BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2521
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 4, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2521 (Cooley) - As Amended April 14, 2016
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|Policy |Higher Education |Vote:|13 - 0 |
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill authorizes the Los Rios Community College District
(CCD) to establish a pilot program to support special needs
students. Specifically, this bill:
1)Specifies that, under the pilot, the district may provide
access to learning supports for students with special needs,
such as autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), including Aspergers
syndrome, social and emotional maturation issues, and other
related disabilities.
AB 2521
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2)Specifies that as part of the pilot, the district may contract
with public or private programs providing a network of
services to special needs students, including the support of
resident advisors, tutors, mentors, psychologists, academic
liaisons, site directors, and others to help special needs
students become more self-sufficient, independent, confident,
and successful in their academic endeavors.
3)Specifies that individuals providing support shall submit
progress reports to the district for their special needs
students participating in the program, and the district to
compile this information and post it on the its website for
parents and teachers to access.
4)Specifies that funding for the Pilot program may be derived
from any source, including state and nonstate sources.
FISCAL EFFECT:
While funding for this program could come from within the
district's budget allocations and with nonstate sources, since
this would be a statutory pilot program within in the Education
Code and eligible for state funding, there will at least be cost
pressure for a specific appropriation. Though some program costs
would likely be provided through local Regional Center, the
district would incur costs, in part based on the number of
campuses and students participating. (Los Rios has four
campuses.) Minimum additional costs, even for one site, would be
at least in the range of $250,000 annually for a program
coordinator, support staff and related expenses.
COMMENTS:
AB 2521
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1)Background. The Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS)
provides support services, specialized instruction, and
educational accommodations to students with disabilities so
that they can participate as fully and benefit as equitably
from the college experience as their non-disabled peers.
Examples of services available through DSPS include
test-taking facilitation, assessment for learning
disabilities, specialized counseling, interpreter services for
hearing-impaired or deaf students, mobility assistance, note
taker services, reader services, speech services,
transcription services, transportation, specialized tutoring,
access to adaptive equipment, job development/placement,
registration assistance, special parking and specialized
instruction.
2)Purpose. According to the author, students with disabilities
face unique challenges as they endeavor to further their
education. The author states, "While some CCC students who
have disabilities may not request services from Disabled
Student Programs and Services (DSPS), this alone is not likely
to account for the significant degree of underrepresentation
in the CCC system. Outreach to students with special needs
have decreased as the CCC struggles to serve students with
reduced state funding. As a result, Community College
Districts are looking for ways to better serve students on
their own."
3)Concern. While supportive of the bill's intent, and
recognizing the important services the pilot program would
provide to the students, Los Rios CCD is concerned that the
bill does not include specific resources to implement the
bill's requirements.
4)Programs at Other CCCs. Taft Community College is presently
the only college in California with an occupational and
living skills residential program specifically for students
with ASDs. In the last five years, 116 students have
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matriculated through the program. According to the CCC
Chancellor's Office, this program utilizes the Kern Regional
Center as a sponsoring agency, and the regional center funds
the program. Eight other CCC campuses have similar programs,
but do not provide for on-campus living.
Analysis Prepared by:Chuck Nicol / APPR. / (916)
319-2081