House of
Representatives
HB 2741
schools; international studies
Sponsors: Representatives Anderson, Kirkpatrick
HB 2741 requires the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) to establish three Schools of International Studies and seven International Studies High Schools to prepare pupils for international business or international service by emphasizing oral or written fluency in foreign languages, knowledge of global history, knowledge of international business and relevant skills. The ADE must award competitive grants to new or existing schools in school districts or charter schools, or both. Additionally, the Schools of International Studies Fund and the International Studies High Schools Fund are established, with FY 2007-08 appropriations of $900,000 and $1,400,000, respectively, appropriated from the state General Fund to the ADE for each fund.
Provisions
· Requires the ADE to establish three Schools of International Studies and seven International Studies High Schools to prepare pupils for international business or international service by emphasizing oral or written fluency in foreign languages, knowledge of global history, knowledge of international business and relevant skills. The ADE must award competitive grants to new or existing schools in school districts or charter schools, or both.
· Delineates the requirements that Schools of International Studies must meet.
· Requires students within the Schools of International Studies to begin learning a foreign language in kindergarten or at the grade the pupil enters the school, and a second foreign language in ninth grade. The schools must attempt to ensure that students graduating from the school demonstrate written and oral proficiency in at least three languages.
· Establishes the International Studies Fund consisting of legislative appropriations, to be administered by the ADE. Monies in the Fund are subject to legislative appropriation.
· Requires the ADE to designate three Schools of International Studies to receive annual grants, with one school each in the northern, central and southern portions of Arizona receiving an amount of $300,000. Grants may be renewed annually based on conditions determined by the ADE.
· Requires International Studies High Schools to consist of a specified portion of either a high school within a school district or a charter school that teaches high school, or both. Each school must attempt to ensure that the graduating students show written and oral proficiency in at least two foreign languages.
· Establishes the International Studies High School Fund consisting of legislative appropriations, to be administered through the ADE.
· Requires the ADE to designate seven International Studies High Schools to receive grants from the International Studies High Schools Fund in the amount of $200,000 each. Grants may be renewed annually based on conditions determined by the ADE.
· Requires the ADE to award grants from either fund to selected schools that submit applications containing specified criteria.
· Appropriates $900,000 from the state General Fund in FY 2007-08 to the ADE for the establishment of three Schools of International Studies. The appropriation is exempt from lapsing.
· Appropriates $1,400,000 from the state General Fund in FY 2007-08 to the ADE for the establishment of seven International Studies High Schools. The appropriation is exempt from lapsing.
Amendment
Education (K-12)
· Transfers the responsibility, implementation and selection of the Schools of International Studies and the International Studies High Schools from the ADE to the State Board of Education.
· Changes global history to world history.
· Requires business courses to be grade level appropriate.
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· Forty-eighth Legislature
· First Regular Session 2 February 14, 2007
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