BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 490
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 28, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Jose Medina, Chair
AB 490
(Alejo and Gatto) - As Amended March 26, 2015
SUBJECT: Community Colleges: Community College Extended
Opportunity Programs and Services and the Cooperative Agencies
Resources for Education program
SUMMARY: Appropriates for the 2015-2016 fiscal year,
$40,000,000 from an unspecified funding source to the California
Community Colleges (CCC) Board of Governors (BOG) to be
allocated, as specified, for Extended Opportunity Programs and
Services (EOPS) and for the administration of the Cooperative
Agencies Resources for Education (CARE). Specifically, this
bill:
1)Appropriates $40,000,000 from an unspecified funding source,
for the 2015-2016 fiscal year, to the CCC BOG to be allocated
as follows:
a) Thirty-two million dollars for EOPS; and,
b) Eight million dollars for the administration of CARE.
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2)Declares the following findings of the Legislature:
a) The EOPS program was established in 1969 through Senate
Bill 164 of the 1969-70 Regular Session (Chapter 1579 of
the Statutes of 1969), which was authored by the Honorable
Alfred E. Alquist to extend the opportunity for community
college enrollment to all who may profit from that
education regardless of economic, social, and educational
status;
b) EOPS was established to provide academic and resource
support to community college students whose educational and
socioeconomic backgrounds might prevent them from
successfully completing college;
c) EOPS was specifically designed for students with a
multitude of educational needs who are first-generation,
English language learner, underprepared, reentry, or
at-risk college students, or students who may fall into
more than one of these categories;
d) EOPS provides essential services that are specifically
designed to supplement community colleges' academic and
student services and vocational programs, and to help
eligible students complete their educational goals;
e) EOPS serves as the first social and education justice
program which addresses the issues of access, equity, and
completion;
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f) EOPS strategically conducts outreach and recruitment
that targets high-risk students who demonstrate educational
and financial need, and celebrates the racial, ethnic, and
gender diversity of our community college system and state;
g) EOPS student support services include intensive
directive counseling and guidance to help students with
educational planning and career assessment, monitoring of
academic progress, peer-to-peer advising, basic skills
instruction, tutoring, child care, work study, book grants,
and emergency student loans;
h) EOPS was the first state-funded program to recognize the
unique educational needs of welfare-dependent single
parents;
i) The CARE program was established under the auspices of
EOPS through the enactment of Assembly Bill 3103 of the
1981-82 Regular Session (Chapter 1029 of the Statutes of
1982), which was authored by the Honorable Teresa P.
Hughes, to help single parent EOPS-eligible community
college students break the welfare-dependency cycle;
j) Through the CARE program, EOPS students receive personal
counseling and academic advising, social service referrals
and advocacy, specialized courses and workshops on
parenting, personal development, self-esteem, and college
survival skills, and educational grants for child care,
textbooks, supplies, and transportation;
aa) The EOPS and CARE programs have successfully assisted
over 1,000,000 community college students since 1969 to
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fulfill those students' educational and personal
aspirations;
bb) Inadequate state funding in recent years has caused many
EOPS and CARE programs to reduce the amount of financial
aid, textbook support, and child care grants provided to
eligible students in need, to prematurely close the
application deadline for acceptance to the program, to deny
program services to eligible EOPS and CARE students, or to
do a combination of these; and,
cc) EOPS has achieved well-established outcomes, including
increasing access, equity, and completion.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Authorizes the governing board of a community college district
(CCD), with the approval of the CCC BOG, to establish an EOPS,
specifying that any CCD that provides EOPS shall supplement
the regular educational programs of the CCD to encourage the
enrollment of students handicapped by language, social, and
economic disadvantages, and to facilitate the successful
completion of their educational goals and objectives; tasks
the CCC BOG with adopting regulations which include various
objectives, including, but not limited to: a) EOPS shall
include, but not be limited to, staff qualified to counsel all
EOPS students regarding their individual educational
objectives and the specific academic or vocational training
program necessary to achieve said objectives; and, b) the EOPS
director at each CCC shall work with other community college
staff to encourage all interested EOPS students to enroll in
existing community college classes designed to develop skills
necessary for successful study at a university; defines
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"extended opportunity program" to mean a special program or
method of instruction designed to facilitate the language,
educational, or social development of a student and increase
his/her potential for success in college; defines "extended
opportunity services" to mean a program of assistance designed
to aid students with socioeconomic handicaps to permit them to
enroll and participate in the educational activities of
college, and to progress toward completing their educational
goals and objectives; creates the Advisory Committee on EOPS -
comprised of members appointed by various entities, as
specified; specifies that the Committee shall serve as an
advisory body to the CCC BOG; and, allows the CCC BOG to use
up to one percent of the funds appropriated for the EOPS
programs by the annual Budget Act to monitor program
activities and to conduct the evaluation of EOPS offered by
CCDs (Education Code Sections 69641, 69641.5, 69642, 69643,
69648.5, and 69649).
2)Authorizes the CCC Chancellor's Office (CCCCO), in cooperation
with the State Department of Social Services and the State
Employment Development Department, to enter into agreements
with CCDs, which, prior to July 1, 1984, established CARE
programs, for the purpose of providing additional funds for
support services for CARE programs. Specifies that support
services shall include, but not be limited to, child care and
transportation allowances, books and supplies, counseling, and
other related services. Specifies that participants in CARE
programs shall be at least 18 years of age, be a single
head-of-household, be receiving Aid to Families with Dependent
Children, and be desirous of completing their high school
education or pursuing a job-relevant curriculum. Specifies
that the CCC BOG shall be responsible for the administration
of the funds for CARE (EC Sections 79150, 79152, and 79154).
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown.
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COMMENTS: Background on EOPS and CARE. EOPS was created in
1969 to enable low income, educationally disadvantaged students
"affected by language, social, and economic handicaps" to
achieve a college education. There are 113 EOPS programs funded
in 72 CCDs For over 42 years, EOPS has continuously provided
guidance, motivation, support services and resources to help
students complete their educational goals, including vocational
certificates, associate degrees and transfer to four-year
institutions.
EOPS provides academic and financial support to community
college students whose educational and socioeconomic backgrounds
may deter them from successfully attending college and
completing their educational goals. Services are specifically
designed to offer educational support services to address the
specific needs of at-risk students, including but not limited
to:
1)Individualized Counseling and Support: Each student is
required to meet with an EOPS counselor at least three times
per term. In addition to offering guidance, motivation and
support, EOPS counselors assist students with the development
of individualized, sequential, multi-term education plans from
which they are able to navigate toward the successful
completion of their educational goals.
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2)Academic Progress Monitoring: EOPS monitors the academic
progress of each student to ensure that they receive timely
intervention and appropriate supportive services to
successfully complete classes and educational goals.
3)Tutoring Services: Tutoring services may be offered on a
one-on-one basis, in small groups or in a highly
individualized manner appropriate for the student's needs.
EOPS may provide tutoring for a more extensive time period
than general college services.
4)EOPS Textbook Services Program: Students are provided grants
or vouchers each term so their required textbooks are
available to them in time for the first class meeting; some
colleges provide a textbook rental program as well.
5)Specialized Transition Services: University of California
(UC) and California State University (CSU) undergraduate
admissions application fees are waived for EOPS students to
enhance their ability to transfer to UC or CSU campuses.
6)Other Services, such as computer loan programs, transportation
services, meal tickets and school supplies.
7)Workshops: Tailored to meet the special educational needs of
EOPS students, workshops, in topics such as study skills,
time-management, and money management, are offered throughout
the year.
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To note, according to the CCCCO, systemwide, in 2013-2014, there
were 78,978 CCC students benefiting from EOPS.
CARE was established in the early 1980s as a unique educational
program geared toward the welfare recipient who desires
job-relevant education to break the dependency cycle. In
addition to the core supportive services provided by the EOPS
program, CARE students may be awarded supplemental grants,
services and allowances to pay for educationally-related
expenses (such as child care, transportation, textbooks and
supplies) not offered by other resources to strengthen their
retention, persistence, graduation and transfer rates.
To note, according to the CCCCO, systemwide, in 2013-2014, there
were 6,169 CCC students benefiting from CARE.
State Budget. The 2013-20014 Budget provided $79,273,000 for
EOPS and $9,332,000 for CARE. However, according to information
provided by the author, these numbers are still below the fiscal
need to provide access to said programs for more students. The
author contends that restoration of funding will allow EOPS to
serve approximately 22,000 more students and for CARE to serve
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an additional 5,000 students.
Purpose of the measure. According to the author, this bill
seeks to restore funding to EOPS and CARE programs, which serve
low income and historically disadvantaged students attending
CCCs. The author contends that AB 490 will help close the
achievement gap by allowing more students access to these
services and receive the necessary additional tools they need in
order to succeed and reach their educational goals.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
California Association for Postsecondary Education and
Disability
California Community College Extended Opportunity Programs and
Services Association
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(sponsor)
Cañada College's Extended Opportunity Programs and Services
Program and the
Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education
College of the Canyons' Extended Opportunity Programs and
Services/Cooperative Agencies
Resources for Education
College of the Desert's Extended Opportunity Programs and
Services Program and the
Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education
Faculty Association of California Community Colleges
Fresno City College's Extended Opportunity Programs and Services
Program and the
Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education
Gavilan College's Extended Opportunity Programs and Services
Program and the
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Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education
Imperial Valley College's Extended Opportunity Programs and
Services Program
Ironworkers Local 377
Mendocino College
Reedley College's Extended Opportunity Programs and Services
Program and the
Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education
Sacramento City College's Extended Opportunity Programs and
Services Program and the
Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education
San José-Evergreen Community College District
15 Individuals
Opposition
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None on file.
Analysis Prepared by:Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960