CSSB 30(EDC): "An Act establishing the Alaska middle college program for public school students; relating to the powers of the University of Alaska; and providing for an effective date."
00 CS FOR SENATE BILL NO. 30(EDC) 01 "An Act establishing the Alaska middle college program for public school students; 02 relating to the powers of the University of Alaska; and providing for an effective date." 03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 04 * Section 1. AS 14.07.168 is amended to read: 05 Sec. 14.07.168. Report to the legislature. Not later than the 30th legislative 06 day of each regular session of the legislature, the board shall prepare and present in 07 person to the legislative committees having jurisdiction over education an annual 08 report that describes the efforts of the board to develop, maintain, and continuously 09 improve a comprehensive quality public education system, as provided for under the 10 bylaws of the board. The report must include 11 (1) a summary of the resolves and rationales provided in support of 12 policy decisions made under AS 14.03.015; 13 (2) program and curriculum changes made, discussed, or 14 recommended in meetings held under AS 14.07.125;
01 (3) additional information relevant to efforts made to improve and 02 maintain the public education system; 03 (4) a summary of the Alaska middle college program established in 04 AS 14.30.780; the summary must include the 05 (A) number of students participating in the program; 06 (B) types of courses in which students have enrolled; 07 (C) total number of credits that students have earned; 08 (D) rate of subsequent enrollment in postsecondary 09 institutions by students who participated in the program; and 10 (E) postsecondary remediation rates of students who 11 participated in the program for courses taken through the program. 12 * Sec. 2. AS 14.30 is amended by adding a new section to read: 13 Article 15. Dual Credit. 14 Sec. 14.30.780. Alaska middle college program established. (a) The Alaska 15 middle college program is established for eligible students to enroll in courses offered 16 by the University of Alaska. A student shall earn both high school and college credit 17 for each course the student has satisfactorily completed through the program. College 18 credit earned through the program is fully transferable within the University of Alaska 19 system. 20 (b) Every school district shall participate in the program. Each school district 21 shall enter into an agreement with the University of Alaska for the purpose of carrying 22 out the program. An agreement under this subsection must allow any student eligible 23 under (c) of this section to participate in the program. 24 (c) A student is eligible for the program if the student 25 (1) is enrolled in public school in the state; 26 (2) has completed the eighth grade and has demonstrated, to the 27 satisfaction of the school district and the University of Alaska, the academic ability 28 necessary to complete college level coursework; 29 (3) has not been awarded a high school diploma; and 30 (4) complies with the requirements of the program. 31 (d) Every school district shall provide information about the program to
01 students in grades eight through 12 who are enrolled in a public school in the state. 02 The information provided must include the 03 (1) process that the University of Alaska uses in awarding credit for 04 completing a course through the program, including the minimum scores generally 05 required to receive college credit from a state postsecondary institution; 06 (2) availability of program courses offered online and throughout the 07 school district; 08 (3) benefits of earning college credit while enrolled in high school; 09 (4) availability of academic support services; 10 (5) academic and social responsibilities associated with participating in 11 the program; and 12 (6) consequences of failing or not completing a course taken through 13 the program. 14 (e) A student who is enrolled in the program may not be required to pay 15 tuition or other costs associated with the program. An agreement entered into by a 16 school district and the University under (b) of this section must state the manner in 17 which costs associated with the program will be shared between the participating 18 school district and the University of Alaska. The agreement may provide for 19 scholarship opportunities and fee waivers to reduce the cost to the school district of 20 participating in the program. 21 (f) A program course may be offered and taught at a public high school in the 22 state if 23 (1) the content and curriculum of the course is consistent with the 24 standards and learning outcomes of the equivalent course offered at the University of 25 Alaska; 26 (2) the instructor teaching the course meets the University of Alaska's 27 standards for adjunct faculty members; 28 (3) the instructor uses the same textbooks and instructional materials 29 used for the equivalent course offered at the University of Alaska; and 30 (4) the course and the instructor are subject to regular evaluation by the 31 University of Alaska to ensure compliance with these standards.
01 (g) A student who enrolls in the program shall be permitted to enroll in up to 02 12 credits each semester and earn up to 60 total credits. 03 (h) For the purpose of calculating a school district's ADM under 04 AS 14.17.410, a student participating in the program is considered a full-time student 05 of the school district in which the student is enrolled. 06 (i) The University of Alaska and a school district may release to each other the 07 transcript of a student to determine the student's eligibility for the program or for 08 graduation. 09 (j) In this section, 10 (1) "program" means the middle college program established under 11 this section; 12 (2) "school district" has the meaning given in AS 14.30.350. 13 * Sec. 3. AS 14.40.040 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 14 (c) The University of Alaska shall implement the Alaska middle college 15 program established under AS 14.30.780. The University of Alaska may not require an 16 applicant to the program to meet eligibility criteria in addition to the eligibility 17 requirements under AS 14.30.780(c). The University of Alaska shall 18 (1) evaluate and regularly review each course offered in the middle 19 college program under AS 14.30.780(f) to ensure consistency with national standards 20 for awarding dual credit; 21 (2) enter into an agreement with a school district consistent with the 22 middle college program standards; and 23 (3) award to a student college credit that is fully transferable within the 24 University of Alaska system for each course satisfactorily completed under the middle 25 college program. 26 * Sec. 4. This Act takes effect July 1, 2020.