House of Representatives

HB 2578

technology assisted project-based pilot program

Sponsors: Representative Carruthers, Binder

X	Committee on Energy, Utilities and Technology
	Committee on Education
	Committee on Appropriations
	Caucus and COW
	Third Read
	As Passed the House

HB 2578 expands the number of school districts and charter schools allowed to participate in the Technology Assisted Project-Based Instruction Program.

History

The Technology Assisted and Project-Based Instruction Program (TAPBI) aims at improving student achievement and extending academic options beyond the four walls of the traditional classroom. Under current law, before selecting public schools to participate in the program, the State Board of Education and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee must review the proposed curriculum of each potential pilot school and evaluate the projected costs of operating the program.

Currently, there are four public schools enrolled in the TAPBI program: Mesa Unified School District, Deer Valley Unified School District, PPEP TEC Charter School and Sequoia Choice Charter School. This bill caps the per-student funding at the statewide average per student expenditure of the prior school year. According to the Superintendent’s Annual Report for FY 1999-2000, the per student statewide expenditure was $5,011 for traditional public schools and $4,943 for charter schools.

Student participants in the TAPBI program include migrant, home schooled, private schooled pupils, as well as public school students who need to make up credits in time to graduate, former dropouts and gifted students. TAPBI also offers options for “distance learning” students to take courses “on-line” via the Internet. This provides home schooled students and students from remote school districts and private schools with more learning options and access to specialized courses that would normally not be available due to teacher shortages in rural areas. For other students, TAPBI courses extend academic options within the classroom by providing them with access to self-paced, computer assisted courses that may not be available in the traditional classroom setting. Arizona’s TAPBI sites supplement students with books and other instructional material. Current law limits the number of participating students within the state to 500.

Provisions

· Establishes that beginning July 1, 2003, the State Board of Education shall select four additional public schools, two of which are to be charter schools, to take part in the TAPBI program.

· Provides that, in addition to current requirements, the four additional schools shall meet all of the following requirements:

· Establish an academic profile of each participating student reflecting the student’s placement in each of the standard state subject areas in which the school provides instruction, as measured by an assessment tool approved by the Department of Education.

· Enter into a contract with the Superintendent of Public Instruction to provide a specific funding amount to the school in order to advance each student ahead one academic year in each of the standard state subject areas, based upon the students academic profile.

· The amount of funding provided for in the contract may not exceed the statewide average per student expenditure for the previous fiscal year.

· Provisions may be included for prorating the amount of the funding based on individual student criteria.

· Provide information to the State Board of Education and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee that shows the average amount of time required to advance a student ahead one full academic year

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· 45th Legislature

· Second Regular Session 2 February 12, 2002

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