This bill aims to enhance access to career and technical education (CTE) by mandating that regional CTE agreements (RCTEAs) include provisions for an access program that allows students from sending districts to enroll in non-CTE courses at receiving districts, either part-time or full-time. The bill amends existing law to replace the term "schools" with "districts" in several instances, ensuring that agreements align the school calendars of sending and receiving districts to minimize scheduling conflicts for CTE students. Additionally, it stipulates that students from sending districts will have access to CTE programming on the same basis as resident district pupils. The bill also introduces a new paragraph that defines part-time and full-time students based on their enrollment in non-CTE classes and outlines the tuition responsibilities of sending districts for these students.

Furthermore, the bill specifies that the state will provide funding for students qualified to attend receiving schools under the new access program. It allows students attending non-public or chartered public schools to enroll in a regional CTE center that is closer to their school, rather than being restricted to their resident CTE center. The bill also clarifies that all expenses related to special education services for students will be covered by the district where the child resides. The fiscal impact of the bill is indeterminable, as it does not provide specific funding or authorize new positions, and the costs will vary based on factors such as tuition rates and transportation expenses.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 188-E:1-a, 188-E:1-, 188-E:6, 188-E:7
As Amended by the Senate: 188-E:1-a, 188-E:1-, 188-E:6, 188-E:7