2022 Arizona Revised Statutes
Title 15 - Education
§ 15-217.03 - Community college adult education workforce development program; fund; program schools; annual reports

15-217.03. Community college adult education workforce development program; fund; program schools; annual reports

A. The community college adult education workforce development program is established within the state board of education, to be administered by the department of education, to provide adult learners with integrated education and training programs and additional study and support services that lead to the issuance of both of the following:

1. A high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma.

2. An industry-recognized credential or community college degree.

B. To be eligible to participate in the program, the program applicant must be a community college district that is established pursuant to section 15-1402, that provides high school diplomas or high school equivalency diplomas and that provides workforce training that leads to industry-recognized credentials or workforce or degree programs, including workforce programs accredited by a regional accrediting body recognized by the United States department of education. If a program applicant meets the requirements of this subsection, the department of education shall distribute monies to the program applicant as prescribed in subsection C of this section.

C. The community college adult education workforce development program fund is established consisting of legislative appropriations and any other monies. The department of education shall administer the fund. Monies in the fund are continuously appropriated and are exempt from the provisions of section 35-190 relating to lapsing of appropriations. Notwithstanding any other law, a program school shall be funded as follows:

1. The program school may receive up to $3, 000 per full-time student in the program each fiscal year. Part-time students shall be funded in proportion to the number of enrolled courses or hours of instruction.

2. The department of education shall distribute fund monies to all program schools that meet the criteria prescribed in subsection B of this section in a proportional manner based on the number of adult learners each program school serves.

D. A program school shall use monies received under this section to supplement and not supplant current program offerings. In addition to any monies received from the fund, a program school may accept and spend federal monies and private grants, gifts, contributions and devises to assist the program school in carrying out the purposes of this section. A program school shall use monies received under subsection C of this section for adult learners to participate in a high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma program that also offers an industry-recognized credential or community college degree. A portion of monies may be used for additional support services to ensure the success of adult learners in the program, including the following:

1. Transportation assistance for adult learners with a demonstrated need.

2. Child care services for dependents of adult learners while the adult learner is on-site.

3. College and career counseling.

4. Job placement assistance.

E. For each year that monies are appropriated by the legislature to the fund established by subsection C of this section, on or before October 30, each participating community college shall submit a report regarding the community college adult education workforce development program to the department of education. The department of education shall compile the reports received from each participating community college and, on or before December 15 of each year, shall provide an annual report to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives and the state board of education and shall provide a copy of this report to the secretary of state. Each report shall include, at a minimum, all of the following information for each participating community college for the preceding school year:

1. The number of adult learners enrolled in the program.

2. The completion rate of high school diplomas and high school equivalency diplomas earned by adult learners enrolled in the program.

3. The average progress of adult learners toward meeting completion criteria.

4. The number and type of industry-recognized credentials, community college degree credits and community college degrees earned by adult learners enrolled in the program.

5. A descriptive summary of the community college adult education workforce development program offered.

6. The number of adult learners who have newly acquired proficiency in the English language.

7. The information required by the performance measures adopted by the state board of education pursuant to section 15-217.

F. The state board of education, in cooperation with the department of education, may request information from any program applicant or program school for the purposes of determining program eligibility and funding distributions under this section.

G. The state board of education, in cooperation with the department of education, may develop a process to bring a program school into compliance or revoke the program school's authorization to participate in the program, at the discretion of the state board of education.

H. The department of education shall provide adequate staff support for the state board of education to comply with this section.