BILL NUMBER: SB 397	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Senator Block

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2013

   An act to add and repeal Section 78016.7 of the Education Code,
relating to the California Community Colleges.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 397, as introduced, Block. The California Community Colleges:
veterans education pilot program.
   Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under
the administration of the Board of Governors of the California
Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary
education in this state. Existing law establishes community college
districts, administered by governing boards, throughout the state,
and authorizes these districts to provide instruction to students at
the community college campuses maintained by the districts.
   This bill would require the Office of the Chancellor of the
California Community Colleges to establish a voluntary pilot program,
until January 1, 2018, to identify, explore, and develop best
practices for statewide policy on credit for experiential learning
for veterans for career technical education course credit,
certificates, and associate degrees. The bill would require the
chancellor to consider specified information to select no more than 3
to 5 applicant campuses to participate in the pilot program. The
bill would require participating community college districts to
report specified information to the Office of the Chancellor, which
would be required to provide that information to the Legislative
Analyst's Office by July 1, 2017. The bill would require the
Legislative Analyst's Office to use this information to provide a
report to the Legislature, by December 1, 2017, that assesses the
pilot program's effect on student veterans' success in reaching their
educational goals, as specified.
   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.  Section 78016.7 is added to the Education Code, to
read:
   78016.7.  (a) The Office of the Chancellor of the California
Community Colleges shall establish a voluntary pilot program to
identify, explore, and develop best practices for a statewide policy
on awarding credit for experiential learning for veterans for career
technical education course credit, certificates, and associate
degrees.
   (b) The governing board of a community college district may apply
for a campus within its district to be selected to participate in the
pilot program, and the chancellor shall select no more than three to
five of those campuses to participate in the pilot program. In
selecting campuses for the pilot program, the chancellor shall
consider all of the following:
   (1) The geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic diversity of
students attending the campus.
   (2) The percentage of veterans on the campus and the campus'
existing veteran services and programs.
   (3) The community college district's program and planning
capacity.
   (4) The potential for support from funding partners in industry,
the military, labor, or other private funding sources to reduce the
cost of attendance for students participating in the pilot program.
   (5) The community college district's plan to recognize federal
training and education and to identify innovative options for
expediting the attainment of degree and certificate goals by
veterans.
   (c) The pilot program shall use resources and strategies, which
include, but are not limited to, the American Council on Education's
guidelines and recommendations, partnerships between the community
college district and branches of the Armed Forces of the United
States that facilitate the transition of veterans into workforce
partnership jobs, course offerings that maximize the awarding of
credit to complete academic requirements, and stackable credential
programs, to determine the value of a veteran's prior professional
military training, education, and experience.
   (d) Career technical education course credit and certificates for
the pilot program may include credit earned as a result of prior
military service.
   (e)  For purposes of the pilot program, the governing board of a
community college district may approve credit courses that are not
part of an approved educational program for a campus that
participates in the pilot program, in accordance with Section 70901,
for the duration of the pilot program.
   (f) Community college districts participating in the pilot program
shall report all of the following information to the Office of the
Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, which shall provide
this information to the Legislative Analyst's Office on or before
July 1, 2017:
   (1) The geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic diversity of
students participating in the pilot program.
   (2) Summary statistics on enrollment, financing sources,
completion rates, and credit granted for prior learning experience
for the pilot program.
   (g) (1) On or before December 1, 2017, the Legislative Analyst's
Office shall provide a report to the Legislature that assesses the
pilot program's effect on student veterans' success in reaching their
educational goals using information provided pursuant to subdivision
(f). In preparing this report, the Legislative Analyst's Office may
draw upon campus reports; campus visits; interviews with faculty,
students, and administrators; and other sources the Legislative
Analyst's Office deems relevant. The report shall include all of the
following:
   (A) An identification of best practices that emerge from the pilot
program that the Legislature may want to consider for statewide
policy regarding credit for experiential learning for veterans.
   (B) The geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic diversity of
students participating in the pilot program.
   (C) Summary statistics on enrollment, financing sources,
completion rates, and credit granted for prior learning experience
for the pilot program.
   (D) An assessment of the pilot program's effect on student
veterans' success in reaching their educational goals.
   (E) Recommendations regarding the extension, expansion, or
modification of the pilot program.
   (2) A report submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be
submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.
   (h) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1,
2018, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted
statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2018, deletes or extends
that date.