BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session SB 247 (Lara) - Dream Centers: educational support services. ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: April 7, 2015 |Policy Vote: ED. 8 - 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: No | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: May 11, 2015 |Consultant: Jillian Kissee | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: This bill authorizes the establishment of undocumented student support services and on-campus Dream Centers at school districts, county offices of education, and public postsecondary institutions. Fiscal Impact: Cost pressure: Potentially significant cost pressure in the tens of millions for school districts, county offices of education, California Community Colleges (CCC), and the California State University (CSU) to fund these services. (see staff comments) Background: AB 540 (Chapter 814, Statutes of 2001) authorizes certain undocumented students to pay in-state tuition at the CCC, the CSU, and the University of California (UC). SB 247 (Lara) Page 1 of ? Existing law provides that AB 540 students are eligible to apply for, and participate in; any student financial aid program administered by the State of California to the full extent permitted by federal law and requires the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) to establish procedures and forms for this purpose. To comply with this provision the CSAC developed the Dream Application. (Education Code 69508.5) Proposed Law: This bill authorizes each governing board of each school district or county office of education that maintains any grades 9 through 12, the governing board of each community college district, and the Trustees of the California State University to establish, and the Regents of the University of California are encouraged to establish, undocumented student support services to include, but not be limited to, state and institutional financial assistance, academic counseling, referral services, and on-campus Dream Centers. Related Legislation:1. AB 1366 (Lopez, 2015) requires the CCC and the CSU, and requests the UC, to establish on-campus Dream resource centers. This bill is pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee. Staff Comments: This bill creates a potentially significant cost pressure for school districts, county offices of education, CCC, and the CSU to fund these services. For illustrative purposes, if school districts serving grades 9 through 12 (418) and CCC districts (72) hired at least one position at a rate of $100,000, including benefits, to provide the services encouraged in the bill, it would result in costs in the tens of millions Proposition 98 General Fund. The CSU estimates that this bill will result a cost pressure for the 19 remaining campuses that have not already established a Dream Center ranging from $2.2 million to $4.8 million in the first year and ongoing costs of $1.3 million to $1.9 million General Fund. The UC indicates that this bill does not result in any SB 247 (Lara) Page 2 of ? additional costs as the university already provides services included in this bill. To the extent the Dream Centers and related services are offered to students and contribute to better student outcomes, such as reducing the time it takes for a student to earn a degree, colleges and universities could achieve efficiencies by potentially providing broader access to other students. -- END --