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ARIZONA STATE SENATE
Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session
adult education; program schools; revisions
Purpose
Exempts a Continuing High School and Workforce Training Program (Program) school from meeting public school requirements as outlined. Requires a Program school to administer an English language proficiency assessment, confirm each adult learner's withdrawal from another school and require adult learners to provide age and residency documentation.
Background
The Arizona Department of Education (ADE) administers the Program to provide alternative study services to adult learners that lead to the issuance of a high school diploma and industry-recognized credentials. The State Board of Education (SBE) authorizes eligible providers to participate in the Program and establish a Program school in partnership with a school district or non-profit charter school. The SBE prescribes graduation requirements that adult learners enrolled in a Program school must meet to earn a high school diploma or an equivalency diploma. A Program school must meet all applicable legal requirements prescribed for public schools (A.R.S. §§ 15-217.01 and 15-701.01).
The SBE must adopt performance measures to evaluate Program school
performance. The performance measures must include measurements of adult
learner progress toward earning a high school diploma or equivalency diploma, and
the number of: 1) high school or equivalency diplomas earned; 2)
industry-recognized credentials earned; 3) adult learners or graduates who have
enrolled at an institution of higher learning or postsecondary educational
institution; and
4) adult learners or graduates who have newly acquired employment, are now
earning higher wages or have obtained a better job or promotion (A.R.S.
§ 15-217).
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.
Provisions
1. Exempts a Program school from meeting all applicable legal requirements prescribed for public schools if a Program school is expressly exempt from the legal requirement or the SBE determines the legal requirement is not feasible or applicable to the education of adult learners.
2. Exempts a Program school from the statutory requirements relating to:
a) the English language proficiency assessment;
b) residency records;
c) school records;
d) the annual achievement profile letter grade assignment; and
e) for an adult learner who has not attended another Arizona school in the two years preceding Program school enrollment, the withdrawal form.
3. Requires a Program school to:
a) administer an English language proficiency assessment that is accepted by an Arizona university or community college;
b) exercise its best effort to confirm each adult learner's withdrawal from another Arizona school, including requesting a student transcript or receiving verbal confirmation from an official at the school from which the adult learner withdrew; and
c) require adult learners who enroll in a Program school to provide verifiable documentation of Arizona residency and reliable proof of age.
4. Specifies that reliable proof of an adult learner's age may include an identification record issued by the state, federal or tribal government or a military identification card.
5. Prohibits ADE from assigning an annual achievement profile letter grade to a Program school.
6. Makes conforming changes.
7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.
Prepared by Senate Research
January 22, 2024
MH/LB/slp