BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2656
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 20, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Patrick O'Donnell, Chair
AB 2656
(O'Donnell) - As Amended March 18, 2016
SUBJECT: Pupils: diploma alternatives: fee waiver: foster
youth
SUMMARY: Provides that a foster youth or former foster youth
who has not attained the age of 25 shall not be assessed a fee
to take a high school proficiency or high school equivalency
exam. Specifically, this bill:
1)Prohibits the California Department of Education (CDE) from
charging a fee for the high school proficiency exam to an
examinee who is a foster youth or former foster youth who is
younger than 25 years of age.
2)Prohibits a scoring contractor or testing center from charging
a fee for the high school equivalency exam to an examinee who
is a foster youth or former foster youth who is younger than
25 years of age.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to award a
AB 2656
Page 2
"certificate of proficiency" to persons who demonstrate
proficiency in basic skills taught in public high schools.
2)Authorizes the CDE to charge a fee to cover the cost of
administering the proficiency exam.
3)Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
issue a California high school equivalency certificate to a
person who passes a SBE-approved equivalency exam and meets
specified residency and age requirements.
4)Prohibits fees for the equivalency or proficiency tests from
being assessed to homeless youth.
FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown
COMMENTS:
Background. The California High School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE)
and High School Equivalency Tests are offered as alternatives to
a high school diploma. The CHSPE is available to pupils 16 and
over, and measures basic skills in English language arts and
math. A Certificate of Proficiency is accepted by federal
agencies for purposes of employment, and all persons and
institutions subject to California law that require a high
school diploma are required to accept the certificate as
satisfying the requirement. The fee is $110 for those who
register by the deadline, $135 for late registration, and $160
for emergency registration. The CDE reports that there were
4,594 CHSPE test takers in 2013-14, with a pass rate of about
47%. Those who fail the test can retake it.
AB 2656
Page 3
The SBE has approved three high school equivalency tests for use
in California: the General Educational Development Test (GED),
published by the GED Testing Service, which is owned by Pearson,
a for-profit company; the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET),
published by the Educational Testing Service (ETS), a private
not-for profit company; and the Test Assessing Secondary
Completion (TASC), published by CTB/McGraw-Hill, a for-profit
company. The fees vary from test to test and from one test
center to another, but are more than $100. For example, the Los
Angeles testing center for the HiSET charges $150.
Related legislation. SB 252 (Leno), Chapter 384, Statutes of
2015, prohibits the assessment of fees to homeless youth.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
American Civil Liberties Union
John Burton Foundation
AB 2656
Page 4
Opposition
None received
Analysis Prepared by:Rick Pratt / ED. / (916) 319-2087