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ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Fourth Legislature, First Regular Session

 

FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1217

 

Arizona high school graduates; tuition

Purpose

            Establishes the Arizona high school graduate tuition rate (Arizona tuition rate) for graduating Arizona students who meet outlined requirements.

Background

            The Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) is the governing entity for Arizona's university system which consists of Arizona State University (ASU), Northern Arizona University (NAU) and the University of Arizona (UA). ABOR was created by the Arizona Constitution (Ariz. Const. art. 11 § 5) and statute provides and defines ABOR’s general authority related to the universities. This includes fixing tuition rates and fees and differentiating between residents, nonresidents, undergraduate students, graduate students, students from foreign countries and students earning credit hours in excess of the credit hour threshold (A.R.S. § 15-1626).

FY 2019 Arizona University System Undergraduate Tuition

School

Resident Tuition

Non-Resident Tuition

ASU

$10,822

$28,336

NAU

$11,564

$25,828

UA

$12,447

$36,346

            A community college is an educational institution that is operated by a community college district governing board (district board) and that provides a program not exceeding two years' training in the arts, sciences and humanities beyond the 12th grade of the public or private high school course of study or vocational education, including terminal courses of a technical and vocational nature and basic adult education courses (A.R.S. § 15-1401). District boards adopt policies and set standards for the establishment, development, administration, operation and accreditation of community colleges within the district. This includes fixing tuition rates for institutions and residents, nonresidents and students from foreign countries (A.R.S. § 15-1445).

FY 2019 Community College Tuition and Fees (30 hours a year, or 15 hours per semester)

District

Cost Per Credit Hour

Resident Annual Cost

Cost Per Credit Hour

Non-Resident Annual Cost

Cochise

$85

$2,550

$260

$7,800

Coconino

$109

$3,270

$381.50

$11,445

Gila

$80

$2,400

$370

$11,100

Graham

$90

$2,700

$380

$11,400

Maricopa

$85

$2,550

$326

$9,780

 

District

Cost Per Credit Hour

Resident Annual Cost

Cost Per Credit Hour

Non-Resident Annual Cost

Mohave

$81

$2,430

$283.50

$8,505

Navajo

$74

$2,220

$355

$10,650

Pima

$83

$2,490

$304

$9,120

Pinal

$86

$2,580

$370

$11,100

Santa Cruz

$83

$2,490

$304

$9,120

Yavapai

$87

$2,610

$366

$10,980

Yuma/La Paz

$84

$2,520

$317

$9,510

            There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1.      Creates the Arizona tuition rate for an individual who applies for admission to an Arizona university or community college within four years after graduating from a public or private Arizona high school.

2.      Delegates to ABOR and the district boards the authority to prescribe the tuition rates and requires ABOR and the district boards to verify that the individual's high school diploma meets the outlined requirements.

3.      Specifies an individual who previously qualified for the Arizona tuition rate maintains eligibility for the same tuition rate, if that individual is continuously enrolled in the educational institution.

4.      Establishes, as session law, the Arizona tuition rate for an individual who applies for admission to an Arizona university or an Arizona community college before July 1, 2021, and within 12 years after graduating from an Arizona public or private high school.

5.      Repeals session law on January 1, 2022.

6.      Defines continuously enrolled as without nonenrollment for 12 months or more.

7.      Becomes effective on the general effective date.

Prepared by Senate Research

January 31, 2019

JO/gs