BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 412
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SENATE THIRD READING
SB
412 (Glazer and De León)
As Amended August 15, 2016
Majority vote
SENATE VOTE: 36-0
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|Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes |
| | | | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Higher |13-0 |Medina, Baker, Bloom, | |
|Education | |Chávez, Irwin, | |
| | |Jones-Sawyer, Levine, | |
| | |Linder, Low, Olsen, | |
| | |Santiago, Weber, | |
| | |Williams | |
| | | | |
|----------------+-----+----------------------+--------------------|
|Appropriations |20-0 |Gonzalez, Bigelow, | |
| | |Bloom, Bonilla, | |
| | |Bonta, Calderon, | |
| | |Chang, Daly, Eggman, | |
| | |Gallagher, Eduardo | |
| | |Garcia, Holden, | |
| | |Jones, Obernolte, | |
| | |Quirk, Santiago, | |
| | |Wagner, Weber, Wood, | |
SB 412
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| | |McCarty | |
| | | | |
| | | | |
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SUMMARY: Establishes the California Promise to support students
who enroll in the campuses of the California State University
(CSU) as freshmen in obtaining baccalaureate degrees within four
academic years, and as transfer students within two academic
years, as applicable. Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires the trustees of the CSU to develop and implement the
California Promise to, commencing with the 2017-18 fiscal
year, ensure a minimum of eight campuses establish a program
to enter into a pledge with a qualifying freshman student to
support the student in obtaining a baccalaureate degree within
four academic years; and, ensure a minimum of 15 campuses
establish a program to enter into a pledge with a qualifying
transfer student to support the student in obtaining a
baccalaureate degree program within two academic years.
Commencing with the 2018-19 fiscal year, CSU Trustees are
required to increase, by a minimum of five campuses for a
total minimum of 20 campuses, the number of transfer student
Promise programs.
2)Requires a qualifying student to be a California resident for
purposes of in-state tuition eligibility and complete at least
30 semester units (or quarter equivalent) per academic year;
and, requires each program to be reviewed by a graduation
initiative advisory committee of that campus or a committee
designated with similar functions. Requires the committee to
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 transfer students, as applicable.
Requires the committee to develop additional eligibility
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requirements to prioritize specific populations that have
lower four-year graduation rates, including, but not limited
to students who receive financial aid, underrepresented
students, and first generation college students.
3)Establishes Legislative intent that the California Promise
programs gradually scale up to accommodate as many students
into the program as feasible and in consideration of available
funding.
4)Requires support provided by a CSU campus to a California
Promise program student to include, at least, priority
registration in coursework, as specified, and academic
advisement that includes monitoring the student's academic
progress.
5)Requires the CSU Trustees to report to the appropriate policy
and fiscal committees of the Legislature by July 1, 2019, on
program enrollment, as specified, and by July 1, 2021, on
program outcomes, as specified. Requires the CSU Trustees to
report by March 15, 2017, regarding potential financial
incentives that can benefit students that participate in
California Promise programs, as specified.
6)Provides that a student who successfully completes his or her
associate degree for transfer at a California Community
College shall be guaranteed participation in the Promise
program at the CSU transfer campus, if established.
7)Sunsets the provisions of this bill on January 1, 2024.
EXISTING LAW:
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1)Establishes the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act and
requires California Community College (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 (Education (EC) Section
66746). The CSU is required to guarantee admission with
junior status to any community college student who meets
specified requirements, but provides that the student is not
guaranteed admission for specific majors or campuses. (EC
Section 66747).
2)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)
c) CCC districts that administer a priority enrollment
system for registration to grant priority registration for
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enrollment to students in the Extended Opportunity Program
and Services and to disabled students. (EC Section
66025.91)
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee:
1)CSU indicates that four campuses (Fresno, Fullerton, Cal Poly
Pomona, and San Bernardino) have four-year pledge programs
similar to what is proposed in this bill for incoming
freshman. Administrative costs to replicate this model at
four additional campuses would be in the range of $300,000 to
$450,000 annually. [General Fund]
2)CSU also indicates that one of four campuses in the system
that has over 1,000 Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT)
students already has a two-year pledge program serving these
students. Costs for the two-year pledge program at these four
campuses will total $300,000 to $400,000 and for 16 additional
campuses, with smaller numbers of ADT students, will be
between $300,000 and $800,000, for total costs of $600,000 to
$1.2 million for the two-year pledge programs. [General Fund]
3)Costs for the legislative reports will be about $100,000.
[General Fund]
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% for the Fall 2008 cohort of
first-time, full-time freshmen, well below the national rate of
24.9% among similar public institutions. The most recent
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American Freshman Survey from the Higher Education Research
Institute at UCLA [University of California, Los Angeles], which
found that 84% of freshmen entering public colleges expect to
graduate in four years, 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 this 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 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.
Analysis Prepared by:
Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 FN:
0004068
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