BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Carol Liu, Chair
2013-2014 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 705
AUTHOR: Block
AMENDED: April 15, 2013
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: May 1, 2013
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Daniel Alvarez
SUBJECT : Community Colleges: appropriation.
SUMMARY
This bill appropriates $50 million, from an unspecified
source, to the Board of Governors of the California
Community Colleges to be allocated: (1) $25 million for
Disabled Students Programs and Services, and (2) $25
million for Extended Opportunity Programs and Services
(EOPS).
BACKGROUND
Current law, among other things, specifies the intent of
the Legislature in establishing EOPS to encourage local
community colleges to establish and implement programs
directed to identifying those student affected by language,
social, and economic hardships. The EOPS program's primary
goal is to, supplement the regular educational programs of
community colleges, by encouraging the enrollment,
retention and transfer of students handicapped by language,
social, economic and educational disadvantages, and to
facilitate the successful completion of their goals and
objectives in college. EOPS offers academic and support
counseling, financial aid and other support services.
(Education Code � 69640 et. seq.)
Current law, states the Legislature recognizes its
responsibility to provide and adequately fund postsecondary
programs and services for disabled students attending a
public postsecondary institution. To meet this
responsibility, the Legislature sets forth the following
principles for public postsecondary institutions and
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budgetary control agencies to observe in providing
postsecondary programs and services for students with
disabilities, including but not limited to:
1) The state funded activity shall be consistent with
the stated purpose of programs and services for
disabled students provided by the California
Community Colleges, the California State University,
or the University of California, as governed by the
statutes, regulations, and guidelines of the
community colleges, state university, or the
University of California.
2) The state funded activity shall not duplicate
services or instruction that is available to all
students, either on campus or in the community.
3) The state funded activity shall be directly related
to the functional limitations of the verifiable
disabilities of the students to be served.
4) The state funded activity shall be directly related
to these students' full access to and participation
in the educational process.
5) The state funded activity shall have as its goals the
independence of disabled students and the maximum
integration of these students with other students.
6) The state funded activity shall be provided in the
most integrated setting possible, consistent with
state and federal law, state policy and funding
requirements, and missions and policies of the
postsecondary segment, and shall be based on
identified student needs. (EC � 67310-67312)
ANALYSIS
This bill appropriates $50 million, from an unspecified
source, to the Board of Governors of the California
Community Colleges to be allocated: (1) $25 million for
Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS), and (2) $25
million for Extended Opportunity Programs and Services
(EOPS).
The bill specifies legislative intent that the allocations
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provided will be paid for with savings realized from
extending the period for paying down community college
deferrals.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill . According to the author,
California's Community Colleges have been on the
receiving end of a variety of harsh cuts over the last
five years. Certain categorical programs have faced
funding cuts that represent a nearly 40 percent
reduction of their respective funding. The DSPS and
the EOPS have been dramatically impacted by a loss of
funding - for DSPS this has translated into a $45
million reduction and for EOPS a loss of $42 million
annually. These cuts have resulted in a loss of
staffing capacity and critical services for students
most in need of supplemental services in order to
achieve their educational goals.
2) Why a bill? This measure makes no significant
underlying policy changes to either the DSPS or EOPS
programs, and in fact actually specifies legislative
intent that funding allocations provided in this
measure will be paid with savings from extending the
period for paying down community college deferrals.
All the contemplated actions of this measure are
better suited for deliberation and action in the
Budget Committee.
3) Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) provide
support services and educational accommodations to
students with disabilities so that they can have full
and equal access to the community college experience.
In addition, many colleges provide specialized
instruction as part of their DSPS program. Examples of
these services include: test-proctoring; assessment
for learning disabilities; specialized counseling;
interpreter or captioning services for
hearing-impaired or deaf students; mobility
assistance; note-taker services; reader services;
speech services; transcription services; on-campus
transportation; specialized tutoring; access to
adaptive equipment; job development/placement;
registration assistance; and special parking and
specialized instruction.
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4) Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) . As
previously mentioned the EOPS is intended to assist
students to achieve their educational goals through
academic retention and transfer. Examples of the
types of services include, but are not limited to:
academic, career and personal counseling. Funds can
be used to provide other support services to students
such as book vouchers, tutoring, transportation, child
care, educational supplies, and / or transfer / career
activities.
SUPPORT
California Association for Postsecondary Education and
Disability
OPPOSITION
None on file.