HB2307 - 541R

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Title 15, chapter 2, article 1, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended by adding section 15-220, to read:

START_STATUTE15-220. Continuing high school program; requirements; enrollment limits; program termination

A. The state board of education shall establish a continuing high school program to provide alternative study services to adult learners leading to the issuance of a high school diploma and workforce skills credentials.

B. The continuing high school program shall provide public education to adult learners through partnerships between approved service providers and school districts, non-profit charter schools or career technical education districts. To be an eligible service provider, an organization must be qualified pursuant to section 501(c)(3) of the internal revenue code and demonstrate at least a ten‑year history of providing services in this state to persons who are at least eighteen years of age and whose educational and training opportunities have been limited by educational disadvantages, disabilities and challenges.

C. A high school diploma may be issued pursuant to this section only to an adult learner who meets all the graduation requirements of section 15-701.01 and the State Board of Education.

D. The continuing high school program shall meet all applicable legal requirements PRESCRIBED in this title for a public school, including requirements for student assessments, REQUIREMENTS for special education services and prohibitions against admission limits based on ethnicity, national origin, gender, income level, disabling condition, English language proficiency or athletic ability.

E. The continuing high school program is not eligible for transportation funding pursuant to section 15-945.

F. the continuing high school program is not eligible for Arizona online instruction funding pursuant to section 15-808.

G. Notwithstanding the age restrictions otherwise prescribed in this title, the continuing high school program is eligible to receive base support level funding pursuant to section 15-943 and additional assistance in the same manner as a school district or charter school.

H. The department of education shall develop application procedures for service providers that wish to participate in the continuing high school program. An application submitted pursuant to this section must include all of the following:

1. A description of the service provider's administrative structure, program activities and program staff, the service provider's budget and the specific curriculum of the service provider that is aligned with the state academic standards.

2. The service provider's school calendar and a schedule describing the service provider's location, length of school day, program sequence, multidisciplinary courses, pace and instructional activities, or any combination of these items.

3. A description of Specific academic, behavioral and emotional support services the service provider will offer to adult learners who enroll in the program.

4. If applicable, a DESCRIPTION of the service provider's Career technical education courses that lead to industry certifications in high‑growth and in-demand industry sectors or dual enrollment courses from a university or community college. A service provider may partner with a community college district to provide career technical education courses that lead to industry certifications.

5. A description of Specific program outcomes, goals and metrics the service provider will use to determine student success.

6. The projected number of adult learners the service provider will enroll.

I. The state board of education shall evaluate applications submitted by service providers and approve service providers that demonstrate through evidence or other documentation the ability to meet the performance expectations adopted by the state Board. the state board's approval is subject to all of the following:

1. The Initial approval of a service provider's participation in the continuing high school program shall be for a period of not more than two school years.

2. The Renewal of approval shall be for a period of not more than four school years and is contingent on specific performance expectations, including student progression, graduation rates and earning of industry‑recognized credentials.

3. If an approved service provider fails to meet any of the requirements of this Section or any rules adopted by the state Board, the state Board shall immediately initiate a process to revoke the service provider's approval to provide the program.

J. An approved service provider of the continuing high school program shall annually report the following information to the department of education:

1. The number of students the service provider enrolls in the program.

2. The graduation rate of students the service provider enrolls in the program.

3. The average student progress toward meeting graduation requirements.

4. The number and type of industry-recognized credentials earned by students the service provider enrolls in the program.

5. A descriptive summary of the academic, behavioral and emotional support services the service provider offers to adult learners in the program.

K. On or before December 15 of each year, The department of education shall submit an annual report concerning the continuing high school program to the governor, the president of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives that includes an evaluation of the effectiveness of the program. The department of education shall provide a copy of the report to the secretary of state.

L. Except as provided in subsection M of this section, the State Board of Education may approve program service providers with a total projected average daily membership of:

1. In Fiscal Year 2020-2021, not more than three hundred fifty total average daily membership.

2. In Fiscal Year 2021-2022, not more than seven hundred total average daily membership.

3. In Fiscal Year 2022-2023 and each fiscal year thereafter, not more than one thousand seven hundred fifty total average daily membership.

M. In order to maximize the availability of the continuing high school program, the State Board of education may adjust the average daily membership allocated to individual program service providers of the program based on the previous year's enrollment, strong demand for new enrollment or changes in the facilities where the program is operated, except that the total average daily membership shall not exceed the total projected average daily membership authorized by subsection L of this section.

N. The state board of education may adopt rules to carry out the purposes of this section.

O. the program established by this section ends on July 1, 2029 pursuant to section 41‑3102. END_STATUTE