BILL NUMBER: SB 451 ENROLLED
BILL TEXT
PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 7, 2011
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 25, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 14, 2011
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 30, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Senator Price
FEBRUARY 16, 2011
An act to amend Section 69439 of the Education Code, relating to
student financial aid.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 451, Price. Student financial aid: Cal Grant C awards.
Existing law, the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal Grant
Act, establishes the Cal Grant C Program under the administration of
the Student Aid Commission and establishes eligibility requirements
for awards under this program. The act requires that a Cal Grant C
award be used only for occupational or technical training, as
defined, in a course of not less than 4 months. The act requires the
commission, after consultation with state and federal agencies, to
determine the areas of occupational or technical training for which
Cal Grant C awards shall be awarded.
This bill would require the Student Aid Commission to develop, and
regularly review and update at least every 5 years, the areas of
occupational or technical training for which students may utilize Cal
Grant C awards. The bill would require the commission to give
priority in granting the awards to students pursuing occupational or
technical training in areas that meet specified criteria. The bill
would require a determination by the commission for a subsequent
award year that the program under which a Cal Grant C was initially
awarded is no longer deemed to receive priority to not affect an
award recipient's renewal. The bill would require the commission to
publish, and retain, on its Internet Web site, a current list of the
areas of occupational or technical training meeting those specified
criteria. The bill would require the commission to examine the
graduation rates and job placement data of eligible programs and to
give priority to students seeking to enroll in programs that rate
high in those areas. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's
Office to submit a report to the Legislature, containing specified
data on the outcomes of the Cal Grant C Program, on or before April
1, 2015, and on or before April 1 of each odd-numbered year
thereafter.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 69439 of the Education Code is amended to read:
69439. (a) A Cal Grant C award shall be utilized only for
occupational or technical training in a course of not less than four
months. There shall be the same number of Cal Grant C awards each
year as were made in the 2000-01 fiscal year. The maximum award
amount and the total amount of funding shall be determined each year
in the annual Budget Act.
(b) "Occupational or technical training" means that phase of
education coming after the completion of a secondary school program
and leading toward recognized occupational goals approved by the
commission.
(c) The commission may use criteria it deems appropriate in
selecting students with occupational talents to receive grants for
occupational or technical training.
(d) The Cal Grant C award recipients shall be eligible for renewal
of their grants until they have completed their occupational or
technical training in conformance with terms prescribed by the
commission. A determination by the commission for a subsequent award
year that the program under which a Cal Grant C was initially awarded
is no longer deemed to receive priority shall not affect an award
recipient's renewal. In no case shall the grants exceed two calendar
years.
(e) Cal Grant C awards shall be for institutional fees, charges,
and other costs, including tuition, plus training-related costs, such
as special clothing, local transportation, required tools,
equipment, supplies, and books. In determining the amount of grants
and training-related costs, the commission shall take into account
other state and federal programs available to the applicant.
(f) (1) To ensure alignment with the state's dynamic economic
needs, the commission, in consultation with appropriate state and
federal agencies, shall develop areas of occupational and technical
training for which students may utilize Cal Grant C awards. The
commission, if necessary, may also consult with nongovernmental
stakeholders that develop or provide workforce training or employ
graduates of occupational and technical training programs for this
purpose.
(2) The areas of occupational and technical training developed
pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be regularly reviewed and updated at
least every five years, beginning in 2012.
(3) The commission shall give priority in granting Cal Grant C
awards to students pursuing occupational or technical training in
areas that meet at least two of the following criteria:
(A) High employment need.
(B) High employment salary or wage projections.
(C) High employment growth.
(g) The commission shall determine areas of occupational or
technical training that meet the criteria described in paragraph (3)
of subdivision (f) in consultation with the Employment Development
Department using projections available through the Labor Market
Information Data Library. The commission shall publish, and retain,
on its Internet Web site a current list of the areas of occupational
or technical training that meet the criteria described in paragraph
(3) of subdivision (f), and update this list as necessary.
(h) The commission shall examine the graduation rates and job
placement data of eligible programs. Commencing with the 2014-15
academic year, the commission shall give priority to Cal Grant C
applicants seeking to enroll in programs that rate high in graduation
rates and job placement data.
(i) (1) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code,
the Legislative Analyst's Office shall submit a report to the
Legislature on the outcomes of the Cal Grant C Program on or before
April 1, 2015, and on or before April 1 of each odd-numbered year
thereafter. This report shall include, but not necessarily be limited
to, information on all of the following:
(A) The age, gender, and segment of attendance for recipients in
two prior award years.
(B) The occupational and technical training program categories
prioritized.
(C) The number and percentage of students who received selection
priority as defined in paragraph (3) of subdivision (f).
(D) The extent to which recipients in these award years were
successfully placed in jobs that meet local, regional, or state
workforce needs.
(2) For the report due on or before April 1, 2015, the Legislative
Analyst's Office shall include data for two additional prior award
years and shall compare the mix of occupational and technical
training programs and institutions in which Cal Grant C recipients
enrolled before and after implementation of subdivision (f).
(3) A report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.