Assigned to ED                                                                                                              FOR COMMITTEE

 

 

 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

CORRECTED

FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2540

 

community colleges; dual enrollment programs

 

Purpose

 

Establishes requirements relating to the enrollment certification of students simultaneously enrolled in high school and college level courses.

 

Background

 

Arizona law allows students under the age of 18 to enroll in college or university courses before completing high school graduation requirements.  Some high school students enroll in college-level courses and receive academic credit at both the high school and college level, which is also known as dual enrollment.  Dual enrollment usually occurs at the community college level.  Students taking dual enrollment courses are required to pay applicable college or university tuition.  These students may also be included in a high school’s average daily membership (ADM). 

 

The Joint Legislative Study Committee on Dual Enrollment stated in its 2000 final report recommendations that the Legislature address program requirements, full-time equivalent enrollment, and student performance issues related to dual enrollment.

 

The fiscal impact associated with this bill to the state general fund is unknown at this time.

 

 Provisions

 

1.      Requires school districts or charter schools to include a student level data element in the Student Accountability Information System (SAIS) that indicates if the student is enrolled in a joint technological education district or a community college for classes counting towards high school graduation requirements.

 

2.      Requires the State Board of Directors for Community Colleges to use the same student level data element to identify students simultaneously enrolled in a course for both high school and college credit.

 

3.      Requires the Auditor General to have access to the student level data element when certifying the full-time equivalent student enrollment of the school.

 

 

 

 

4.      Requires that the Auditor General certify separately any full-time equivalent student enrollment when a student is enrolled in a course for both high school and college credit simultaneously, beginning with the audit for the year ending June 30, 2002.

 

5.      Makes conforming changes.

 

6.      Provides for a general effective date.

 

House Action

 

ED                   2/12/01            DP       10-0-0-0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              DP                        10-0-0-0-0

APPROP         2/20/01            DPA    14-0-0-2-0

3rd Read           3/7/01              DPA    57-2-1-0

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

March 16, 2001