BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1994
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 4, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
1994 (Lopez) - As Amended April 6, 2016
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
Yes
SUMMARY:
This bill creates the CalED Program to assist California Work
Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) recipients in
obtaining high school diplomas or equivalency certificates.
Participants must be at least 19 years old, participating in
welfare-to-work activities, and not have a high school diploma
or its equivalent. Specifically, this bill:
AB 1994
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1)Requires the Department of Social Services (DSS) to develop a
form explaining the program, and the county to distribute this
form, and requires the county to notify potentially eligible
CalWORKs participants about the CalED Program.
2) Requires counties to provide education services, supportive
services, including child care and transportation, and other
services, as specified, in order to facilitate successful
participation in the CalED Program.
3)Awards a CalED participant who successfully completes high
school or a California high school equivalency examination a
one-time five-hundred-dollar ($500) aid supplement.
FISCAL EFFECT:
1)Significant costs of approximately $900,000 ($100,000 GF) in
FY 2016-17, and approximately $1.7 million ($200,000, GF) in
FY 2017-18 and ongoing. This assumes 5,500 adults will
participate in either adult basic education or secondary
education in FY 2016-17 and FY 2017-18, and approximately five
percent will receive a high school diploma or GED on average
each month (based on similar information for the Cal-Learn
program).
2)Unknown, but likely significant costs to DSS for automation
changes necessary to implement the program.
3)Unknown, potentially reimbursable mandate costs to counties to
provide forms, arrange for the required education and
supportive services, and to monitor recipients' progress.
AB 1994
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COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, "Sixty-five percent of
CalWORKs recipient do not have a high school diploma or GED.
This bill is intended to decrease that number and truly aid
our neediest families by supplying them with not only a
one-time incentive but another opportunity to be
self-sufficient and compete in a competitive job market."
2)CalWORKs. The CalWORKs program provides monthly income
assistance and employment-related services using federal,
state and county funds. A recipient of CalWORKs is required to
participate in welfare-to-work activities as a condition of
eligibility for aid. Certain participants can engage in adult
basic education in satisfaction of these work requirements.
This bill allows qualified CalWORKs recipients to participate
in the CalED program in pursuit of a high school diploma or
GED.
3)Cal-Learn. Cal-Learn is a statewide program for pregnant and
parenting teens in the CalWORKs program, designed to encourage
pregnant and parenting teens to graduate from high school or
attain an equivalency diploma. Bonuses include four $100
bonuses per year earned based on report card results, and a
one-time $500 bonus for graduating or attaining an equivalent
high school diploma. Sanctions are applied if satisfactory
grades are not maintained, and/or timely report cards are not
submitted. Participation in Cal-Learn is limited to and
required for pregnant/parenting teens who are receiving
CalWORKs and who are under the age of 19, live in the same
household as their child, have not graduated from high school
or its equivalent, and are not in foster care. DSS estimates
that 7,700 teens participate in Cal-Learn each month.
AB 1994
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4)Related Legislation.
a) AB 2058 (Mayes), 2016, creates the CalWORKs Educational
Opportunity and Attainment Program and awards grant
increases to CalWORKs recipients upon completion of
education milestones, as specified. The bill is pending in
this Committee.
b) AB 2448 (Burke), 2016, changes CalWORKs requirements
regarding permissible welfare-to-work activities to
facilitate a recipient's completion of a high school
equivalency program. This bill is in the Senate awaiting
referral.
Analysis Prepared by:Jennifer Swenson / APPR. / (916)
319-2081