 |
ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
adult education programs; revisions; appropriation
Purpose
An emergency measure that removes the June 30, 2025, repeal date and modifies enrollment, reporting and funding requirements for the Continuing High School and Workforce Training Program (Continuing High School Program), the Adult Workforce Diploma Program (Adult Diploma Program) and the Community College Adult Education Workforce Development Program (Community College Program). Appropriates a total of $18,000,000 from the state General Fund (state GF) in FY 2026 to the Arizona Department of Education (ADE), the Adult Diploma Program Fund and the Community College Program Fund.
Background
Continuing High School Program
The Continuing High School Program provides adult learners with alternative study services that lead to the issuance of a high school diploma and industry recognized credentials. An eligible Continuing High School Program service provider must be a qualifying nonprofit organization, demonstrate at least a 10-year-history of providing training and career services in Arizona and meet applicable legal requirements prescribed for a public school. Statute caps the total projected full-time enrollment for a Continuing High School Program school that the State Board of Education (SBE) may approve in FY 2025 at 500 students (A.R.S. § 15-217.01; Laws 2024, Ch. 218).
Adult Diploma Program
The Adult Diploma Program assists a person who is at least 21 years old in earning a high school diploma and developing critical employability and career and technical skills to prepare the person for employment. An eligible Adult Diploma Program provider must meet prescribed requirements, including being able to develop a learning plan for each student and provide career pathway coursework and placement services. An approved Adult Diploma Program provider must submit monthly invoices to ADE outlining milestones met in the previous calendar month. ADE must pay Adult Diploma Program providers for invoices received and provide a monthly written update to the Adult Diploma Program providers that includes: 1) the aggregate total dollars that have been paid to date; and 2) the estimated number of enrollments still available for the year (A.R.S. § 15-217.02).
Community College Program
The Community College Program provides adult learners with integrated education and training and additional study support services. An eligible Community College Program school must be an Arizona community college district (CCD) that provides: 1) high school diplomas or high school equivalency diplomas; and 2) workforce training that leads to industry-recognized credentials or workforce or degree programs. A Community College Program school may receive up to $3,000 per adult learner who: 1) enrolls in the Community College Program; 2) participates in integrated education and training; and 3) pursues academic skills development relating to adult education and literacy activities. Community College Program Fund monies must be used for adult learners to participate in a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma program that also offers an industry-recognized credential, a community college certificate or community college degree. Integrated education and training means a service approach that provides adult education and literacy activities concurrently and contextually with workforce preparation activities and workforce training for a specific occupation for the purpose of educational and career advancement (A.R.S. § 15-217.03; 29 U.S.C. § 3272).
Adult Education Program Repeals
Laws 2024, Chapter 218 repeals the following on July 1, 2025: 1) the Continuing High School Program, the Adult Diploma Program and the Community College Program; 2) the Adult Diploma Program Fund and Community College Program Fund; 3) the SBE's and ADE's administrative requirements; 4) reporting requirements for the Continuing High School Program, Adult Diploma Program and Community College schools or providers; and 5) the performance measures adopted by the SBE and ADE for such programs.
S.B. 1084 appropriates a total of $18,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2026 to ADE, the Adult Diploma Program Fund and the Community College Program Fund
Provisions
Continuing High School Program
1. Removes the July 1, 2025, repeal date for the Continuing High School Program, the SBE's and ADE's requirements to administer the Continuing High School Program and a Continuing High School Program school's reporting requirement.
2. Appropriates $6,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2026 to ADE for the Continuing High School Program.
3. Caps the total projected enrollment of a Continuing High School Program school at 780, rather than 500 students.
Adult Diploma Program
4. Removes the July 1, 2025, repeal date for the Adult Diploma Program, Adult Diploma Program Fund, the SBE's and ADE's requirements to administer the Adult Diploma Program and an Adult Diploma Program provider's reporting requirements.
5. Appropriates $6,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2026 to the Adult Diploma Program Fund.
6. Requires an approved Adult Diploma Program provider to report the number of currently enrolled students for whom a monthly milestone invoice has:
a) been submitted; and
b) not been submitted.
7. Adds, to the information ADE must include in a monthly written update to Adult Diploma Program providers, the aggregate number of currently enrolled students in Arizona for whom a monthly milestone invoice has:
a) been submitted; and
b) not been submitted.
Community College Program
8. Removes the July 1, 2025, repeal date for the Community College Program, Community College Program Fund, the SBE's and ADE's requirements to administer the Community College Program and a Community College Program school's reporting requirements.
9. Appropriates $6,000,000 from the state GF in FY 2026 to the Community College Program Fund.
10. Authorizes a Community College Program school to receive up to $5,000, rather than $3,000, for each full-time student enrolled in the Community College Program school each fiscal year.
11. Directs ADE to distribute Community College Program Fund monies to Community College Program schools on a quarterly basis.
12. Prohibits the total amount of Community College Program Fund monies distributed to a Community College Program school in any quarter from exceeding:
a) one-fourth of the total amount that is allocated for the Community College Program school in the fiscal year; and
b) unspent monies, if any, that were allocated for the Community College Program school in a previous quarter.
13. Requires ADE and the SBE to:
a) accept Community College Program school applications between July 1 and June 30 of each year; and
b) determine whether a Community College Program applicant meets prescribed requirements within six weeks of receiving a completed application.
14. Specifies that the Community College Program is established to provide adult learners with preparation and access to integrated education and training, rather than to provide adult learners with integrated education and training.
15. Determines that a CCD must provide adult education and literacy activities that prepare adult learners for, or provide access to, integrated education and training models to be eligible to participate as a Community College Program school.
16. Removes the requirement for an adult learner to participate in integrated education and training for a Community College Program school to receive Community College Program Fund monies for that adult learner.
17. Requires a Community College Program school to use Community College Program Fund monies to increase the school's capacity to provide adult education and literacy, rather than for adult learners to participate in a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma program.
Miscellaneous
18. Removes the July 1, 2025, repeal date for the performance measures adopted by the SBE and ADE for the evaluation of the Continuing High School Program, Adult Diploma Program and Community College Program.
19. Exempts the appropriations from lapsing.
20. Makes technical and conforming changes.
21. Becomes effective on signature of the Governor, if the emergency clause is enacted.
Prepared by Senate Research
February 10, 2025
MH/ci