 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fourth Legislature, Second Regular Session
college credit by examination; appropriations
Purpose
Directs the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to allocate monies in the College Credit by Examination Development Fund (Fund) to reduce examination costs for eligible students. Appropriates $1,000,000 in FY 2021 from the state General Fund (GF) to ADE for the College Credit by Examination Incentive Program (CCEIP) and $1,500,000 in FY 2021 from the state GF to the Fund.
Background
The CCEIP is established in ADE to provide an incentive bonus to teachers, school districts and charter schools for students who obtain a passing score on a qualifying examination for college credit while in high school. ADE pays an incentive bonus to school districts and charter schools for each student in grades 9 through 12 who receives a passing score on a qualifying examination (A.R.S. § 15-249.06).
Current statute established the Fund consisting of monies appropriated to ADE to distribute to schools with at least 50 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches to assist in developing and operating classes that offer qualifying examinations. ADE must prioritize Fund distributions based on need (A.R.S. § 15-249.06).
H.B. 2438 appropriates $2,500,000 in FY 2021 from the state GF to ADE and the Fund.
Provisions
1. Requires ADE to allocate Fund monies to eliminate or reduce qualifying examination fee costs for students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches on a pro rata basis determined by the number of eligible students who attend schools offering qualifying examinations.
2. Specifies that ADE must distribute other Fund monies, subject to availability, to schools with at least 50 percent of students eligible for free or reduced-price lunches to assist in developing classes that offer qualifying examinations, including through professional development grants.
3. Finances the Fund through legislative appropriations, rather than with remaining monies that were appropriated to ADE for the CCEIP and not distributed by the end of the fiscal year.
4. Specifies that ADE may prioritize Fund distributions based on students':
a) academic preparedness for a qualifying examination that provides college credit from any state university; and
b) lack of access in their local school to the corresponding course of an instructor prepared to teach the course.
5. Appropriates $1,000,000 in FY 2021 from the state GF to ADE for the Program.
6. Appropriates $1,500,000 in FY 2021 from the state GF to the Fund.
7. Makes technical and conforming changes.
8. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ED 1/27/20 DP 6-5-0-2
3rd Read 2/20/20 31-29-0
Prepared by Senate Research
March 13, 2020
JO/JP/gs