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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, Second Regular Session
education programs; county jails; appropriation
Purpose
Modifies qualifications for a prisoner to be enrolled in a county jail education program. Appropriates $114,000 from the state General Fund (GF) in FY 2021 for county jail education programs.
Background
A county operating a county jail must offer an education program for all prisoners who are under 18 years old and for prisoners with disabilities who are 21 years old or younger. The county superintendent and the sheriff must agree on the method of delivery of the education program (A.R.S. § 15-913.01). The State Board of Education prescribes program standards and testing requirements to ensure programs are compatible with public school education goals and requirements.
A county may operate its education program through an existing accommodation school that provides alternative education services. Each pupil enrolled in the accommodation school is funded at 72 percent of the amount for that pupil, if they were enrolled in another accommodation school program. A county that does not operate an education program through an accommodation school may establish a county jail education fund (fund) to financially support the education program. The fund for each program consists of a base amount plus a variable amount (A.R.S. § 15‑913.01).
Starting in FY 2000, statute set the base amount at $14,400, which is adjusted by the statutory growth rate, subject to appropriation. The base amount and variable amount for each county or counties served is funded with monies from the state GF (A.R.S. § 15-913.01).
The variable amount is determined based on the number of days during the previous fiscal year each pupil, in the county jail for more than 48 hours, received an instructional program of at least 240 minutes. The number of days is then multiplied by $10.80 which is adjusted by the growth rate, subject to appropriation.
S.B. 1393 appropriates $114,000 from the state GF in FY 2021 to the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to distribute to county superintendents.
Provisions
1. Requires each county with a county jail to offer an education program to all prisoners who are 21-years-old or younger, without a high school diploma or a general equivalency diploma, regardless of a disability.
2. Appropriates $114,000 from the state GF in FY 2021 to the SPI to distribute to county superintendents for education programs.
3. Makes technical and conforming changes.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 7, 2020
JO/gs