BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1846
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Date of Hearing: May 11, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
1846 (Lopez) - As Amended April 26, 2016
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| |Education | |6 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill appropriates $250 million every fiscal year to the
Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCC) and the
Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to support the Adult
Education Block Grant Program-thus increasing total annual
funding for the program to $750 million.
FISCAL EFFECT:
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1)Annual $250 million appropriation. (GF-Prop 98)
2)The Chancellor's Office would need one or two more staff
positions, at an annual General Fund cost of $100,000 to
$200,000, to help administer a program expansion of 50%.
COMMENTS:
1)Background. The 2013-14 Budget Act provided $25 million for
the development of regional consortia comprised of CCCs and
K-12 school districts for the purpose of creating plans to
integrate existing adult education programs and determine how
best to serve adult students within regions throughout the
state (AB 86 (Budget Committee), Chapter 48, Statutes of
2013). Seventy regions were formed comprised of at least one
CCC district and one or more K-12 school districts.
The 2015-16 Budget Act provided $500 million for the Adult
Education Block Grant Program, enacted through the education
budget trailer bill, AB 104 (Budget Committee), Chapter 13,
Statutes of 2015. The program is built upon regional consortia
established by AB 86. Beginning 2016-17, funds are to be
distributed to each consortium by the SPI and the CCC
Chancellor, with the advice of the Executive Director of the
State Board of Education, based on 1) the amount of funds
apportioned in the previous year; 2) a consortium's share of
the statewide need for adult education; and 3) the
consortium's effectiveness in meeting the educational needs of
adults in the region based on available data. Funds are
allocated according to a plan developed by each consortium.
2)Purpose. The author notes the significant reductions to adult
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education programs during the Great Recession, including the
closing of an estimated 65 adult schools statewide. The author
seeks to at least restore adult education funding to its
prerecession level.
3)Comment. Without prejudice to the merits of this proposal or
the adult education program, a funding commitment of this
magnitude should be considered through the budget process, and
within the context of other CCC funding needs and priorities.
Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)
319-2081