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Board approves renewal of dual-enrollment agreement with University of Arizona after debate over politics-focused course
Summary
The Chandler Unified Board approved a renewed intergovernmental agreement with the University of Arizona to continue offering select dual-enrollment courses through 2029–30. An attempt to remove a politics/philosophy/economics course failed and the agreement passed 3–2.
The Chandler Unified School District Governing Board voted 3–2 on Oct. 8 to renew an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) with the University of Arizona to make specified dual-enrollment courses available to district students through the 2029–30 academic year.
The agreement lists courses that would be available for eligible CUSD high school students, including introductory engineering (ENG 102), microbiology sequences (MCB 101 and MCB 102) and PPEL 101 (Politics, Philosophy, Economics and Law), described during board discussion as "Markets and Morality." Board member Mr. Roars proposed an amendment to remove PPEL 101 from the agreement; that amendment failed on a 2–3 vote. The original motion to approve the IGA then passed 3–2.
Board members who voted in favor in the final roll call were Mrs. Mendoza, Mrs. Modston and President Serrano. Members voting no included Mr. Roars and Mr. Heats. The motion to approve the IGA was moved by Mr. Heap and seconded by Mrs. Mendoza.
During discussion, board members and staff described the IGA as a renewal and consolidation of earlier agreements that had different end dates. Dr. Delatore told the board the IGA updates and extends existing arrangements to 2029–30 and that the courses would be available to CUSD students should the district sites choose to add them to their course catalogs. "This IGA is a renewal and updated of the existing IGA, which is set to terminate in 2027," Dr. Delatore said.
Several board members asked how dual-enrollment classes would be added at the site level and how they are vetted. Staff said course additions still require course-catalog approval and alignment with district instructional standards; new course offerings typically move through local site and district review processes before being placed in a school’s catalog. Staff also said the IGA makes the courses available as menu options but does not require that any particular school offer a listed class.
Board members questioned cost and affordability for families. A board member asked whether University of Arizona per-credit costs or discounts were specified in the agreement; Dr. Delatore said the transcript did not include a specific per-credit cost and staff would follow up on tuition and financial-aid or foundation support options for students in need.
Those concerned about PPEL 101 described it as a politically and philosophically oriented course on markets, morality and political economy; supporters described it as a course that supports critical thinking and entrepreneurial understanding. The board ultimately left the course listed in the agreement for potential future offering pending course-catalog and site-level approvals.
