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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-fourth Legislature Second Regular Session |
House: COM DP 8-1-0-0 | ED DP 7-3-1-2 |
HB 2501: commerce authority; adult workforce education.
Sponsor: Representative Carroll, LD 22
House Engrossed
Overview
Establishes the Adult Workforce Diploma Program (Program) to assist a person in earning a high school diploma and developing employability and career and technical skills.
History
Laws 2011, 2nd Special Session, Chapter 1, created the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) and outlined its duties and responsibilities. The ACA facilitates the beneficial economic growth and development of this state and promotes prosperity through the development and protection of the legitimate interests of Arizona business, industry and commerce within and outside this state (Laws 2018, Chapter 66).
Provisions
Adult Workforce Diploma Program (Sec. 1)
1. Establishes, within the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA), the Program to assist a person who is at least 21 years of age in earning a high school diploma and developing critical employability and career and technical skills to prepare for employment.
2. Directs the ACA, prior to August 15 of each year, to issue a request for participation qualifications for Program providers.
3. Outlines Program provider qualifications.
4. Requires the ACA, prior to October 15 of each year, to approve qualified Program providers and place providers on an approved Program provider list.
a) Requires providers to enroll student prior to November 15 of each year.
b) Specifies providers maintain approval status unless the provider fails to meet performance standards.
5. Instructs the ACA to pay providers for each student who completes milestones as follows:
a) $250 for each completed half unit of high school credit;
b) $250 for each earned employability skills certification;
c) $250 for each earned industry-recognized credential that requires up to 50 hours of training;
d) $500 for each earned industry-recognized credential that requires at least 50 hours but not more than 100 hours of training;
e) $750 for each earned industry-recognized credential that requires more than 100 hours of training; and
f) $1,000 for each earned high school diploma.
6. Limits providers to pay only the higher amount for each student who achieves more than one milestone in a single course.
7. Requires providers to submit monthly invoices to the ACA for milestones met in the previous month.
a) The ACA must pay providers in the order in which the invoices are submitted.
b) The ACA must provide written updates to providers which includes total dollars paid and estimated number of enrollments still available for the year.
8. Requires providers, prior to July 15 of each year, to report specified data to the ACA.
9. Instructs the ACA to review data from each approved Program provider to ensure that each provider is achieving minimum Program performance standards, including:
a) A graduation rate of at least 50%; and
b) A cost per graduate of $7,000 or less.
10. Stipulates a provider who fails to meet the minimum Program performance standards is placed on probationary status and is removed from the approved list if the provider fails to meet the standards for two consecutive years.
Adult Workforce Diploma Program Fund (Sec. 1)
11. Establishes the Program Fund (Fund) which consists of legislative appropriations, gifts, grants and other donations.
a) Specifies the Fund is administered by the chief executive officer and Fund monies are continuously appropriated.
12. Appropriates $5,000,000 from the state General Fund each fiscal year to the Fund.
Miscellaneous (Sec. 1)
13. Terminates the Program July 1, 2030.
14. Defines pertinent terms.
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18. Initials PRB House Engrossed
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