CSSB 32(FIN): "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. 32(FIN) 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. Alaska Middle College Program. 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 and applicable toward 19 pursuit of a degree or certificate at the University of Alaska system. 20 (b) The University of Alaska shall make the program available to each school 21 district in the state. A school district may elect to participate by entering into an 22 agreement with the University of Alaska. An agreement under this subsection must 23 allow a student eligible 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 a 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) to maintain eligibility for the program, complies with the 31 requirements of the program.
01 (d) Every school district that elects to participate in the program shall provide 02 information about the program to students and parents of students in grades eight 03 through 12 who are enrolled in a public school in the state to ensure that students and 04 parents are aware of program opportunities. The information provided must include 05 the 06 (1) process that the University of Alaska uses in awarding credit for 07 completing a course through the program, including the minimum scores generally 08 required to receive college credit from a state postsecondary institution; 09 (2) availability of program courses offered online and throughout the 10 school district; 11 (3) benefits of earning college credit while enrolled in high school; 12 (4) availability of academic support services; 13 (5) academic and social responsibilities associated with participating in 14 the program; and 15 (6) consequences of failing or not completing a course taken through 16 the program, including whether a failed course will appear on a student's official 17 college transcript. 18 (e) An agreement entered into by a school district and the University of 19 Alaska under (b) of this section must outline the manner in which costs associated 20 with the program will be shared between the participating school district and the 21 University of Alaska. The agreement may provide for scholarship opportunities and 22 fee waivers to reduce the cost to the school district of participating in the program. 23 (f) If a program course is offered and conducted at a location other than a 24 University of Alaska facility, 25 (1) the content and curriculum of the course must be consistent with 26 national standards for awarding dual credit and the standards and learning outcomes of 27 the equivalent course offered at the University of Alaska; 28 (2) the instructor teaching the course must meet the University of 29 Alaska's standards for adjunct faculty members; 30 (3) the instructor shall use the same textbooks and instructional 31 materials used for the equivalent course offered at the University of Alaska; and
01 (4) the course and the instructor are subject to regular evaluation by the 02 University of Alaska to ensure compliance with these standards. 03 (g) A student who enrolls in the program shall be permitted to enroll in up to 04 15 credits each semester and earn up to 60 total credits. 05 (h) For the purpose of calculating a school district's ADM under 06 AS 14.17.410, a student participating in the program is considered a full-time student 07 of the school district in which the student is enrolled. 08 (i) The University of Alaska and a school district may release to each other the 09 transcript of a student to determine the student's eligibility for the program or for 10 graduation. 11 (j) In this section, 12 (1) "program" means the Alaska middle college program established 13 under this section; 14 (2) "school district" has the meaning given in AS 14.30.350. 15 * Sec. 3. AS 14.40.040 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 16 (c) The University of Alaska shall implement the Alaska middle college 17 program established under AS 14.30.780. The University of Alaska shall 18 (1) evaluate and regularly review each course offered in the Alaska 19 middle college program under AS 14.30.780(f) to ensure consistency with national 20 standards for awarding dual credit; 21 (2) enter into an agreement with a school district that elects to 22 participate consistent with the Alaska middle college program standards; and 23 (3) award to a student college credit that is fully transferable within 24 and applicable toward pursuit of a degree or certificate at the University of Alaska 25 system for each course satisfactorily completed under the Alaska middle college 26 program. 27 * Sec. 4. This Act takes effect July 1, 2022.