BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 907
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB
907 (Burke)
As Amended April 30, 2015
2/3 vote. Urgency
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|Committee |Votes |Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+---------------------+---------------------|
|Education |7-0 |O'Donnell, Chávez, | |
| | |Kim, McCarty, | |
| | |Santiago, Thurmond, | |
| | |Weber | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+---------------------+---------------------|
|Higher |12-0 |Medina, Baker, | |
|Education | |Bloom, Chávez, | |
| | |Harper, Irwin, | |
| | |Levine, Linder, Low, | |
| | |Santiago, Weber, | |
| | |Williams | |
| | | | |
|----------------+------+---------------------+---------------------|
|Appropriations |17-0 |Gomez, Bigelow, | |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, | |
| | |Chang, Daly, Eggman, | |
| | |Gallagher, | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | |Eduardo Garcia, | |
AB 907
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| | |Gordon, Holden, | |
| | |Jones, Quirk, | |
| | |Rendon, Wagner, | |
| | |Weber, Wood | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to certify specified career training programs for the
purpose of participating in specified federal student financial
assistance programs. Specifically, this bill:
1)Makes findings and declarations regarding the value of career
training for adults and the need for the bill.
2)Authorizes the SPI to certify, by name, any regional
occupational center or program (ROC/P), county office of
education (COE), or adult education program, that provides a
program of training to prepare adult students for gainful
employment in a recognized occupation, to legally authorize the
center, program, or office to provide an educational program
beyond secondary education, including an education program that
leads to a degree or certificate, for purposes of the center,
program, or office participating in any student financial
assistance program authorized by Title IV of the Higher
Education Act of 1965, as amended.
3)Requires an ROC/P, COE, or adult education program applying for
certification to comply with both of the following:
a) Satisfy all applicable eligibility requirements specified
in federal rulemaking; and
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b) Apply in writing to the SPI as an individual ROC/P, COE,
or adult education program.
4)Authorizes any person to file a complaint under the Uniform
Complaint Procedures (UCPs) regarding an alleged violation by a
local agency of federal or state law governing adult education
programs or ROC/Ps, including allegations of unlawful
discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or bullying, and
requires the SPI to adopt regulations to implement this
authorization.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, ongoing General Fund administrative costs in the range
of $60,000 to $100,000 for the California Department of Education
(CDE) to certify eligibility for federal student financial
assistance. CDE may also incur additional costs to the extent
there is an increase in UCP compliant filings. For example, in
2013, after AB 1575 authorized the UCP process for pupil fee
complaints, claims spiked from zero to 121 in nine months. CDE
received two positions to assist with this increased workload.
COMMENTS: Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965
provides financial aid for adult learners in post-secondary
programs, including programs that provide job or career training
for needy adults. In California these programs have been provided
by K-12 adult education programs, ROC/Ps, and COEs. If the
programs meet necessary federal requirements, then the student
they enroll are entitled to federal financial aid that covers all
costs.
Recent revisions to federal regulations require a state agency
that has oversight over the entities providing to the training to
certify each provider in order for their adult students to be
eligible for federal financial aid. In California no state agency
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has the statutory authority to provide the federally-required
certification.
This bill authorizes the SPI to provide the needed certification.
According to the author's office, this meets the requirements of
the revised federal regulations and will prevent the loss of
federal financial aid to thousands of adult students in
California.
The revised federal regulations also require that a state-level
complaint process be available for any federal financial aid
recipients. The existing UCP already is available to students
enrolled in K-12 adult education programs and ROC/Ps, but not in
COE programs. This bill extends the UCP to financial aid
recipients enrolled in COE programs.
Analysis Prepared by:
Rick Pratt / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0000621