BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 2056|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 2056
Author: Eduardo Garcia (D)
Amended: 4/21/16 in Assembly
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 9-0, 6/15/16
AYES: Liu, Block, Hancock, Huff, Leyva, Mendoza, Monning, Pan,
Vidak
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 8/11/16
AYES: Lara, Bates, Beall, Hill, McGuire, Mendoza, Nielsen
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 76-0, 5/19/16 (Consent) - See last page for
vote
SUBJECT: Cal Grant Program: graduation verification
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST: This bill requires the California Student Aid Commission
(Commission), if it requires the verification of high school
graduation to be submitted electronically-as permitted under
current law, for purposes of meeting the eligibility
requirements for a Cal Grant award, to provide guidance to
school districts so the verification of graduation is submitted
as soon as possible but no later than August 31st, as specified.
ANALYSIS:
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Existing law:
1)Authorizes the Cal Grant program, administered by the
Commission, to provide grants to financially needy students to
attend a college or university. The Cal Grant programs
include both the entitlement and the competitive Cal Grant
awards. The program consists of the Cal Grant A, Cal Grant B,
and Cal Grant C programs, and eligibility is based upon
financial need, grade point average (GPA), California
residency and other criteria. (Education Code § 69430-69433)
2)Prohibits school districts from permitting access to student
records without written parental consent but makes some
exceptions, as specified. School districts may release
information from student records to agencies or organizations
in connection with the application of a pupil for, or receipt
of, financial aid. However, information permitting the
personal identification of a pupil or his or her parents, may
be disclosed only as necessary for the purpose to determine
the eligibility of the pupil for financial aid, to determine
the amount of the financial aid, to determine the conditions
that will be imposed regarding the financial aid, or to
enforce the terms or conditions of the financial aid. (EC §
49076)
3)Authorizes the Commission to require that GPAs be submitted
electronically for all high school seniors attending public
schools unless the student or parent opts out. (EC § 69432.9)
4)Authorizes the Commission to require verification of high
school graduation or equivalent to be submitted electronically
for all grade 12 pupils who graduated from public schools in
the prior academic year, except for pupils that have opted
out. Establishes legislative intent that high schools verify
graduation of their pupils in time to meet the applicable
deadline. (EC § 69432.92)
This bill:
1)Requires the Commission, if it requires the verification of
high school graduation to be electronically submitted--as
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allowed under current law, for purposes of meeting eligibility
requirements for a Cal Grant award, to provide guidance to
school districts so the verification is submitted as soon as
possible but no later than August 31 following the students'
graduation.
2)Specifies that its provisions also apply to students who
graduate during the summer following grade 12.
Comments
1)Need for the bill. Graduation from a California high school
is a requirement for a Cal Grant award. This requirement
needs to be verified, before an award is paid and late
submission could delay payment of a Cal Grant award. The
California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, in a
support letter states, the verification of graduation for many
students who attend summer school in order to meet high
graduation requirements, is either never received by the
Commission or it is submitted after the Cal Grant application
deadline resulting in delays of Cal Grant award payments. This
bill seeks to ensure that all high school graduates are
reported to the Commission resulting in timely Cal Grant award
payments.
2)Existing process for verification. Typically, a student in
high school is notified of his or her Cal Grant award during
grade 12. Current law authorizes the Commission to require
verification of high school graduation to be submitted
electronically for purposes of meeting the eligibility
requirements for a Cal Grant award. According to the
Commission, graduation verification is submitted to the
Commission in a variety of ways, each of which has its own
unique challenges.
a) Schools and school districts. Some high schools and
schools districts submit verification of high school
graduation directly to the Commission. Other districts
submit the information through the California Department of
Education. In both cases, however, the Commission may not
receive the data within the time frame needed to process a
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timely Cal Grant award payment.
b) Students. If the Commission has not received
verification from either the college or school, a student
can self-certify through the Commission's Web site.
However, most students are not aware of this process or may
become aware after an award payment is missed.
c) Some universities. Depending on where a student is
enrolled the University may verify graduation. This is not
the case for colleges where graduation from high school is
not a requirement like at the California Community
Colleges.
It appears that the variation in the submission process could
unintentionally exclude students who need to be verified soon
after graduation. As mentioned, under current law, the
Commission may require verification of high school graduation
to be submitted electronically. This bill goes further by
requiring the Commission to provide guidance to schools and
school districts so as to ensure students' are verified as
soon as possible but no later than the end of summer (August
31). This process may provide clarity and potentially reduce
late Cal Grant award payments.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, this bill will
impose the following costs:
To the extent this bill results in more Cal Grant awards being
paid to students, this bill could result in potentially
significant costs to the state. (General Fund)
Local cost pressure for high schools or high school districts
to verify the graduation of their students as soon as possible
upon a student's graduation, but no later than August 31 of
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the academic year following the student's graduation. These
costs are not reimbursable under state mandate law as this
deadline is provided to school districts as guidance from the
Commission and therefore not a state mandated requirement.
Minor costs to the Commission to provide required guidance.
SUPPORT: (Verified8/11/16)
Association of California School Administrators
California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
California Student Aid Commission
OPPOSITION: (Verified8/11/16)
None received
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 76-0, 5/19/16
AYES: Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Arambula, Atkins, Baker,
Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, Brough, Brown, Burke,
Calderon, Campos, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Cooper,
Dababneh, Dahle, Daly, Dodd, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines,
Gallagher, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson,
Gomez, Gonzalez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger
Hernández, Holden, Irwin, Jones, Jones-Sawyer, Kim, Lackey,
Levine, Linder, Lopez, Low, Maienschein, Mayes, Medina,
Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O'Donnell, Olsen,
Patterson, Quirk, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Santiago,
Steinorth, Mark Stone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber,
Wilk, Wood, Rendon
NO VOTE RECORDED: Chang, Mathis, McCarty, Williams
Prepared by:Olgalilia Ramirez / ED. / (916) 651-4105
8/15/16 20:17:26
**** END ****
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