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ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVESFifty-fifth Legislature First Regular Session |
Senate: ED DPA 8-0-0-0 | APPROP DP 9-0-1-0 | 3rd Read 29-0-1-0 |
SB 1295: advanced placement courses; exams; appropriations
Sponsor: Senator Shope, LD 8
Committee on Education
Overview
Establishes the Advanced Placement Course Access, Participation and Success Program (APCAPS Program), APCAPS Program Fund, the Advanced Placement Exam Fee Waiver Program (APEFW Program) and the APEFW Program Fund. Appropriates monies to the APCAPS Program Fund and APEFW Program Fund.
History
The Title IV-A Student Support and Academic Enrichment grant (SSAE grant) is a federal block grant allocated to states based on the Title I formula outlined in federal law. The federal government first allocates SSAE grants to states. States are then required to subgrant SSAE grant funds to schools. The SSAE grant is intended, among other specified purposes, to provide students with a well-rounded education. Allowable uses for the SSAE grant include promoting access to accelerated learning opportunities, including Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate programs (20 U.S.C. § 7114). For FY 2021, Arizona school districts and charter schools received a total of $23,180,438.73 from the SSAE grant allocated to Arizona (ADE).
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides poverty guidelines for 2021 for the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia. These poverty guidelines are based on the number of persons in a family or household.
Provisions
APCAPS Program
1.
Establishes the APCAPS Program within ADE
to expand and enhance access to, participation in and student success in AP
courses and exams. (Sec. 1)
2. Instructs ADE to administer the APCAPS Program with the goals of:
a) Increasing the number of schools offering AP courses;
b) Increasing student participation and success in AP courses and exams; and
c) Eliminating or reducing AP exam fee costs for low-income students. (Sec. 1)
3. Instructs ADE, when selecting schools to participate in the APCAPS Program, to give preference to schools that:
a) Offer two or fewer AP courses that are taught by a local certificated teacher; and
b) Have at least 40% of students that have a family income that does not exceed 185% of the federal poverty guidelines or meet ADE-established eligibility guidelines. (Sec. 1)
4. Allows ADE, when selecting schools to participate in the APCAPS Program, to:
a) Give preference to schools that provide data showing that there are enrolled students who demonstrate the potential to excel in an AP course but who lack access to AP courses; and
b) Prioritize participating high schools to form partnerships with one or more feeder schools to create an aligned pipeline of AP courses and systems of support. (Sec. 1)
5. Requires schools that participate in the APCAPS Program to commit to:
a) Eliminating all barriers for students to enroll in AP courses; and
b) Identifying additional students for participation in AP courses by using data from precollege entrance assessments, statewide assessments, previous course grades or by other means. (Sec. 1)
6. Terminates the APCAPS Program on July 1, 2031. (Sec. 1)
APCAPS Program Fund
7. Establishes the APCAPS Program Fund, administered by ADE, that consists of legislative appropriations.
a) States that APCAPS Program Fund monies are continuously appropriated and are exempt from lapsing. (Sec. 1)
8. Requires ADE to allocate APCAPS Program Fund monies to assist schools in developing and supporting the implementation of AP courses and courses that prepare students for AP courses. (Sec. 1)
9. Specifies that APCAPS Program Fund monies may only supplement, not supplant, other nonfederal monies that are available to assist schools in expanding access to AP courses and support programs. (Sec. 1)
10. Allows ADE to use up to 4% of APCAPS Program Fund monies to administer the APCAPS Program. (Sec. 1)
11. Appropriates $1,500,000 from the state General Fund (GF) in FY 2022 to the APCAPS Program Fund.
a) Provides that all unexpended and unencumbered monies on July 1, 2024 revert to the state GF. (Sec. 2)
APEFW Program
12. Establishes the APEFW Program to eliminate or reduce the AP exam fee costs for all Arizona public school students who have a family income that does not exceed 185% of the federal poverty guidelines or otherwise meet ADE-established guidelines. (Sec. 1)
13. Directs ADE to administer the APEFW Program. (Sec. 1)
14. Terminates the APEFW Program on July 1, 2031. (Sec. 1)
APEFW Program Fund
15. Establishes the APEFW Program Fund, administered by ADE, that consists of legislative appropriations.
a) States that APEFW Program Fund monies are continuously appropriated and are exempt from lapsing. (Sec. 1)
16. Allows ADE to transfer excess monies from the APEFW Program Fund to the APCAPS Program Fund. (Sec. 1)
17. Appropriates $1,200,000 from the state GF in FY 2022 to the APEFW Program Fund. (Sec. 2)
Reporting Requirements
18. Requires ADE, by August 15 annually, to compile a report that contains:
a) The number of schools participating in the APCAPS Program that are adding AP courses to their master schedules, including the courses added and the number of new AP teachers;
b) The number of students who are enrolled in an AP course during the prior school year in each school that participates in the APCAPS Program;
c) The following data, disaggregated by race, gender and low-income status, to show the performance of students on end-of-course AP exams during the prior school year:
i. The number of students who took an AP exam in each school that participated in the APCAPS Program;
ii. The number of students who earned a three or above on an AP exam in each school that participates in the APCAPS Program. (Sec. 1)
19. Instructs ADE, by August 15 annually, to submit the report to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives. (Sec. 1)
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SB 1295
Initials CH Page 0 Education
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