HB2645 is a bill that amends the Arizona Revised Statutes by adding section 15-701.04, which relates to school curricula for foster children. The bill requires the State Board of Education to develop guidelines for charter schools and school districts to consider when developing policies for calculating academic credits, including partial credits, for foster children who transfer schools pursuant to a best interest educational placement determination while enrolled in grades 9 through 12. These guidelines must include alternative methods for receiving schools to calculate and accept academic credits earned by the foster child in their school of origin.

The bill mandates that each school district governing board and charter school governing body develop and adopt policies concerning transfer credits for foster children who transfer to the school district or charter school under these circumstances. The policies must specify how to calculate full and partial academic credits earned by the foster child at their school of origin, accept all academic credits (including partial credits), determine whether to accept credits as core or elective, and review and update the foster child's graduation plan within ten days of receiving their educational records. Additionally, the bill requires the inclusion of all academic credits and documentation of competencies achieved in the transfer of educational records. It also allows for the administration of local competency assessments to award credits based on the educational records provided by the foster child's school of origin. Importantly, the bill prohibits additional graduation requirements for foster children transferring in grades 11 or 12 beyond the state-prescribed minimum. Definitions for "best interest educational placement determination" and "foster child" are included in the bill.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 15-701.04
House Engrossed Version: 15-701.04
Senate Engrossed Version: 15-701.04
Chaptered Version: 15-701.04