BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 173 Page 1 Date of Hearing: July 2, 2014 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mike Gatto, Chair SB 173 (Liu) - As Amended: June 12, 2014 Policy Committee: EducationVote:6-0 Higher Education 11-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No SUMMARY This bill requires the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCC Chancellor's Office) and the California Department of Education (CDE) to coordinate and issue guidelines and policy recommendations to the Legislature regarding adult education in the areas of assessment, performance accountability, teacher requirements, and fee policies. Requires the CCC Chancellor's Office and CDE to annually report on the number and types of adult education courses being taught, including noncredit courses, and the number of students being served. Specifically, this bill: 1)Requires the CCC Chancellor's Office in conjunction with the CDE, to coordinate and issue assessment policy guidelines for purposes of placement in adult education courses, as specified. 2)Requires, as part of existing reporting requirements, the CCC Chancellor's Office and the CDE to do the following: a) Develop and issue policy recommendations regarding a comprehensive accountability system for adult education courses; b) Develop recommendations for all adult education funded providers for assessment, evaluation, and data collection to document participant outcomes and placement and other measures they deem appropriate. Specifies that accountability measures may include receipt of a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent, placement in a postsecondary educational institution, training, and SB 173 Page 2 employment. Requires all funded programs to annually submit demographic and other student-level outcome information. c) Provide fee policy recommendations and guidelines to be used by school districts and community college districts. Declares legislative intent that registration and course fees be equivalent across all programs, that fees should not generate income beyond the cost of providing the courses, and that fees should not create a barrier to student access to adult education programs. d) Make recommendations and policy guidelines regarding the use of a single student identifier to be used by school districts and community college districts. e) Annually report on the number and types of courses being taught and the number of students being served with funding provided to the regional consortia, and requires the CCC Chancellor's Office to annually report on the number and types of noncredit courses being taught and the number of students being served with funding provided to the community colleges for the courses offered. 3)Requires the CCC Chancellor's Office to identify any deficits in course offerings based upon levels, types, and needs for adult education programs identified by the existing Adult Education Consortia plans. 4)Requires, by July 1, 2015, the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) and the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges to meet to review their current requirements for noncredit adult education and adult education instructors, and develop and submit recommendations to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature for modifying or establishing reciprocity standards for instructors of adult education courses. 5)Expresses the intent of the Legislature to evaluate the guidelines for the accountability system established under current law and to consider allocating base adult education funds and noncredit adult education funds to providers on the basis of a combination of identified needs, enrollment, and outcomes for specified courses. SB 173 Page 3 FISCAL EFFECT 1)Administrative costs to the CTC in the range of $150,000 to $200,000 (special funds) to review, develop, and recommend reciprocity standards for adult education instruction by July 1, 2015. 2)General Fund administrative costs to CCC Chancellor's Office in the range of $80,000 to $100,000. While many requirements of this bill are one-time and an extension of ongoing AB 86 consortium work, some activities require additional resources. For example, the CCC Chancellor's office indicates the requirement to identify any deficits in course offerings based upon levels, types, and needs for adult education programs identified in the consortia plans could prove difficult to assess and require additional resources. 3)General Fund administrative costs to CDE potentially in the range of $150,000 to $350,000 to implement the reporting requirements of the bill. CDE did not receive additional resources to implement the requirements of AB 86. The department dedicated two consultants on a part-time basis (approximately $100,000) to AB 86 consortium work. This bill adds new requirements related to assessments, accountability and fee recommendations that will likely result in additional staff time and resources. COMMENTS 1)Purpose . The two largest providers of adult education are school districts and community colleges. A 2012 report by the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) found that the two systems have unclear lines of responsibility, an overly broad mission, inconsistent state-level policies, lack of coordination among providers, and limited student data, despite serving the same student populations. The report suggested the system was in need of comprehensive restructuring. In recognition of some of these system challenges, the 2013-14 education budget trailer bill (AB 86, Chapter 48, Statutes of 2013) required the CDE and the CCC Chancellor's Office to jointly implement an adult education planning process. The legislation appropriated $25 million to distribute to regional consortia to develop plans with the shared goal of better serving the educational needs of California's adult learners. SB 173 Page 4 This bill enhances the reporting requirements of AB 86 to provide guidelines and policy recommendations to the Legislature regarding adult education in the areas of assessment, performance accountability, teacher requirements, and fee policies. 2)Adult programs and AB 86 focus . California adult education schools offer the following 10 programs: a) Adult Basic Education b) English as a Second Language c) High School Diploma or Adult Secondary Education, including GED certification d) Citizenship Preparation e) Career Technical Education f) Adults with Disabilities g) Health and Safety h) Parent Education i) Home Economics j) Courses for Older Adults AB 86 required the consortia to address the following five types of programs: a) Elementary and secondary basic skills, including classes required for a high school diploma b) Classes and courses for immigrants in English as a second language, citizenship, and workforce preparations c) Education programs for adults with disabilities d) Short-term career technical education programs with high employment potential e) Programs for apprentices This bill extends the focus of AB 86 and does not address other adult education courses, specifically: parenting, health and safety, home economics and courses for older adults. Nothing in this bill precludes adult education providers from continuing to offer these courses. Staff recommends a clarifying amendment to Education Code 52524 (b) to reference only those five areas of study in paragraphs (2) through (6) of section 84757, making the bill consistent with the focus of the AB 86 consortium. SB 173 Page 5 3)CTC reporting concerns . The CTC has indicated the reporting deadline of July 1, 2015 does not allow for sufficient time to meet, develop and report reciprocity standards for adult education instruction. Staff recommends the committee extend the deadline to July 1, 2016, as recommended by the CTC. Analysis Prepared by : Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916) 319-2081