AZ HB2538

Establishes incentive bonuses of $500 per remote student beginning fiscal year 2023-2024 for schools offering live, remote instruction courses that prepare students for qualifying college credit examinations, with a minimum threshold of 10 passing students required.

Requires school districts and charter schools offering live, remote instruction courses to provide an in-person teacher or instructional aide, ensure students meet instructional time requirements, and maintain transcript records and graduation tracking.

Mandates that services providers pay course instructors a stipend of at least 25% of per-course, per-student contractual amounts and receive incentive bonuses if courses provide relevant instruction for college credit qualifying examinations.

Exempts live, remote instruction courses offered under section 15-901.04 from the 40% remote instructional time threshold cap that applies to other remote instruction, allowing unlimited remote delivery for these courses without funding penalties.

Appropriates $200,000 from the state general fund to the Department of Education in fiscal year 2023-2024 for incentive bonus payments under the college credit by examination program.