Chapter 456 Oregon Laws 2011

AN ACT

HB 3106

Relating to at-risk students’ participation in the Expanded Options Program; creating new provisions; and amending ORS 340.010, 340.080 and 340.083.

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:

SECTION 1. ORS 340.010 is amended to read:

340.010. The Legislative Assembly declares that the purposes of this chapter are to:

(1) Create a seamless education system for students enrolled in grades 11 and 12 to:

(a) Have additional options to continue or complete their education;

(b) Earn concurrent high school and college credits; and

(c) Gain early entry into post-secondary education.

(2) Promote and support existing accelerated college credit programs, and support the development of new programs that are unique to a community’s secondary and post-secondary relationships and resources.

(3) Allow eligible students who participate in the Expanded Options Program to enroll full-time or part-time in an eligible post-secondary institution.

(4) Provide public funding to the eligible post-secondary institutions for educational services to eligible students to offset the cost of tuition, fees, textbooks, equipment and materials for students who participate in the Expanded Options Program.

(5) Increase the number of at-risk students earning college credits or preparing to enroll in post-secondary institutions.

SECTION 2. ORS 340.080 is amended to read:

340.080. (1) For a high school with an enrollment of 1,000 students, each school year no more than 330 quarter credit hours may be awarded to eligible students at the high school under the Expanded Options Program.

(2) The State Board of Education by rule shall establish separate credit hour caps for high schools that have enrollment greater than 1,000 students and those that have less than 1,000 students. The caps shall be proportional to the credit hour caps established under subsection (1) of this section.

(3) A school district may choose to exceed the credit hour caps established in subsections (1) and (2) of this section.

(4)(a) If a school district [has not chosen to exceed the credit hour caps and] has more eligible students who wish to participate in the Expanded Options Program than are allowed under the credit hour cap established under this section, the school district board shall establish a process for selecting eligible students to participate in the program. [A school district shall] The process must give priority for program participation to at-risk students.

(b) If a school district has not exceeded the credit hour caps established by this section, the school district:

(A) Must ensure that all eligible students who are at-risk students are allowed to participate in the program; and

(B) May allow eligible students who are not at-risk students to participate in the program, as provided by the provisions of this chapter.

SECTION 3. ORS 340.083 is amended to read:

340.083. (1) A school district may request a waiver from the Department of Education of the requirements of this chapter. The department shall grant the waiver if:

(a) Compliance with the requirements of this chapter would adversely impact the finances of the school district; or

(b) The school district does all of the following:

(A) Offers [dual credit technical preparation] accelerated college credit programs, such as two-plus-two programs, advanced placement or International Baccalaureate programs and other accelerated college credit programs[.];

(B) Ensures that at-risk students who participate in the accelerated college credit programs are not required to make any payments for participation in the programs; and

(C) Has a process for participation in the programs that allows:

(i) All at-risk students who are eligible students to participate in the programs;

(ii) At-risk students to earn the number of credit hours established by the State Board of Education by rule under ORS 340.080; or

(iii) For an increasing number of at-risk students who are eligible students to participate in the programs each school year based on demand and appropriateness and as provided by a plan developed by the school district.

(2) The duration of a waiver granted based on subsection [(1)(a)] (1) of this section shall be no more than two school years.

[(3) The duration of a waiver granted under subsection (1)(b) of this section shall be the length of the program that was the basis for the waiver.]

[(4)] (3) There is no limit on the number of times a school district may apply for and be granted a waiver under this section.

SECTION 4. The amendments to ORS 340.083 by section 3 of this 2011 Act first apply to waivers granted on or after the effective date of this 2011 Act.

Approved by the Governor June 21, 2011

Filed in the office of Secretary of State June 21, 2011

Effective date January 1, 2012

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