BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 2155 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 6, 2016 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC EMPLOYEES, RETIREMENT, AND SOCIAL SECURITY Rob Bonta, Chair AB 2155 (Ridley-Thomas) - As Amended March 28, 2016 SUBJECT: Teachers: retirement: full time SUMMARY: Requires that collective bargaining agreements or employment agreements that apply to adult education instructors specify the courses for which those members are adult education instructors thereby allowing Career Development and College Preparation (CPCP) courses to be subject to a lower instructional hour requirement for purposes of determining service credit under the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS). This bill affects agreements that are entered into, extended, renewed or amended on or after January 1, 2017. EXISTING LAW: 1)Establishes minimum standards for full-time employment for the purpose of crediting service under the California State Teachers' Retirement System (CalSTRS). AB 2155 Page 2 2)Specifies that the minimum standard, generally, for full time instructors in community colleges is 175 days per year or 1,050 hours per year. 3)Specifies that for community college instructors employed on a part-time basis, the minimum standard for full time is 525 instructional hours. 4)Specifies that for community college instructors employed in adult education programs the minimum standard for full time is 875 instructional hours. FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. COMMENTS: According to the author, SB 361 (Scott), Chapter 514, Statutes of 2008, "?established three levels of funding for community colleges. Credit courses were funded at the highest level and noncredit (adult education) courses were funded at the lowest level. In between those two levels was a third level for Career Development and College Preparation (CDCP) courses, which are also considered noncredit courses. CDCP courses, however, are different from traditional noncredit courses in that they are a series of courses that lead to a certificate of completion that is designed to improve employment prospects and increase transfer opportunities to four-year institutions." AB 2155 Page 3 "Many community colleges offer what could be CDCP curriculum in the credit format because the funding level for CDCP courses was lower than courses offered for credit. Last year's budget created funding parity between CDCP courses and courses offered for credit. Many community colleges find that offering CDCP courses in the noncredit format is better for students because there are no student fees for noncredit courses and it allows faculty to accelerate coursework to better fit the needs of students." "A barrier that community colleges must overcome to take advantage of offering CDCP courses in the noncredit format is the requirement that faculty teaching noncredit courses are required to provide at least 25 instructional hours per week while faculty teaching courses for credit are required to provide 15 instructional hours per week. Because of the instructional hour requirement for CDCP courses, the state could miss out on an opportunity to increase student readiness for employment and college-level work." According to the sponsor, "This measure would authorize, not require, community college districts to equalize the minimum instructional hour requirements for credit courses and CDCP courses. Districts would be authorized to establish, through bargaining, a lower instructional hour requirement, specifically, 15 instructional hours per week, for CDCP courses. Under the legislation, districts would specifically identify which courses are adult education courses for the purposes of service credit allowing CDCP courses to be identified as courses that are not adult education." REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION: AB 2155 Page 4 Support The Los Angeles College Faculty Guild (Sponsor) Los Rios Community College District San Bernardino Community College District South Orange County Community College District Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by:Karon Green / P.E.,R., & S.S. / (916) 319-3957