ARC 3288C

ARC 3288C

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT[281]

Adopted and Filed

Pursuant to the authority of Iowa Code section 256.7(5), the State Board of Education hereby amends Chapter 21, "Community Colleges," Iowa Administrative Code.

The amendments to Chapter 21 incorporate changes to the rules which establish basic requirements for certificate, diploma, and degree programs and instructional courses for drinking drivers, both offered by community colleges. Regarding subrule 21.2(9), changes include updating terminology from technical "specialty component" to technical "core" and establishing a minimum technical core course requirement for diplomas. Regarding rule 281—21.32(321J), changes include an increase in tuition fees for an instructional course for drinking drivers offered by community colleges to $140 and an increase in the administrative fee collected by the Department to $15 for individuals enrolled in an Iowa instructional course for drinking drivers and to $37.50 for individuals enrolled in an out-of-state instructional course for drinking drivers. The fee adjustments reflect the recommendation of a drinking drivers instruction course advisory committee and reflect the cost of providing such courses.

An agencywide waiver provision is provided in 281—Chapter 4.

Notice of Intended Action was published in the June 7, 2017, Iowa Administrative Bulletin as ARC 3087C. Public comments were allowed until 4:30 p.m. on June 27, 2017. A public hearing was held on that date. No one attended the public hearing. One letter in support of the amendments was received. These amendments are identical to those published under Notice.

After analysis and review of this rule making, no impact on jobs has been found.

These amendments are intended to implement Iowa Code chapter 260C.

These amendments will become effective October 4, 2017.

The following amendments are adopted.

Item 1. Amend paragraph 21.2(9)"d" as follows:

d. Associate of applied science (AAS). The degree is awarded upon completion of a state-approved program of study that is intended to prepare students for entry-level career and technical occupations. An associate of applied science degree shall consist of a minimum of 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 86 semester (129 quarter) credit hours. The general education component of the associate of applied science degree program shall consist of a minimum of 12 semester (18 quarter) credit hours of general education and shall include at least one course from each of the following areas: communications, social science or humanities, and mathematics or science. The technical specialty component core of the associate of applied science degree shall constitute a minimum of 50 percent of the course credits.

Item 2. Amend paragraph 21.2(9)"e" as follows:

e. Associate of applied arts (AAA). The degree is awarded upon completion of a state-approved program of study that is primarily intended for career training in providing students with professional skills for employment in a specific field of work such as arts, humanities, or graphic design. An associate of applied arts degree shall consist of a minimum of 60 semester (90 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 86 semester (129 quarter) credit hours. The general education component of the associate of applied arts degree program shall consist of a minimum of 12 semester (18 quarter) credit hours of general education and shall include at least one course from each of the following: communications, social science or humanities, and mathematics or science. The technical specialty component core of the associate of applied arts degree shall constitute a minimum of 50 percent of the course credits.

Item 3. Amend subparagraph 21.2(9)"f"(3) as follows:

(3)An associate of professional studies degree shall consist of a minimum of 62 semester (93 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 68 semester (102 quarter) credit hours. The general education component of the associate of professional studies degree shall consist of a minimum of 30 semester (45 quarter) credit hours of general education including 3 semester (4.5 quarter) credit hours of each of the following: speech, mathematics, humanities, social and behavioral sciences, science; 6 semester (9 quarter) credit hours of writing; and 9 semester (13.5 quarter) credit hours distributed among mathematics, social and behavioral sciences, humanities, and science. The technical specialty component core of the associate of professional studies degree shall consist of a minimum of 16 semester (24 quarter) credit hours of career and technical coursework accepted by a receiving baccalaureate degree-granting institution with an aligned program as applying toward a specific major or program of study. The technical specialty component core of the degree shall also consist of a minimum of 16 additional semester (24 quarter) credit hours of career and technical coursework accepted by the receiving institution as electives.

Item 4. Amend paragraph 21.2(9)"g" as follows:

g. Diploma. The diploma is awarded upon completion of a state-approved program of study that is a coherent sequence of courses consisting of a minimum of 15 semester (22.5 quarter) credit hours and a maximum of 48 semester (72 quarter) credit hours including at least 3 semester (4.5 quarter) credit hours of general education. The general education component shall be from any of the following areas: communications, social science or humanities, and mathematics or science. The technical core of the diploma shall constitute a minimum of 70 percent of the course credits. A diploma may be a component of and apply toward subsequent completion of an associate of applied science or associate of applied arts degree.

Item 5. Amend subrule 21.32(1) as follows:

21.32(1) Each person enrolled in an instructional course for drinking drivers shall pay to the community college or a substance abuse treatment program licensed under Iowa Code chapter 125 a tuition fee of $85 $140 for the approved 12-hour course, plus a reasonable book fee. The court may allow an offender to combine the required course with a program that incorporates jail time. Reasonable fees may be assessed for costs associated with lodging, meals, and security.

Item 6. Amend rule 281—21.33(321J) as follows:

281—21.33(321J) Administrative fee established.

21.33(1) Students enrolled in Iowa. Each person enrolled in Iowa in an instructional course for drinking drivers under this chapter shall be charged an administrative fee of $10 $15. This fee is in addition to tuition and shall be collected by the provider of the instructional course in conjunction with the tuition fee established under 281—21.32(321J). The administrative fee shall be forwarded to the department of education on a quarterly basis as prescribed by the department. If a student has been declared by the court as indigent, no administrative fee will be charged to that student.

21.33(2) Students enrolled in another state. Each person enrolled outside the state of Iowa in an instructional course for drinking drivers under this chapter shall be charged an administrative fee of $25 $37.50. This fee is in addition to tuition and shall be paid directly to the department of education by the student. Upon payment of the fee, the department of education shall review the educational component of the course taken by the student and shall inform the department of transportation whether the educational component is approved by the department of education.

[Filed 8/4/17, effective 10/4/17]

[Published 8/30/17]

Editor's Note: For replacement pages for IAC, see IAC Supplement 8/30/17.