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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Seventh Legislature, First Regular Session
middle school students; CTE courses
Purpose
Authorizes a school district or charter school to offer career and technical education (CTE) courses to middle school students during the 2025-2026, 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years. Allows CTE course credits a middle school student earns to count toward the promotion from eighth grade and graduation from high school and requires each public school to accept CTE course credits earned by middle school students. Outlines reporting requirements for school districts and charter schools that offer CTE courses to middle school students.
Background
Career technical education districts (CTEDs) are responsible for providing CTE preparation programs designed to prepare students for advanced CTE or entry into the workforce. A person may enroll in a CTED without regard to the person's age or high school graduation, except that a CTED may not include a person in the CTED's student count if the person: 1) is in a kindergarten program or any grades one through eight; 2) graduated from high school or received a general equivalency diploma; or 3) is older than 21 years old. A CTED student in grade eight may be funded with monies generated from the CTED secondary property tax levy. Funding may not be provided for more than four years to the same student. A CTED governing board may enter into an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) or contract with a school district, charter school, community college district (CCD) or another CTED to offer CTE courses (A.R.S. § 15-393).
The State Board of Education (SBE) must designate a school district to maintain a department consisting of CTE and vocational education programs and program improvement services for students in grades 7 through 12 if: 1) the school district governing board applies to the SBE for the designation; 2) the school has satisfactory facilities and equipment fit to provide CTE and vocational education; and 3) the school district governing board employs trained instructors that meet SBE-prescribed qualifications and provides suitable classrooms and laboratory facilities that meet SBE-prescribed rules (A.R.S. § 15-782).
The Joint Legislative Budget Committee (JLBC) fiscal note estimates that allowing a school district or charter school to offer CTE courses to middle school students would not have a direct impact on the state General Fund for public school formula costs. JLBC estimates that any costs generated through IGAs would be borne by the school districts and charter schools (JLBC fiscal note).
Provisions
1. Authorizes, during the 2025-2026, 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years, any school that is operated by a school district or charter school that provides instruction to middle school students to offer CTE courses.
2. Determines that CTE courses offered to middle school students may be counted for:
a) the promotion of students from eighth grade; and
b) the graduation of students from high school.
3. Requires each public school to accept credits earned by a middle school student in a CTE course.
4. Specifies that a public school is not required to recognize credits that were not earned by a student in a CTE course because the student did not complete the course or earn a passing grade.
5. Directs a school district or charter school that operates a school that offers CTE courses to middle school students to enter into an IGA or contract to provide the CTE courses with:
a) a CTED;
b) a school that has been approved by the SBE to provide CTE and vocational education programs; or
c) a CCD that provides CTE courses that have been approved by the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) as prescribed.
6. Requires, by July 1, each school district or charter school that operates a school that offers CTE courses to middle school students during the previous school year to annually report to ADE:
a) the number of CTE courses offered by each middle school in the previous school year; and
b) the number of students in each middle school who successfully completed a CTE course in the previous school year.
7. Requires, by December 31, 2028, ADE to:
a) compile all annual reports received from school districts and charter schools that offer CTE courses to middle school students and prepare a summary of the reports; and
b) submit the compiled reports and summary to the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Governor and provide a copy of the compiled reports and summary to the Secretary of State.
8. Repeals the authorization to offer CTE courses to middle school students and the reporting requirements on January 1, 2037.
9. Defines middle school student as a student who is in any of grades six, seven or eight.
10. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
House Action
ED 2/11/25 DP 12-0-0-0
3rd Read 3/3/25 54-4-2
Prepared by Senate Research
March 24, 2025
MH/ci