To amend sections 3313.6013 and 3365.12 of the Revised Code to remove the prohibition on charging students fees for participating in dual enrollment programs or in alternative funding arrangements under the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Program, to require the Chancellor of the Board of Regents, not later than December 31, 2013, to make recommendations to the General Assembly regarding the charging of students for costs associated with the College Credit Plus Program, and to declare an emergency.

Section 1. That sections 3313.6013 and 3365.12 of the Revised Code be amended to read as follows:

Sec. 3313.6013. (A) As used in this section, "dual enrollment program" means a program that enables a student to earn credit toward a degree from an institution of higher education while enrolled in high school or that enables a student to complete coursework while enrolled in high school that may earn credit toward a degree from an institution of higher education upon the student's attainment of a specified score on an examination covering the coursework. Dual enrollment programs may include any of the following:

(1) The post-secondary enrollment options program established under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code;

(2) Advanced placement courses;

(3) Any similar program established pursuant to an agreement between a school district or chartered nonpublic high school and an institution of higher education;

(4) Early college high schools.

(B) Each city, local, exempted village, and joint vocational school district and each chartered nonpublic high school shall provide students enrolled in grades nine through twelve with the opportunity to participate in a dual enrollment program. For this purpose, each school district and chartered nonpublic high school shall offer at least one dual enrollment program in accordance with division (B)(1) or (2) of this section, as applicable.

(1) A city, local, or exempted village school district meets the requirements of this division through its mandatory participation in the post-secondary enrollment options program established under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code. However, a city, local, or exempted village school district may offer any other dual enrollment program, in addition to the post-secondary enrollment options program, and each joint vocational school district shall offer at least one other dual enrollment program, to students in good standing, as defined by the partnership for continued learning under section 3301.42 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to October 16, 2009, or as subsequently defined by the department of education.

(2) A chartered nonpublic high school that elects to participate in the post-secondary enrollment options program established under Chapter 3365. of the Revised Code meets the requirements of this division. Each chartered nonpublic high school that elects not to participate in the post-secondary enrollment options program instead shall offer at least one other dual enrollment program to students in good standing, as defined by the partnership for continued learning under section 3301.42 of the Revised Code as it existed prior to October 16, 2009, or as subsequently defined by the department of education.

(C) Each school district and each chartered nonpublic high school shall provide information about the dual enrollment programs offered by the district or school to all students enrolled in grades eight through eleven.

(D) No city, local, exempted village, and joint vocational school district shall charge an enrolled student an additional fee or tuition for participation in any dual enrollment program offered by the district. Students may be required to pay the costs associated with taking an advanced placement or international baccalaureate examination.

Sec. 3365.12. The superintendent of public instruction and the chancellor of the Ohio board of regents jointly may adopt rules in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code permitting a board of education of a school district or joint vocational school district, governing authority of a community school, governing body of a STEM school, or governing authority of a participating nonpublic school to enter into an agreement with a college or university to use an alternate funding formula to calculate, or an alternate method to transmit, the amount the college or university would be paid for a student participating in a program under this chapter, including the program known as seniors to sophomores.

Rules adopted under this section may include, but need not be limited to, any of the following alternative funding options:

(A) Direct payment of funds necessary to support students participating in a program under this chapter, including the seniors to sophomores program, by the school district, joint vocational school district, community school, STEM school, or any combination thereof, to the college or university in which the student enrolled;

(B) Alternate funding formulas to calculate the amount of money to be paid to colleges for participants;

(C) A negotiated amount to be paid, as agreed by the school district, joint vocational school district, community school, or STEM school and the college or university.

Rules adopted under this section shall prohibit any alternative funding option to include charging a student participating in the program under this chapter any tuition or fees.

Section 2.  That existing sections 3313.6013 and 3365.12 of the Revised Code are hereby repealed.

Section 3.  Not later than December 31, 2013, the Chancellor of the Ohio Board of Regents shall make recommendations to the General Assembly, in accordance with section 101.68 of the Revised Code, regarding whether to permit institutions of higher education, school districts, and schools to charge students for costs associated with the College Credit Plus Program, as provided for by section 363.590 of Am. Sub. H.B. 59 of the 130th General Assembly. The Chancellor shall consult with the Inter-University Council of Ohio, the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities of Ohio, the Ohio Association of Community Colleges, the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and the Ohio School Boards Association in developing the recommendations.

Section 4. This act is hereby declared to be an emergency measure necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety. The reason for such necessity is to timely provide for recommendations regarding student fees for the College Credit Plus Program before that program is implemented. Therefore, this act shall go into immediate effect.