ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

Second Regular Session

House: ED DPA 7-3-0-0 | 3rd Read 50-9-1-0

Senate ED DPA 6-2-0-0 | 3rd Read 22-7-1-0

HB 2034: CTEDs; associate degrees

Sponsor: Representative Udall, LD 25

Senate Engrossed

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. Permits 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. Directs a CTED seeking to offer an associate degree program to apply for accreditation from a regional accreditation agency beginning on the effective date of this act. (Sec. 1)

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

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

5. Directs a CTED to determine whether to offer an associate degree program based on:

a) Industry demand for the program;

b) A financial analysis that shows the impacts to initiate and sustain the program;

c) Whether the program would unnecessarily duplicate degree programs offered by other Arizona higher education institutions; and

d) The ability for the CTED to support the program. (Sec. 1)

6. Instructs a CTED that is developing an associate degree program to notify a public university or community college that has a main campus in the same county at least 60 days before submitting its report to the CTE board. (Sec. 1)

7. Allows, within 30 days after the CTED submits the notice, the public university or community college to provide a written response to the CTE board for its review. (Sec. 1)

8. Specifies a university or community college cannot prevent a CTED from offering an associate degree program. (Sec. 1)

9. Requires, before a CTE board authorizes an associate degree program, the CTED to submit a report to the CTE board that contains:

a) The name of the program;

b) The academic department that will offer the program;

c) The instructional modality;

d) The total necessary credit hours;

e) The proposed inception term;

f) A brief description of the program;

g) A learning outcomes and assessment plan;

h) The projected enrollment by year for the first three years of the program;

i) Evidence of market demand;

j) Similar degree programs offered at other Arizona higher education institutions;

k) The new resources required;

l) Any written responses provided by a public university or community college; and

m) Proof of transferability of credits earned. (Sec. 1)

10. Mandates each CTED that offers an associate degree program to submit a report to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) by October 1 of the fifth year after initially offering the associate degree program that includes:

a) Data regarding applicants;

b) Costs of each program;

c) Current workforce demand trends that require associate degrees in each program offered;

d) Current completion and continuation rates;

e) The extent to which each program fulfills identified workforce needs;

f) For each program, the costs to students, the amount of financial aid offered and the student debt levels of graduates; and

g) Time-to-degree and completion rates. (Sec. 1)

11. Instructs each CTED that offers an associate degree program to report by December 1 annually and to specified entities:

a) The total number of students pursuing an associate degree;

b) The total number of associate degrees completed;

c) Workforce data showing demand for each program; and

d) The average cost of tuition per credit hour for each program. (Sec. 1)

12. Contains a legislative findings clause. (Sec. 2)

Senate Amendments

1. Adds that a CTED may offer associate degrees that are accredited by national accreditation agency approved by the United States Department of Education.

2. Authorizes a CTED offering an associate degree program to meet all applicable regional or national accreditation requirements.

3. Directs each CTED offering an associate degree program to provide a student, at the time of enrollment, with a list of institutions to which the student's associate degree is transferrable.

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7. HB 2034

8. Initials CH/MR Page 0 Senate Engrossed

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