AB 1366, as introduced, Lopez. Public postsecondary education: Dream Resource Centers.
Existing law establishes the segments of the public postsecondary education system in the state, including the University of California administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges.
Existing law requires that a student, other than a nonimmigrant alien, as defined, who has attended high school in California for 3 or more years, who has graduated from a California high school or attained the equivalent thereof, who has registered at or attends an accredited institution of higher education in California not earlier than the fall semester or quarter of the 2001-02 academic year, and who, if he or she is an alien without lawful immigration status, has filed an affidavit, as specified, is exempt from paying nonresident tuition at the California Community Colleges and the California State University.
This bill would require the California Community Colleges and the California State University, and would request the University of California, to create Dream Resource Centers on each campus to assist certain students by streamlining access to all available financial aid and academic opportunities for those students. By requiring community colleges to create Dream Resource Centers, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
The Legislature finds and declares all of the
2following:
3(a) It is the intent of the Legislature to increase enrollment and
4graduation rates among students meeting the requirements of
5Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001-02 Regular Session (Firebaugh,
6Ch. 814) by requiring the creation of Dream Resource Centers at
7public institutions of higher education.
8(b) It is estimated that each year approximately 65,000
9undocumented students graduate from high schools, and while
10California has been a leader in enacting innovative and bold laws
11to provide opportunities for undocumented youth to attain higher
12education, only 20 percent of these students attend college. Many
13undocumented youth
and their families are unaware of recent
14policy changes, such as the enactment of Assembly Bill 540 of the
152001-02 Regular Session, the California Dream Act of 2011, and
16the federal Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), that
17make college graduation more attainable. Currently, the majority
18of college campuses do not have a centralized location that provides
19specialized support services and resources for students meeting
20the requirements of Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001-02 Regular
21Session.
22(c) The creation of Dream Resource Centers would save staff
23time and resources by streamlining all available financial aid and
24academic opportunities for students meeting the requirements of
P3 1Assembly Bill 540 of the 2001-02 Regular Session. These Dream
2Resource Centers would seek to empower and create a safe and
3welcoming environment for those students. These centers would
4increase enrollment, transfer, and graduation rates among this
5population.
6(d) A number of college campuses have acknowledged the needs
7and challenges of these students and have created Dream Resources
8Centers. These include: the University of California, Los Angeles;
9the University of California, Davis; the California State University,
10Los Angeles; the California State University, Fullerton; and the
11California State University, Northridge. These centers provide,
12among other things, informational workshops, legal clinics,
13information on programs available to undocumented immigrants,
14and peer mentoring and support services to increase awareness of
15existing programs and available resources, enhance professional
16development, and increase employment opportunities.
Section 68130.6 is added to the Education Code, to
18read:
The California Community Colleges and the
20California State University shall, and the University of California
21is requested to, create Dream Resource Centers on each campus
22to assist students meeting the requirements set forth in Section
2368130.5 by streamlining access to all available financial aid and
24academic opportunities for those students.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
26this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
27local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
28pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
294 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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