
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REFERENCE TITLE: 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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HB 2658 |
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Introduced by Representative Kaiser
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AN ACT
amending Title 15, chapter 2, article 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, by adding section 15-240; 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 2, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-240, to read:
15-240. Community college adult education workforce development program; fund; annual report
A. The community college adult education workforce development program is established within 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. The program school may receive up to $3,000 per full-time student enrolled in the program each year. Part-time students shall be funded in proportion to the number of enrolled courses or hours of instruction.
2. 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.
D. 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
E. 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.
F. 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.
G. On or before July 1, 2024, 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 and other relevant measures as adopted by the department. 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 department.
