BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2656
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Date of Hearing: May 11, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2656 (O'Donnell) - As Amended March 18, 2016
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: NoReimbursable: No
SUMMARY:
This bill prohibits the California Department of Education (CDE)
from charging foster youth a fee to take the California High
School Proficiency Exam (CHSPE) and prohibits any contractor or
testing center from charging foster youth a fee to take any high
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school equivalency test (also known as the GED). This is
consistent with the policy under existing law for homeless
youth.
FISCAL EFFECT:
1)Unknown special fund costs, likely minor, to subsidize fees
for foster youth and former foster youth who choose to take
any of the high school equivalency tests or CHSPE.
It is difficult to predict the number of foster youth that
will take these tests. There are approximately 60,000 foster
youth in California. The author estimates there are
approximately 4,000 foster youth between the ages of 15-24
that do not receive a high school diploma. Approximately 0.15%
of eligible homeless students took these tests last year.
Assuming a similar percentage of foster youth take these
tests, the state would incur costs of approximately $980 for
the equivalency exams and $770 for the CHSPE.
2)Special fund costs to the CDE of approximately $260,000 to
provide assistance and support to the foster youth community,
verify foster youth eligibility, adjust testing contracts and
report participation rates.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. According to the author, foster youth and former
foster youth face issues and circumstances that make
graduating from high school challenging or even impossible.
Only 50% of foster youth in the United States receive a high
school diploma. Only 10% of foster youth will attend college
and of that 10% only 3% will graduate. The CHSPE and high
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school equivalency tests are two alternate paths to
postsecondary education and the opportunities and benefits
that education provides. However the fees for these exams
create a nearly impossible barrier for foster and former
foster youth to overcome. This bill prohibits a fee from being
charged to foster, and former foster youth, making this an
accessible option for these youth.
2)Background. The CHSPE and High School Equivalency Tests are
offered as alternatives to a high school diploma. The fee to
take the CHSPE is $110, $135 for late registration, and $160
for emergency registration. The State Board of Education has
approved three different high school equivalency tests for use
in California: the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET), the
General Education Development (GED) and the Test Assessing
Secondary Completion (TASC). Fees for the equivalency tests
can vary from from one test center to another but average
around $140 to $150 per exam.
3)Prior legislation. SB 252 (Leno), Chapter 384, Statutes of
2015, prohibited the assessment of fees for homeless youth.
The legislation specified no additional state funds could be
appropriated for purposes of implementing the requirements of
the bill. SB 252 did, however; authorize the Superintendent
of Public Instruction (SPI) to use surplus funds from the
special deposit account established for the high school
equivalency tests to reimburse contractors for any loss of
fees. Funds in the special deposit account cannot be used for
costs associated with the CHSPE. CDE estimates the fund had a
surplus of approximately $1.3 million. According to a budget
request this year, annual costs associated with subsidizing
homeless youth are estimated to be around $100,000.
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Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)
319-2081