Bill > HB2316

This bill allows middle school students in Arizona, during the 2026-2027, 2027-2028, and 2028-2029 school years, to take career technical education (CTE) courses, which are programs designed to prepare students for specific careers, that can count towards both their middle school promotion and high school graduation requirements. Public schools must accept these credits, provided the student completed the course and passed it. Schools offering these CTE courses must partner with approved CTE districts, state-board-approved schools, or community colleges that offer CTE courses aligned with federal law, specifically the Carl D. Perkins career and technical education improvement act of 2006, as amended by the strengthening career and technical education for the 21st century act. While middle school students taking CTE courses can be funded by CTE districts, these districts cannot increase property taxes for this purpose and cannot include these middle school students in their official student counts. Schools must report annually to the department of education on the number of CTE courses offered, students who completed them, and associated costs, with the department compiling and summarizing these reports for legislative and executive branches by the end of 2029. This provision is set to expire on December 31, 2037, and for the purposes of this bill, a "middle school student" is defined as a student in grades six, seven, or eight.

Education

https://apps.azleg.gov/BillStatus/BillOverview/84053