Senate Approps passes Begay bill to help Tribal students attain higher education

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – Senator Carlyle Begay, LD7, released the following statement on the passage of his bill SB1220, including the strike-everything amendment that would create the Tribal College Dual Enrollment Program Fund.

Background

The strike-everything amendment to SB1220 would allow Arizona’s Tribal colleges to help offset costs for dual-enrolled students. Dual enrollment permits a high school student to earn community college credit at both their high school and Tribal college. Arizona's three Tribal community colleges (Dine College, Navajo Technical University and Tohono O’odham Community College) each offer dual enrollment programs.

Tribal colleges would be reimbursed from the Tribal College Dual Enrollment Program Fund for tuition and fees that are waived for dual-enrolled students.

Senator Carlyle Begay:

Sen. Begay

"Dual enrollment proves advantageous for students in our Tribal communities. It allows them to ease the transition from high school to college and get a head start on a college career," said Senator Begay. "There is evidence that it also promotes high school graduation and improves a student's likelihood of remaining in college.

"We need to encourage more of these programs in rural and Tribal areas and this bill does just that."