BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Alan Lowenthal, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 461
AUTHOR: Blakeslee
INTRODUCED: February 16, 2011
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: March 30, 2011
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT: Lynn Lorber
SUBJECT : High school equivalency certificates.
SUMMARY
This bill expands the list of people who may receive a high
school equivalency certificate to include youth who are at
least 17 years of age and have successfully completed the
academic curriculum of a National Guard Youth ChalleNGe
Program.
BACKGROUND
Current law:
1) Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to
issue a California high school equivalency certificate
and an official score report to any person who has not
completed high school and who meets all of the
following:
a) Is a resident of California or is a member
of the armed services assigned to duty in
California.
b) Has taken all or a portion of a general
educational development test that has been
approved by the State Board of Education (SBE)
and is administered by a testing center approved
by the Department of Education, with a score
determined by the SBE to be equal to the standard
of performance expected from high school
graduates.
c) Meets one of the following:
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i) Is at least 18 years of age.
ii) Would have graduated from high
school had he or she remained in school and
followed the usual course of study toward
graduation.
iii) Is at least 17 years of age, has
accumulated fewer than 100 units of high
school credit, and is confined to a state or
county hospital or to an institution
maintained by a state or county correctional
agency. (Education Code § 51420)
2) Requires a California high school equivalency
certificate to be deemed to be a high school diploma
for the purpose of meeting the requirements of
employment by all state and local public agencies in
California.
(EC § 51425)
3) Allows a person to take the general educational
development (GED) test within 60 days of the date he
or she is eligible to receive a certificate, which
means a person must be at least 17 years and 10 months
old to be eligible to take the GED. (California Code
of Regulations § 11532)
ANALYSIS
This bill expands the list of people who may receive a high
school equivalency certificate to include youth who are at
least 17 years of age and have successfully completed the
academic curriculum of a National Guard Youth ChalleNGe
Program.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Purpose of the bill . According to the author, "The
Grizzly Youth ChalleNGe Academy in San Luis Obispo
County and the Sunburst Youth ChalleNGe Academy in
Orange County operate as alternatives for students to
receive high school credit and gain the skills they
need to pass the General Education Development (GED)
tests required by the state. Until 2007, students
enrolled in the programs were allowed to take the GED
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at age 17. In 2008, staff in the San Luis Obispo
Coastal Unified School District Adult Education
changed the policy and altered the GED requirements
for Grizzly Youth ChalleNGe Academy (GYA) students to
now wait to take the GED at 17 years and 10 months.
The practical effect of the older age limit has been a
precipitous decline in the number of GYA students
taking the GED. In 2007, 115 Grizzly students took
the GED; in 2008, the number dropped to 14 and 30 in
2009."
2) What is the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program ?
This program is a voluntary residential program for
16-18 year olds who have dropped out of high school or
are at risk of dropping out. Schools offering this
program are a partnership between the National Guard
and a charter school, school district or county office
of education.
3) Why not other academic programs ? This bill applies
only to pupils who are at least 17 years old and who
complete the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program
curriculum. Should pupils who complete a different
academic program be afforded the same opportunity?
Staff recommends an amendment to broaden the scope of
this bill to apply to any 17 year old who completes a
curriculum leading to a high school diploma or high
school equivalency certificate, that is provided by,
or in partnership with, a school district, charter
school, or county office of education.
SUPPORT
Probation Department, San Luis Obispo County
San Luis Obispo County Office of Education
San Luis Obispo County Sheriff's Office
Sexual Assault Recovery & Prevention Center of San Luis
Obispo County
Numerous individuals
OPPOSITION
None on file.
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