 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, First Regular Session
AMENDED
FACT SHEET FOR S.B. 1295
advanced placement courses; exams; appropriations
Purpose
Creates the Advanced Placement Course Access, Participation and Success Program (AP Success Program) and the Advanced Placement Exam Fee Waiver Program (AP Exam Program). Appropriates $1,500,000 from the state General Fund (GF) in FY 2022 to the Advanced Placement Course Access, Participation and Success Program Fund (Success Fund) and $1,200,000 to the Advanced Placement Exam Fee Waiver Program Fund (Exam Fund) in FY 2022.
Background
The Advanced Placement Incentive Program (API Program) provides grants to eligible entities to increase participation of low-income students in both pre-AP and AP courses and exams (DOE). Grants support the development, and enhancement of AP courses and allows states and local educational agencies to increase the number of opportunities for low-income students to take AP courses and exams.
In 2005, the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) used funds from the API Program to establish Project AZASPIRES to increase the access and participation of low-income students in pre-AP and AP programs and exams. Grants of up to $10,0000 were provided to district and charter schools, with at least 40 percent of the student population considered low-income students. Monies were utilized to align curriculum, train teachers, implement more pre-AP and AP courses and increase the number of low-income students participating in the API Program.
S.B. 1295 appropriates $1,500,000 from the state GF in FY 2022 to the Success Fund and $1,200,000 from the state GF to the Exam Fund.
Provisions
AP Success Program
1. Establishes the AP Success Program to expand access, participation and student success in AP courses and exams.
2. Requires ADE to administer the AP Success Program with the following goals:
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 fees for low-income students
3. Requires ADE, in selecting participating schools, to give preferences to schools that:
a) offer no more than two AP courses taught by a local certificated teacher; and
b) have at least 40 percent of students with a family income below 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines or meet ADE eligibility guidelines.
4. Allows ADE to:
a) give preference to schools that provide outlined data showing students with potential to excel in AP courses, but who lack access to AP courses; and
b) prioritize participating high schools to form partnerships with at least one feeder school to create an aligned pipeline of AP courses and systems of support.
5. Requires participating schools to:
a) eliminate all barriers for students to enroll in AP courses; and
b) identify additional students to participate in AP courses by using data from precollege entrance assessments, statewide assessments, previous course grades or other means.
6. Requires ADE to compile an annual report by August 15, that contains the following:
a) the number of schools participating in the AP Success Program that are adding AP courses to their schedules, including the courses added and the number of new AP teachers by course;
b) the number of students enrolled in an AP course during the prior school year in each participating school; and
c) data that is disaggregated by race, gender and low-income status, showing student performance on end-of-course AP exams during the prior school year as follows:
i. the number of students taking an AP exam in each participating school, separated by course; and
ii. the number of students earning a score of at least a three on an AP exam in each participating school, separated by course.
7. Requires ADE, by August 15, to submit the annual report to the Governor, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives with a copy provided to the Secretary of State.
AP Exam Program
8. Creates the AP Exam Program, administered by ADE, to eliminate or reduce the AP exam fees for all Arizona public school students with a family income below 185 percent of the federal poverty guidelines or otherwise meet ADE eligibility guidelines.
Success Fund
9. Establishes the Success Fund, consisting of legislative appropriations, and requires the ADE to use Fund monies for:
a) assisting schools in developing and supporting the implementation of AP courses and preparation courses, including professional learning and purchasing instructional materials; and
b) supplementing and not supplanting other nonfederal monies available to assist in expanding access to the AP courses and support programs.
10. Specifies Success Fund monies are continuously be appropriated and exempt from lapsing.
11. Allows ADE to use up to four percent of Fund monies for administrative purposes.
Exam Fund
12. Establishes the Exam Fund, consisting of legislative appropriations, to support the AP Exam program.
13. Specifies Exam Fund monies are continuously appropriated and exempt from lapsing.
14. Allows ADE to transfer excess Exam Fund monies to the Success Fund.
Miscellaneous
15. Appropriates $1,500,000 from the state GF in FY 2022 to the Success Fund.
16. Specifies all remaining monies that are unexpended and unencumbered in the Success Fund on July 1, 2024, revert to the state GF.
17. Appropriates $1,200,000 from the state GF in FY 2022 to the Exam Fund.
18. Terminates the Programs on July 1, 2031.
19. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Amendments Adopted by Education Committee
· Makes technical change.
Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole
· Decreases, from up to 10 percent to up to 4 percent, the prescribed amount of monies that ADE may use to administer the Success Fund.
Senate Action
ED 2/2/21 DPA 8-0-0
APPROP 2/16/21 DP 9-0-1
Prepared by Senate Research
February 26, 2021
JO/JS/gs