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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Fifth Legislature, Second Regular Session
juveniles; educational classes; discretionary
Purpose
Allows, rather than requires, the Director of the Arizona Department of Juvenile Corrections (ADJC) to require a committed youth to attend school full time and allows a committed youth to take an equivalency diploma test.
Background
The Director of ADJC (Director) must establish a state educational system for committed youth to provide appropriate education as required by state and federal law, including education for a committed youth who has not received a high school diploma or certificate of equivalency (A.R.S. § 41-2831). A committed youth who is confined in a secure care facility and has not received a high school diploma, high school certificate of equivalency or an exception from the Director must attend school full time and make satisfactory progress in educational classes. A committed youth who has achieved a high school diploma or certificate of equivalency may participate in classes or an educational program as deemed appropriate by ADJC (A.R.S. § 41-2822.01).
A committed youth is a person who has been legally committed to ADJC for supervision, rehabilitation, treatment and education and who is between 14 and 18 years of age, or up to 19 years of age if the youth is subject to retained jurisdiction (A.R.S. § 41-2801).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Allows, rather than requires, the Director to require a committed youth in a secure care facility who has not received a high school diploma, certificate of equivalency or an exception from the Director to attend school full time and make satisfactory progress in educational classes.
2. Allows a committed youth who is functionally literate and has not received a high school diploma, certificate of equivalency or an exception from the Director to take, at any time, the general equivalency diploma test or an equivalency diploma test approved by the State Board of Education.
3. Makes technical changes.
4. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 11, 2022
LB/KJA/slp