ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-sixth Legislature

Second Regular Session

House: ED DP 10-0-0-0 | 3rd Read 57-0-2-0-1

Senate: ED DPA 7-0-0-0 | 3rd Read 29-0-1-0

HB 2645: foster children; high school; transfer

Sponsor: Representative Jones, LD 17

Senate Engrossed

Overview

Details policies a school district governing board (governing board) or charter school governing body (governing body) must adopt regarding the academic credits, graduation and educational records of a foster child who transfers schools pursuant to a best interest educational placement determination (educational determination).

History

Within five days after a child enters foster care or if a child's placement changes, specified individuals must determine if it is in the child's best interest to remain in their school of origin. If a change of educational placement is determined to be in the child's best interest, then: 1) the new educational institution must enroll that child within two days of the educational determination; and 2) the school of origin must transfer the child's education records within two days after notice of the educational placement change. The new educational institution must immediately enroll the child even if the child does not possess the normally required enrollment records or owes fees to the school of origin (A.R.S. § 8-530.04).

The State Board of Education (SBE) prescribes a minimum course of study and competency requirements for high school graduation. A governing board may prescribe course of study and competency requirements for high school graduation that are in addition to or higher than those prescribed by SBE (A.R.S. § 15-701.01).

Provisions

1.   Mandates SBE develop guidelines for school districts and charter schools to consider when developing policies regarding the calculation of academic credits, including partial credits, for foster children who are ☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal Notein the 9th-12th grades and transfer schools pursuant to an educational determination.

2.   Includes, in the SBE guidelines, alternative methods for a receiving school to calculate and accept academic credits earned by a foster child in their school of origin.

3.   Instructs a governing board and governing body to adopt transfer credit policies for foster children in the 9th-12th grades who transfer pursuant to an educational determination that specify how the school district or charter school will:

a)   calculate full and partial academic credits earned at the school of origin;

b)   accept all academic credits earned at the school of origin;

c) determine whether to accept academic credits as core or elective credits; and

d)   meet with the foster child to review their graduation plan within 10 days of receiving the foster child's educational records from the school of origin.

4.   Requires a school district or charter school to:

a)   make every possible attempt to accept all academic credits earned as core credits; and

b)   consider each learning outcome mastered and competency requirement demonstrated.

5.   Directs a school district or charter school to provide a written copy of the graduation plan to specified individuals.

6.   Instructs each governing board and governing body to adopt policies concerning the transfer of educational records for a foster child who was enrolled in the 9th-12th grades that require the school of origin to include:

a)   all academic credits earned; and

b)   documentation of the competencies achieved by a foster child if the foster child did not receive partial credit for a course in which they were enrolled.

7.   Authorizes a school district or charter school that enrolls a foster child who transfers schools pursuant to an educational placement to administer a local competency assessment to award full or partial credit for the core competencies identified in the educational records provided by the foster child's school of origin.

8.   Prohibits a foster child who transfers schools due to an educational determination from being required to satisfy a course of study or competency requirements that are in addition to or higher than those prescribed by SBE.

9.   Defines educational determination and foster child.

Senate Amendments

1.   Specifies a foster child who transfers schools due to an educational determination while enrolled in the 11th or 12th grade may not be required to satisfy a course of study or competency requirements that are in addition to or higher than those prescribed by SBE.

 

 

 

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                        HB 2645

Initials CH     Page 0 Senate Engrossed

 

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