ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

House: ED DPA 7-3-0-0

HB 2034: CTEDs; associate degrees

Sponsor: Representative Udall, LD 25

Caucus & COW

Overview

Allows career technical education districts (CTEDs) to offer accredited associate degrees.

History

A CTED offers career technical education (CTE) courses that must: 1) be taught by a certified instructor; 2) be part of a program that requires students to obtain at least a 60% on a competency assessment; 3) be part of an approved CTED program; 4) require the majority of instructional time to be conducted in a laboratory, field-based or work-based learning environment; 5) demonstrate a need for extra funding; and 6) require specialized equipment and materials. Additionally, a CTE course must be approved by the Career and Technical Education Division of the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) (A.R.S. § 15-391).

The in-demand regional education list, compiled annually by the Office of Economic Opportunity (OEO) and ADE, is a listing of approved CTE programs that lead to a career path in high demand with median-to-high wage jobs by region. OEO is required to incorporate industry feedback when developing the in-demand regional education list and must also submit the list to the Arizona Career and Technical Education Quality Commission for review and approval (A.R.S. § 15-393).

Provisions

1.   ☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal NotePermits a CTED to offer associate degrees that are accredited by a regional accreditation agency approved by the United States Department of Education. (Sec. 1)

2.   Requires that a CTED offering an associate degree program meet all applicable regional accreditation and state licensure requirements. (Sec. 1)

3.   Specifies that a CTED may only offer associate degrees for CTED programs that are on the in-demand regional education list. (Sec. 1)

Amendments

Committee on Education

1.   Instructs a CTED seeking to offer an associate degree program to apply for accreditation from a regional accreditation agency beginning the effective date of this act.

2.   Outlines criteria a CTED must consider when determining whether to offer an associate degree program.

3.   Directs a CTED located the same county as the main campus of any public university or community college district to notify the public university or community college that it is developing an associate degree program.

4.   Specifies a university or community college cannot prevent a CTED from offering an associate degree program.

5.   Requires, before a CTED board authorizes an associate degree program, the CTED to submit a report to the CTED board that includes information relating to the proposed academic degree program.

6.   Mandates each CTED that offers an associate degree program to submit a report containing specified information to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee by October 1st of the fifth year after initially offering that associate degree program.

7.   Instructs each CTED that offers an associate degree program to report, by December 1st annually and to specified entities, information regarding offered associate degree programs.

8.   Contains a legislative findings clause.

9.    

10.   

11.  ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------

12.                    HB 2034

13.  Initials CH/MR      Page 0 Caucus & COW

14.   

15.  ---------- DOCUMENT FOOTER ---------