BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                      



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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                  SB 1456|
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                                 THIRD READING


          Bill No:  SB 1456
          Author:   Lowenthal (D), et al.
          Amended:  4/26/12
          Vote:     21

           
           SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE  :  9-0, 4/18/12
          AYES:  Lowenthal, Alquist, Blakeslee, Hancock, Huff, Liu, 
            Price, Simitian, Vargas
          NO VOTE RECORDED:  Runner, Vacancy

           SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE  :  7-0, 5/24/12
          AYES:  Kehoe, Walters, Alquist, Dutton, Lieu, Price, 
            Steinberg


           SUBJECT  :    Student Success Act of 2012

           SOURCE  :     Board of Governors, California Community 
          Colleges
                      California Community Colleges Chancellors 
          Office


           DIGEST  :    This bill establishes new requirements to be met 
          by low-income students in order to receive a Board of 
          Governor's fee waiver at the California Community Colleges 
          (CCC), revises and recasts the Seymour-Campbell 
          Matriculation Act of 1986 as the Seymour-Campbell Success 
          Act of 2012, and establishes new requirements to be met in 
          order for community college districts to receive 
          matriculation funds.

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           ANALYSIS  :    Existing law requires the Board of Governors 
          (BOG) to charge each student a $46 per unit per semester 
          fee effective with the summer term of 2012.  Existing law 
          exempts certain students from the fee requirement including 
          students enrolled in noncredit courses, California State 
          University, and University of California students enrolled 
          in remedial courses offered by the CCC, and students 
          enrolled in credit contract education courses where the 
          full cost of the course is paid by the contracting entity.  
          Current law also authorizes an exemption from these fees 
          for special part-time students. 

          Existing law also requires a waiver of these fees for 
          students meeting specified criteria which include;

           Students who meet specified income requirements.


           Students who are the dependent or surviving spouse of a 
            National Guard member who die or was disabled as a result 
            of their service.


           The surviving spouse or child of a deceased law 
            enforcement or fire suppression personnel, as specified. 


           The dependent of an individual killed on September 11, 
            2001, as specified. 

          Existing law requires that the colleges make available a 
          variety of "matriculation services" to students in order to 
          ensure that students receive educational services necessary 
          to optimize their opportunities for success.  Matriculation 
          requirements are only operative if funds are specifically 
          appropriated for these purposes. 

          This bill:

          1.Establishes new requirements to be met by students in 
            order to be eligible for a waiver of the community 
            college per unit fee BOG fee waiver.  Specifically this 
            bill:


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             A.   Requires a student to:

                (1)     Meet academic and progress standards as 
                  defined by the BOG.
                (2)     Demonstrate financial need, as specified.

             A.   Requires the BOG, in consultation with students, 
               faculty, and other key stakeholders to develop 
               policies for determination of the conditions outlined 
               in #1 and specifically directs that the BOG consider:

                (1)     Minimum uniform academic performance and 
                  progress.

                (2)     Criteria for reviewing extenuating 
                  circumstances and granting appeals.

                (3)     A process for reestablishing fee waiver 
                  eligibility.

             A.   Requires the BOG to establish a reasonable phased 
               in implementation period for the policies outlined in 
               (b) to:

                (1)     Ensure that students are not unfairly 
                  impacted by the new requirements.

                (2)     Provide students with adequate notification 
                  of requirements and information about support 
                  services. 

             A.   Deletes obsolete fee waiver requirements relative 
               to students affected by Hurricane Katrina.

          1.Renames and revises the Seymour-Campbell Matriculation 
            Act of 1986 as the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act 
            of 2012 and changes the requirements to be met in order 
            to receive matriculation funds.  Specifically this bill:

             A.   Revises the declaration of the Legislature's intent 
               to provide students with resources and support to 
               establish informed educational goals, optimize 
               student's success in completing their goals/studies, 
               recognize the shared responsibility of the institution 

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               and student for success, and target state resources to 
               provide critical student services and identify 
               delivery mechanisms to reach a greater number of 
               students. 

             B.   Redefines matriculation services and the purposes 
               of the Act to be:

                (1)     Increased student access and success by 
                  providing orientation, assessment and placement, 
                  counseling and education planning and academic 
                  intervention services. 

                (2)     Focus on entering students' transition into 
                  college with a priority toward serving students who 
                  enroll to earn degrees, career technical 
                  certificates, or transfer.

                (3)     Target state resources on core matriculation 
                  services critical to increasing student ability to 
                  reach their educational goals.

                (4)     Focus funding on core areas and leverage 
                  technology to more efficiently and effectively 
                  serve and provide a greater number of students with 
                  a solid foundation and opportunity for success in 
                  the community colleges. 

             A.   Expands the responsibilities to be met by students 
               to include, but not be limited to:

                (1)     Declaration of a program of study within a 
                  reasonable period, as defined by the BOG.

                (2)     Maintenance of academic progress toward an 
                  educational goal and program of study as identified 
                  in the student's education plan.

             A.   Establishes the institution's responsibility to 
               include the provision of student services to support 
               their academic success and ability to achieve their 
               educational goals and to include, but not be limited 
               to:


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                (1)     Orientation services, as specified.

                (2)     Administration of assessments that determine 
                  student competency in computational and language 
                  skills and readiness for college.

                (3)     Counseling and education planning services 

             A.   Requires that funding for the Student Success and 
               Support program to be targeted to fully implement 
               orientation, assessment, counseling and advising, and 
               education planning services, and to assist students in 
               making informed decisions about educational goals, 
               programs of study and the development of an education 
               plan. 

             B.   Requires that districts and colleges use a system 
               of common assessment, once adopted by the BOG, and 
               authorizes districts and colleges to use supplemental 
               measures for course placement. 

             C.   Using accountability metrics, as specified, 
               requires participating districts to evaluate the 
               effectiveness of their programs and services in 
               helping students: 

                (1)     Define goals and declare programs of study. 

                (2)     Assess student needs and valid course 
                  placement. 

                (3)     Support successful completion of degree 
                  certificate or transfer objectives. 

             A.   Requires the BOG, in consultation with students, 
               faculty, student services administrators, and other 
               key stakeholders, to establish policies and processes 
               (to be phased in over a reasonable period of time as 
               determined by the BOG and in consideration of the 
               resources available to provide core services to ensure 
               students are not unfairly impacted by these 
               requirements) for:
           
                (1)     Requiring all nonexempt students to complete 

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                  orientation and assessment and to develop education 
                  plans.

                (2)     Exempting students from participation in 
                  orientation, assessment testing, or required 
                  education planning services.

                (3)     Requiring districts to adopt a student appeal 
                  process.

             A.   Requires the BOG to develop a formula for 
               allocating Student Success Act funds that considers, 
               among other things, the number of students who receive 
               orientation assessment, counseling and advising, and 
               education planning services. 

             B.   Requires that a district that receives 
               matriculation funds agree to implement these 
               provisions, common assessment and the accountability 
               scorecard.

             C.   Authorizes the BOG to identify other 
               non-instructional support services that can be funded 
               under matriculation, if a district is able to fully 
               implement in person or technology strategies for 
               orientation, assessment, and education planning 
               services.

             D.   Requires the BOG to require participating colleges 
               to develop a Student Success and Support Program plan 
               that reflects, among other things:

                (1)     A description of the college's process to 
                  identify students at risk for academic or progress 
                  probation and the plan for student interventions or 
                  services.

                (2)     Coordination with college student equity plan 
                  to ensure identification of strategies to monitor 
                  and address equity issues and mitigate any 
                  disproportional impacts on student access and 
                  achievement.

             A.   Makes the matriculation provisions of the bill 

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               operative, beginning in 2012-13, contingent upon the 
               specific appropriation of funds for these purposes. 

             B.   Repeals the requirements that the CCC maintain 
               career resource and placement centers, programs to 
               instruct staff/faculty on performance of matriculation 
               services, orientation programs, as specified, and 
               publicity programs. 

             C.   Requires the LAO to review and report to the 
               Legislature by July 1, 2014.

           Comments
          
           Pursuant to SB 1143 (Liu), Chapter 409, Statutes of 2010, 
          the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges 
          created the Student Success Task Force (SSTF); 20 
          individuals (community college chief executive officers, 
          faculty, students, researchers, staff and external stake 
          holders) who spent a year researching, studying and 
          debating the best methods to improve student outcomes at 
          the community colleges. 

          According to the SSTF report, which was unanimously adopted 
          by the Board of Governors in January 2012, it was their 
          goal to identify best practices for promoting student 
          success and to develop statewide strategies to take these 
          approaches to scale while ensuring that educational 
          opportunity for historically underrepresented students 
          would not just be maintained, but bolstered. The report 
          noted that while a number of disturbing statistics around 
          student completion reflect the challenges faced by the 
          students they serve, they also clearly demonstrate the need 
          for the system to recommit to finding new and better ways 
          to serve its students.

          The SSTF efforts resulted in 22 specific recommendations 
          and the report, per the requirements of the legislation, 
          was presented to the Legislature at a joint informational 
          hearing of the Assembly Higher Education Committee and the 
          Senate Education Committee in February 2012. Implementation 
          of these recommendations will be accomplished through 
          regulatory changes, system-wide administrative policies, 
          local best practices and legislation. 

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          This bill contains statutory changes necessary for 
          implementation of some of the recommendations of the SSTF. 

           Similar study/findings  .  In February 2012, the Little 
          Hoover Commission issued a report Serving Students, Serving 
          California: Updating the California Community Colleges to 
          Meet Evolving Demands.  The report noted that the findings 
          and conclusions of this study were consistent with many of 
          the findings of the Student Success Task Force.  Similar to 
          this bill, the report called for, among other things, the 
          implementation of a student success scorecard, establishing 
          additional criteria for BOG fee waivers, and strengthening 
          of support for entering students. 

           FISCAL EFFECT  :    Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes   
          Local:  Yes

           SUPPORT  :   (Verified  5/24/12)

          Board of Governors, California Community Colleges 
          (co-source) 
          California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office 
          (co-source) 
          Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges
          Advancement Project
          Alliance for a Better Community
          Association of California Community College Administrators
          AVID
          Barrio Logan College Institute
          Bay Area Council
          California Communities United Institute
          California Competes 
          California State Student Association
          California State University
          Chancellor, San Diego Community College District
          College Opportunity
          College Options
          Families in Schools
          Girls, Inc. of Orange County
          Greater Sacramento Urban League
          Hispanas Organized for Political Equality
          Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley
          Kern Community College Districts

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          Little Hoover Commission
          Long Beach Community College District
          Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
          Los Angeles Community College District
          Los Rios Community College District
          MALDEF
          North Bay Leadership Council
          Orange County Business Council
          Parent Institute for Quality Education 
          Progressive Christians Uniting
          Project Grad, Los Angeles 
          Regional Economic Association Leaders Coalition 
          Sacramento Urban League
          San Bernardino Community College District
          San Diego Chamber of Commerce
          San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation
          San Francisco Chamber of Commerce
          San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership
          San Jose Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce
          Silicon Valley Leadership Group
          Southern California College Access Network
          State Center Community College District
          The Education Trust-West
          The Women's Foundation of California
          Valley Industry and Commerce Association
          Youth Policy Institute

           OPPOSITION  :    (Verified  5/24/12)

          California Federation of Teachers 
          President, Gavilan College Faculty Association
          California Teachers Association 
          California Community College Independents
          San Jose - Evergreen Community College District Board of 
          Trustees
          Faculty Association of the California Community Colleges

           ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT  :    According to the author, "The 
          California Community College system is an accessible and 
          affordable gateway to educational advancement for the 2.6 
          million students it serves.  However, budget reductions 
          over the years have led to many first-time students being 
          turned away, existing students not getting the classes they 
          need, and student support services, such as counseling, 

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          assessment and orientation to be drastically cut.  The 
          result has been too many students not getting the guidance 
          and courses they need to reach their goals of a degree, 
          certificate, transfer or career advancement."

           ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION  :    Opponents believe that without 
          mandated enforcement mechanisms to leverage available 
          resources, SB 1456 will create a two-tier system of 
          students:  those with life, family and educational 
          experiences that foster their movement through the existing 
          cumbersome community college system vs. students who lack 
          the necessary language, computer and mathematical skills 
          necessary for college success.  While the goal of the bill 
          on the surface might free up the time of counselors and 
          advisors to assist the student that is unprepared for 
          college work, history tells us that this does not occur.  
          Data from the Chancellor's office aptly demonstrates that 
          even with additional funding (Partnership for Excellence), 
          many local districts failed to hire additional counseling 
          faculty.  
           

          PQ:nl  5/25/12   Senate Floor Analyses 

                         SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE

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