Assigned to ED K-12                                                                                                                       FOR COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Forty-eighth Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2167

charter schools; academic contests fund

Purpose

            Allows charter schools to receive monies from the Academic Contests Fund (Fund).

Background

            Section 15-1241, Arizona Revised Statutes, established an Academic Contests Fund, consisting of monies appropriated by the Legislature or received by the State Board of Education (SBE) in gifts or grants, for the purpose of sending pupils who are state level winners of academic contests and their chaperones to the national levels of these contests. Monies from the Fund may be distributed under the following criteria: 1) contest sponsorship through a recognized national organization; 2) contest is academic in nature and motivates pupils to be creative and demonstrate excellence; 3) contest is open to all pupils, regardless of race, creed, gender or national origin, except contests may separate pupils by age or grade level; and 4) participation of pupils in a national level contest is a result of a local or state level competition, or both.

            The SBE rule, R7-2-313, requires that no other sponsoring agency is assuming the total costs. Additionally, the school district governing board must approve the participation of pupils and travel expenses and submit a completion report and return any unused portion to the Arizona Department of Education (ADE) within 90 days after completion of travel.

            According to the ADE, 354 pupils and 121 chaperones, from 27 school districts, received monies from the Fund in school year 2006-2007. The contests occur in the spring semester or summer following the school year. In school year 2006-2007, pupils participated in the following contests:

- Biotechnology Institute – Sanofi-aventis International BioGENEius Challenge.

- DECA International Career and Development Conference.

- Family, Career and Community Leaders of America.

- F.I.R.S.T. Robotics Championship.

- Future Business Leaders of America National Leadership Conference.

- Future Problem Solving International Competition.

- National Future Farmers of America Agricultural Issues Career & Development.

- National History Day.

- National Science Olympiad.

- National Engineers Week Future City.

- National Forensics League.

- National Health Occupations Students of America.

- National Junior Classical League Latin.

- Odyssey of the Mind.

- Skills USA – Technology/Robotics.

            There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund. The FY 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 appropriation for the Academic Contests Fund was $50,000, and in FY 2006-2007, the average per pupil and per chaperone distribution was $105.26. H.B. 2167 does not increase the amount of the appropriation, but is likely to decrease the average per-pupil amount available for pupils and participants.

Provisions

1. Allows charter schools to receive monies from the Fund.

2. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

ED                   1/30/08     DP     10-0-0-0

3^rd Read           3/3/08                 53-6-1-0

Prepared by Senate Research

March 14, 2008

DW/jas