Assigned to ED                                                                                                                                       AS ENACTED

 

 


 

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Phoenix, Arizona

 

FINAL REVISED

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, unless the college in which the student is enrolled is a college that is owned, operated or chartered by an Indian tribe.

 

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, beginning with the audit for the year ending June 30, 2003, the Auditor General to certify separately any full-time equivalent student enrollment when a student is enrolled in a course for both high school and college credit simultaneously, except when credit is received by the student at a private college or a college owned, operated or chartered by an Indian tribe.

 

5.      Stipulates, that in order to qualify for Proposition 301 funding, a qualifying Indian tribe is required to report its full-time equivalent student enrollment, based on the preceding fiscal year, to the State Board of Directors for Community Colleges by June 30 each year, and is required to comply with the same accounting procedures and practices prescribed by the State Board of Community Colleges under its jurisdiction.

 

6.      Allows a qualifying Indian tribe to report to the State Board of Education the number of students simultaneously enrolled in a course for both high school and community college credit.

 

7.      Defines “community college” and “qualifying Indian tribe.”

 

8.      Makes technical and conforming changes.

 

9.      Provides for a delayed effective date of July 1, 2002.

 

Amendments Adopted by the Education Committee

 

1.      Delays the effective date of the bill to July 1, 2002.

 

2.      Delays the requirements relating to the Auditor General for one year to conform with the delayed effective date.

 

3.      Contains a technical change.

 

Amendments Adopted by Committee of the Whole

 

1.      Stipulates, that in order to qualify for Proposition 301 funding, a qualifying Indian tribe is required to report its full-time equivalent student enrollment, based on the preceding fiscal year, to the State Board of Directors for Community Colleges by June 30 each year, and is required to comply with the same accounting procedures and practices prescribed by the State Board of Community Colleges under its jurisdiction.

 

2.      Allows a qualifying Indian tribe to report to the State Board of Education the number of students simultaneously enrolled in a course for both high school and community college credit.

 

3.      Exempts school districts or charter schools from including a student level data element that indicates if a student is enrolled in a joint technological education district or a community college for classes that count towards graduation requirements, when the college in which the student is enrolled is a college that is owned, operated or chartered by an Indian tribe.

4.      Provides an exemption to the Auditor General’s requirement to certify separately any full-time equivalent student enrollment where a student is enrolled in a course for both high school and college credit simultaneously, when credit is received by the student at a private college or a college owned, operated or chartered by an Indian tribe.

 

5.      Defines “community college” and “qualifying Indian tribe.”

 

House Action                                                                Senate Action

 

ED                   2/12/01            DP       10-0-0-0          ED                   3/29/01       DPA     6-0-2-0                                                                                                                                                                                                                  DP                        10-0-0-0-0

APPROP         2/20/01            DPA    14-0-0-2-0      3rd Read           4/27/01                    29-0-1-0

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

Final Read        5/2/01                          55-0-5-0

 

 

Signed by Governor 5/7/01

Chapter 372

 

 

Prepared by Senate Staff

May 25, 2001