BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2822
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB
2822 (Chiu)
As Amended August 16, 2016
Majority vote
--------------------------------------------------------------------
|ASSEMBLY: |55-25 |(June 2, 2016) |SENATE: |28-8 |(August 19, |
| | | | | |2016) |
| | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
--------------------------------------------------------------------
Original Committee Reference: HIGHER ED.
SUMMARY: Requires the California Community Colleges (CCC)
Chancellor's Office to provide guidelines for community college
districts (CCD) or campuses that seek to establish student
emergency aid programs among the services they provide.
The Senate amendments do all of the following:
1)Require The CCC Chancellor's Office to provide guidelines for
CCDs or campuses that seek to establish student emergency aid
programs among the supportive services and specialized
programs it provides.
2)Delete the requirement that CCDs shall provide emergency
student financial assistance with CCC Student Success and
Support Program funds.
AB 2822
Page 2
3)Clarify that only private funds may be used for administering
emergency student financial assistance, as specified.
4)Define "eligible student" as a student who has experienced an
unforeseen financial challenge, who currently meets
satisfactory academic progress of the institution he or she
attends, and who is at risk of not persisting in his or her
course of study due to the unforeseen financial challenge.
5)Define "emergency student financial assistance" as financial
support in the form of financial assistance to support a
student to help overcome unforeseen financial challenges so
that the student can continue his or her course of study.
6)State that the Legislature intends that priority be given to
student populations that are in the most need when seeking
student emergency aid.
EXISTING LAW: Requires that all CCDs, with the assistance of
the CCC Chancellor, establish and maintain institutional
research to evaluate the effectiveness of the Student Success
and Support Program (SSSP), as specified, and of any other
programs or services designed to facilitate students' completion
of their educational goals and course of study. Specifies the
metrics for said research shall include, but be not limited to
the following: 1) prior educational experience, including
transcripts when appropriate, as determined by the chancellor;
2) educational goals and courses of study; 3) criteria for
exemption from orientation, assessment, or required counseling
or advisement, if applicable; 4) need for financial assistance;
5) disaggregated data by ethnicity, gender, disability, age, and
socioeconomic status, to the extent this information is
available; 6) academic performance, such as the completion of
specified unit thresholds, success in basic skills courses,
grade point average, course completion outcomes, transfer
readiness, and degree and certificate completion; and, 7) any
additional information that the chancellor finds appropriate
(Education Code Section 78214).
AB 2822
Page 3
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, the CCC Chancellor's Office indicates that the costs
to develop the required guidelines would be minor.
COMMENTS: Emergency aid. According to information provided by
the author, the field of emergency aid is emerging as a best
practice for community colleges around the nation; however, the
field is remains relative new. California presently has three
community colleges, Cuyamaca Community College, Grossmont
Community College, and Pasadena Community College that have
begun emergency aid programs. To note, Committee staff
understands that anecdotally, many community colleges are
hesitant to implement some form of emergency aid shy of clear
direction from the Legislature.
Additionally, According to a December 2015 report, by Wisconsin
Hope Lab, entitled, "Investing in Student Completion:
Overcoming Financial Barriers to Retention Through Small-Dollar
Grants and Emergency Aid Programs," a deepening financial need
among students exists and growing concerns about college
retention. The report finds that there is an increased interest
in emergency aid programs, but also many challenges in
implementing them effectively, due in part, to administrators
having to delicately navigate tensions between providing access
and support and rationing scarce resources. The report
recommends that clear criteria for program eligibility, while
providing flexibility for determinations in unusual
circumstances, must be established and clearly communicated.
Purpose of this measure. According to the author, "If
California seriously wants to meet the goals outlined in the
Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act, then the CCCs should have
every effective tool available to them." The author contends
that, this measure provides the CCCs another means to supporting
students, despite unforeseen financial emergencies.
AB 2822
Page 4
The author argues that, "This measure would further the goals of
California community colleges' to retain and graduate students
by providing emergency aid, at just the right time, to students
who would otherwise be forced to leave school because of a
financial emergency."
Analysis Prepared by:
Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960
FN: 0004243