BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  1





          Date of Hearing:  June 21, 2016


                       ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION


                                 Jose Medina, Chair


          SB  
          412 (Glazer) - As Amended June 8, 2016


          SENATE VOTE:  36-0


          SUBJECT:  The California Promise


          SUMMARY:  Establishes the California Promise to support students  
          who enroll in the campuses of the California State University  
          (CSU) and the California Community Colleges (CCC) in obtaining  
          associate degrees within two academic years, and baccalaureate  
          degrees within four academic years, as applicable, of the  
          academic year of the student's freshman admission.   
          Specifically, this bill:  


          1)Finds and declares all of the following:


             a)   This part is needed to facilitate the availability and  
               completion of coursework for degree programs offered by  
               campuses of the CSU and the CCC and to ensure that students  
               enrolled in these campuses are able to complete associate  
               degree programs within two academic years, and  
               baccalaureate degree programs within four academic years,  
               as applicable, of the academic year of the student's  
               freshman admission.








                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  2







             b)   A more concerted, statewide effort to create pathways to  
               four-year graduation is needed at the CSU. For the 2010  
               cohort of full-time, first-time students at the CSU, 19  
               percent graduated within four academic years. According to  
               the Legislative Analyst's Office, the most recent  
               nationally comparable data shows that the CSU overall  
               four-year graduation rate was 16 percent in 2011, below the  
               national rate of 26 percent among similar public  
               institutions.


             c)   Impediments to graduating within four academic years  
               include the failure of students to complete sufficient  
               units per academic year and the lack of available  
               high-demand courses.


             d)   New approaches are critical for the future of higher  
               education in California. Efforts have been ongoing, though  
               sporadic, to improve postsecondary educational institution  
               enrollment and graduation. These efforts will need to be  
               intensified and made more broadly systemic.


             e)   Students who graduate within four academic years save  
               tens of thousands of dollars. In addition to the direct  
               costs of extended college and university enrollment,  
               students miss out on earnings in the workforce while they  
               remain in school.


             f)   When California experiences a decline in college and  
               university graduates, the state's economy shrinks and  
               employers seek qualified candidates outside the state.  
               Furthermore, a larger share of the state's workforce is  
               downgraded to lower-paying jobs and consumer behavior and  
               home ownership declines, which leads to plummeting revenues  








                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  3





               for local and state government and to more people relying  
               on increasingly decimated government services.


             g)   According to the Public Policy Institute of California,  
               if bold measures are not taken, California will fall short  
               of the state's economic demand by 1.1 million college and  
               university graduates by 2030. An increased demand for  
               highly educated workers will outweigh the number of  
               qualified applicants for available jobs, which will be  
               exacerbated when scores of highly educated baby boomers  
               retire. The share of workers with a baccalaureate degree  
               will be 33 percent in 2030, below the 38 percent that will  
               be needed.


             h)   The impact of graduation rates from CSU campuses is felt  
               not only throughout the state, but also the nation. One out  
               of every 10 California employees is a CSU graduate, while  
               one out of every 20 United States citizens with a college  
               or university degree graduates from a campus of the CSU.  
               These statistics emphasize the national importance of  
               graduation rates at CSU campuses.


             i)   It is the intent of the Legislature that the California  
               Promise will enable the CSU system to meet and exceed the  
               national average of similar public postsecondary  
               educational institutions as quickly as possible.


             j)   The California Promise programs established at the CSU  
               and the CCC in accordance with this part should aim to  
               reflect the demographics of their respective campuses and  
               target a diverse set of students.


          2)Defines the following terms:









                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  4






             a)   "Academic year of the student's freshman admission"  
               means the first full academic year in which a person is a  
               student at a campus of the CSU or the CCC


             b)    "Board of governors" means the Board of Governors of  
               the CCC.


             c)   "Trustees" mean the Trustees of the CSU.


          3)Requires the trustees and the board of governors to develop  
            and implement a California Promise program, as specified, at  
            10 or more of their respective campuses.


          4)Requires, commencing with the 2017-18 fiscal year, the  
            trustees and the board of governors to authorize each campus  
            with a California Promise program to enter into a pledge with  
            a qualifying student of the campus, including a CCC transfer  
            student, to support the student in obtaining an associate  
            degree within two academic years, or a baccalaureate degree  
            within four academic years, as applicable, of the academic  
            year of the student's freshman admission.


          5)Requires qualifying students to comply with the following:


             a)   Be a California resident for purposes of in-state  
               tuition eligibility.


             b)   Complete at least 30 semester units or the quarter  
               equivalent per academic year. Units completed by the  
               student during a summer term may count towards the previous  
               or following academic year as determined by the trustees.








                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  5







             c)   CCC students must be enrolled in an associate degree for  
               transfer program at a CCC, and participate in the Student  
               Success and Support Program.


          6)Requires each program established by the trustees at a CSU  
            campus to be reviewed by each campus' graduation initiative  
            advisory committee or a committee designated with similar  
            functions. The committee:


             a)   Must ensure the goals of the program and implementation  
               steps lead to increasing the campus' four-year graduation  
               rates for students who enrolled as first-time freshman and  
               two-year graduation rates for community college transfer  
               students; and


             b)   May develop additional eligibility requirements to  
               prioritize specific student populations that have lower  
               four-year graduation rates at the campus for those who  
               enroll as first-time freshman and lower two-year graduation  
               rates for those who enroll as CCC transfer students,  
               including, but not limited to, all of the following student  
               populations:


               i)     Students who receive financial aid under the federal  
                 Pell Grant Program or the Cal Grant Program;


               ii)    Underrepresented students; and,  


               iii)   First generation college students.










                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  6





          7)Establishes Legislative intent that each California Promise  
            program gradually scale up in order to accommodate as many  
            students into the program as feasible.


          8)Requires the support provided by a CSU campus to a student who  
            participates in the campus' California Promise program to  
            include, at least: 


             a)   Priority registration in coursework; and, 


             b)   Academic advisement that includes monitoring the  
               student's academic progress.


          9)Requires the support provided by a CCC campus to a student who  
            participates in the campus' California Promise program to  
            include the services outlined in the Student Success and  
            Support Program, including orientation, assessment,  
            counseling, advising, and other assistance. 


          10)Requires the trustees and the board of governors to develop  
            application criteria, administrative guidelines, and  
            additional requirements, including how campuses will measure  
            student success, for purposes of implementing and  
            administering the California Promise program; and authorizes  
            the requirements to include a minimum grade point average for  
            participating students.


          11)Requires the trustees and the board of governors to take into  
            consideration the report on graduation rates required pursuant  
            to the Budget Act of 2016.


          12)Requires the trustees to submit a report to Legislative  








                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  7





            policy and fiscal committees by January 1, 2021 that includes:


             a)   The total number of students participating in the  
               program disaggregated by individual campus and all of the  
               following:


               i)     CCC transfer students and students who enroll as  
                 first-time freshman.


               ii)    First generation college students.


               iii)   Recipients of financial aid under the federal Pell  
                 Grant Program or the Cal Grant Program established in  
                 Chapter 1.7 of Part 42.


               iv)    Student ethnicity.


             b)   The total number of students who graduated in four  
               academic years for students who enrolled as first-time  
               freshman and two academic years for CCC transfer students,  
               disaggregated by individual campus and the aforementioned  
               characteristics.


          13)Requires the trustees shall submit a report to Legislative  
            policy and fiscal committees by January 1, 2019, that includes  
            the total number of the first cohort of CCC transfer students  
            participating in the program, disaggregated by individual  
            campus and the aforementioned characteristics.


          14)Requires the aforementioned reports to include a summary  
            description of significant differences regarding  








                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  8





            implementation of the California Promise program by campus,  
            including, but not limited to, the prioritization of student  
            populations, the role of academic advising, and the  
            implementation of priority registration.


          15)Requires the trustees and the board of governors to submit  
            recommendations to the appropriate policy and fiscal  
            committees of the Legislature by March 15, 2017, regarding  
            potential financial incentives that can benefit students who  
            participate in the California Promise program, including, but  
            not limited to, incentives for qualifying students who are  
            unable to graduate within four or two academic years due to a  
            lack of course offerings.


          16)Requires a student who participates in the California Promise  
            program at a CCC and who successfully completes his or her  
            associate degree for transfer within two academic years to be  
            guaranteed participation in the California Promise program at  
            the CSU transfer campus, if established.


          17)Requires the trustees and the board of governors to make  
            every effort to close the achievement gap and encourage broad  
            participation in a California Promise program that reflects a  
            participating campus' demographics.


          EXISTING LAW:   


          1)Establishes the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act and  
            requires CCC districts to develop and grant a transfer  
            associate degree that deems the student eligible for transfer  
            into the CSU, when the student meets specified course  
            requirements (EC Section 66746).  The CSU is required to  
            guarantee admission with junior status to any community  
            college student who meets specified requirements, but provides  








                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  9





            that the student is not guaranteed admission for specific  
            majors or campuses.  (EC Section 66747).


          2)Establishes the Student Success Act and requires CCC to  
            provide student services and support, including orientation,  
            assessment, counseling and education planning, referral to  
            specialized support services, and evaluation of each student's  
            progress and referral to appropriate interventions.  Students  
            have the responsibility to identify an academic and career  
            goal, declare a specific course of study, be diligent in class  
            attendance and completion of assigned coursework, and complete  
            courses and maintain academic progress toward an educational  
            goal.  (EC Sections 78210-78219; Title 5 of the California  
            Code of Regulations Sections 55500-55534)


          3)Requires CSU and CCC districts, and requests the University of  
            California (UC) to give priority for registration for  
            enrollment to the following:


             a)   Any member or former member of the Armed Forces, as  
               defined, who is a resident of California and who has  
               received an honorable discharge, a general discharge, or an  
               other than honorable discharge for any academic term  
               attended at one of these institutions within four years of  
               leaving state or federal active duty, if the institution  
               already administers a priority enrollment system. Current  
               law further requires that the veteran use this benefit  
               within 15 years of leaving state or federal active duty and  
               requires that these students comply with student  
               responsibilities established by the Student Success Act of  
               2012.  (EC Section 66025.8)


             b)   If the institution already administers a priority  
               enrollment system for registration, to any current or  
               former foster youth.  (EC Section 66025.9) 








                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  10







             c)   CCC districts that administer a priority enrollment  
               system for registration to grant priority registration for  
               enrollment to students in the Extended Opportunity Program  
               and Services and to disabled students.  (EC Section  
               66025.91)


          4)Establishes EOPS to extend opportunities for CCC education to  
            all who may profit regardless of economic, social and  
            educational status, and to encourage local community colleges  
            to identify students affected by economic, language, and  
            social disadvantages and encourage their enrollment and  
            achievement of their educational objectives and goals; and  
            authorizes local CCC governing boards to provide services that  
            may include loans or grants for living costs, student fees,  
            and transportation costs and also scholarships,  
            work-experience and job placement programs.  (EC Section 69640  
            - 69656)


          FISCAL EFFECT:  Unknown.  This bill was amended in the Assembly  
          and the prior contents, which were unrelated to higher  
          education, were removed.  This bill has not been heard in its  
          current form by a fiscal committee.  


          COMMENTS:  Purpose of this bill.  According to the author,  
          "despite the proven track record as a leader in higher  
          education, the CSU's four-year graduation rate continues to lag  
          behind the rest of the nation.  According to the CSU, the most  
          recent nationally-comparable data shows their overall four-year  
          graduation rate was 16.2 percent for the Fall 2008 cohort of  
          first-time, full-time freshmen, well below the national rate of  
          24.9 percent among similar public institutions.  The most recent  
          American Freshman Survey from the Higher Education Research  
          Institute at UCLA, which found that 84 percent of freshmen  
          entering public colleges expect to graduate in four years,  








                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  11





          demonstrates the clear gap between expectation and reality.   
          Finishing in four years saves students and their families tens  
          of thousands of dollars."


          The author believes the California Promise programs established  
          by bill "will increase the CSU's four-year graduation rate,  
          lower cost and debt obligations of students and their families,  
          and ensure the number of CSU degrees is expanded to meet the  
          needs of California employers."

          CSU promise programs.  Information provided by the CSU, at the  
          request of Committee staff, shows that four campuses currently  
          have pledge programs (Cal Poly Pomona, Fresno, Fullerton, and  
          San Bernardino).  Generally, these programs, some of which date  
          back to 2007, operate consistently with the requirements of this  
          bill.  The overall results of programs are mixed.  While  
          four-year graduation rates for program participants are much  
          higher than the undergraduate student populations that do not  
          participate in the programs, attrition rates are also high  
          (sometimes 50% or more).  In addition, some campuses have  
          discontinued programs due to low student participation.


          CSU Graduation Initiative.  In October 2014, the CSU initiated  
          "Graduation Initiative 2025" was approved by the CSU, and set a  
          number of completion goals, including increasing graduation  
          rates and closing achievement gaps.  The CSU Chancellor's Office  
          initiated a number of activities to accomplish these goals,  
          including reducing the number of units required to earn a BA/BS  
          degree, expanding the Associate Degree for Transfer program,  
          expanding cohort-based learning communities, expanding Summer  
          Bridge and other transitional programs, hiring more tenure track  
          faculty and academic advisors, and building relationships with  
          community and business partners, community colleges and K-12  
          school districts to ensure students are prepared for college,  
          among other activities.










                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  12





          Committee consideration.  The 2016 Budget Act provided CSU $35  
          million in one-time funds, contingent on the system setting  
          four-year graduation rate and two-year transfer graduation rates  
          targets.  The CSU is required to develop an action plan for the  
          system and for each campus by September 30, 2016.  The budget  
          provides CSU with the flexibility to develop tailored plans for  
          each campus.  Rather than require CSU to establish 10 Promise  
          Programs, the Committee may wish to consider whether it would be  
          more appropriate to allow CSU some flexibility to determine  
          whether Promise Programs or other evidence-based policies and  
          practices are a better solution, on a campus-by-campus basis, to  
          improve on-time graduations.


          CCC student success initiative.  In January 2012, the Student  
          Success Task Force (SSTF) report was approved by the CCC Board  
          of Governors and made 22 specific recommendations aimed at  
          increasing college and career readiness, strengthening support  
          for entering students, incentivizing successful student  
          behaviors, aligning course offerings to meet student needs,  
          improving education of basic skills students, revitalizing and  
          re-envisioning professional development, enabling efficient  
          statewide leadership and increase coordination among colleges,  
          and aligning resources with student success recommendations.   
          These recommendations are currently being implemented through  
          the Student Success Initiative by the CCC Chancellor's Office,  
          and, since 2012, funded by the State through the Student  
          Services Support Program categorical fund.  As currently  
          drafted, this bill proposes a new Promise Program   


          CCC-CSU Transfer Pathway.  SB 1440 (Padilla), Chapter 428,  
          Statues of 2010, created the Student Transfer Achievement Reform  
          Act, and required CCC to create two-year 60 unit Associate  
          Degrees for Transfer that are fully transferable to CSU.  Though  
          these students are not guaranteed admission to a particular CSU  
          campus or into a particular degree program, SB 1440 gives them  
          priority admission to a CSU program that is "similar" to the  
          student's CCC major or area of emphasis, as determined by the  








                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  13





          CSU campus to which the student is admitted. Once admitted, SB  
          1440 students need only complete two additional years (an  
          additional 60 units) of coursework to earn a bachelor's degree. 


          Committee consideration.  As drafted, this bill would layer a  
          new program on top of the existing efforts at CCC to improve  
          student completion.  The author has proposed amendments removing  
          CCC from the scope of this bill and instead requiring CSU to  
          guarantee entry into a promise program for any CCC student who  
          transfers with an ADT.   


          REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:




          Support


          None on File




          Opposition


          None on File




          Analysis Prepared by:Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916)  
          319-3960











                                                                     SB 412


                                                                    Page  14