Arizona Laws 15-1402.01. Alternative organization for community college districts
A. A county that does not meet the requirements prescribed in section 15-1402 may organize a community college district under this chapter if all of the following requirements are met:
Terms Used In Arizona Laws 15-1402.01
- Community college: means an educational institution that is operated by a district board and that provides a program of not more than four years' training in the arts, sciences and humanities beyond the twelfth grade of the public or private high school course of study or vocational education, including terminal courses of a technical and vocational nature and basic adult education courses. See Arizona Laws 15-1401
- District: means a community college district that is established pursuant to sections 15-1402 and 15-1403 or Section 15-1402. See Arizona Laws 15-1401
- enrollment: means that a pupil is currently registered in the school district. See Arizona Laws 15-901
- Full-time equivalent student: means student enrollment for fifteen community college semester credit units per semester. See Arizona Laws 15-1401
- Governing board: means a body organized for the government and management of the schools within a school district or a county school superintendent in the conduct of an accommodation school. See Arizona Laws 15-101
- Oversight: Committee review of the activities of a Federal agency or program.
- Property: includes both real and personal property. See Arizona Laws 1-215
- Provisional community college district: means a community college district that was organized pursuant to section 15-1409 and that began operations before January 1, 2015. See Arizona Laws 15-1401
- Testimony: Evidence presented orally by witnesses during trials or before grand juries.
- United States: includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Arizona Laws 1-215
1. A provisional community college district that began operations before January 1, 2015 has been in operation in that county for at least five years immediately before the formation of the proposed community college district pursuant to this section.
2. The most recent number of full-time equivalent student enrollment calculated pursuant to Section 15-1466.01 for the provisional community college district is at least four hundred fifty.
3. The proposed community college district is actively seeking accreditation from a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education or by the council on postsecondary accreditation.
4. A member of the public requests, or the governing board schedules, public meetings to discuss and hear testimony on converting the provisional community college district to an independent community college district.
5. At the next regularly scheduled meeting after the meeting prescribed in paragraph 4 of this subsection, the governing board of the provisional community college district adopts a resolution to form a community college district pursuant to this section.
6. Notwithstanding section 42-17056, after the governing board of the provisional community college district adopts a resolution pursuant to paragraph 5 of this subsection, the governing board may call an election on a general election date of the board’s choice to seek voter approval to increase the primary property tax levy for the provisional community college district. If a majority of the qualified electors voting:
(a) Approve the proposed levy amount, the levy applicable for the district for the next tax year shall not exceed the approved amount and the governing board shall not seek voter approval to increase the primary property tax levy in any subsequent year.
(b) Disapprove the proposed levy amount, the district shall levy a primary property tax based on the previously authorized levy.
7. The provisional community college district has maintained a regional accreditation and oversight relationship with another community college district until the conversion of the provisional community college district to an independent community college district.
B. A community college district established pursuant to this section shall maintain a regional accreditation and oversight relationship with another community college district until the district achieves initial candidacy status from a regional accrediting agency recognized by the United States department of education or by the council on postsecondary accreditation.