BILL NUMBER: AB 387 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Levine
FEBRUARY 15, 2013
An act to add Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 89225) to
Chapter 2 of Part 55 of Division 8 of Title 3 of the Education Code,
relating to public postsecondary education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 387, as introduced, Levine. Public postsecondary education:
California State University: online education.
Existing law establishes the California State University, under
the administration of the Trustees of the California State
University, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education
in this state. Existing law specifies that 25 institutions of higher
education comprise the California State University.
This bill would express the intent of the Legislature that the
California State University have a uniform definition of online
education for the purposes of measuring its effectiveness. The bill
would require the trustees to establish a series of uniform
definitions for online education on or before January 1, 2015, as
specified. The bill would require each campus of the California State
University to incorporate a common course numbering system for
courses offered entirely online. The bill would require the trustees
to report performance data about online education to the Legislature
on or before January 1, 2015, and every two years until 2019. The
bill would require, in the development of new programs of instruction
at each campus of the California State University, that not less
than 10% of new course offerings be online courses, as defined.
This bill would require the Board of Governors of the California
Community Colleges and the Trustees of the California State
University to jointly report to the Legislature, on or before January
1, 2015, on the feasibility of developing an accelerated bachelor's
degree completion program consisting of distance learning courses,
aimed at students who started college but never obtained a degree.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. (a) The Legislature finds and declares that the
expansion of online education can increase accessibility, and
accelerate degree completion. However, the value and effectiveness of
new online education programs should properly be measured, and the
Legislature should be provided with data to understand the
effectiveness of online education.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that the California State
University develop a uniform definition of online education for the
purposes of measuring its effectiveness.
SEC. 2. Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 89225) is added to
Chapter 2 of Part 55 of Division 8 of Title 3 of the Education Code,
to read:
Article 3.5. Online Education
89225. (a) On or before January 1, 2015, for the purposes of
measuring the effectiveness of online education, the trustees shall
establish a series of uniform definitions for online education. The
trustees shall develop a systemwide definition for online education
that shall apply to a course that can be entirely completed remotely,
either through online access or other media of distance education,
and that does not require the student to be physically present at the
campus of instruction.
(b) The trustees shall develop a two-tiered definition for courses
that can be accessed remotely, through online or other media of
distance education, but cannot be completed entirely through remote
access, in accordance with both of the following:
(1) A tier 1 course shall be defined as a course for which not
less than 50 percent of instruction is taught remotely and requires
online access or other media of distance education for completion of
the course, but cannot be completed 100 percent remotely.
(2) A tier 2 course shall be defined as a course that require
online access or other media of distance education to a lesser degree
than Tier 1.
89225.5. Each campus of the California State University shall
incorporate a common course numbering system for courses offered
entirely online as referenced in Section 89225.
89226. (a) On or before January 1, 2015, and on or before January
1 every two years thereafter, the trustees shall report to the
Legislature key performance data on online courses as defined in
Section 89225, including, but not necessarily limited to, all of the
following:
(1) The number of students enrolled at each campus.
(2) Course completion rates.
(3) Program completion rates for degree programs that include
distance learning courses.
(4) Systemwide grade point average for students enrolled in online
courses.
(5) The number of students cross-enrolled in online courses at a
California State University campus other than the campus at which
they are matriculated.
(6) Course completion rates for students enrolled in online
courses.
(7) Program completion rates for students enrolled in online
courses.
(b) Student enrollment and completion rate data included in a
report to be submitted pursuant to this subdivision shall be made
available by demographics, including age, gender, and ethnicity.
(c) (1) The requirement for submitting a report imposed under
subdivision (a) is inoperative on July 1, 2019, pursuant to Section
10231.5 of the Government Code.
(2) The report prepared pursuant to subdivision (a) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
89226.5. In the development of new programs of instruction at
each campus of the California State University, not less than 10
percent of new course offerings shall be online courses as defined in
Section 89225.
SEC. 3. On or before January 1, 2015, the Board of Governors of
the California Community Colleges and the Trustees of the California
State University shall jointly report to the Legislature on the
feasibility of developing an accelerated bachelor's degree completion
program consisting of distance learning courses, aimed at students
who started college but never obtained a degree. The report prepared
pursuant to this section shall be submitted in compliance with
Section 9795 of the Government Code.