BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
SB 425 (Hernandez) - Career training: adult students.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
| |
| |
| |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
| | |
|Version: April 21, 2015 |Policy Vote: ED. 7 - 0 |
| | |
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
| | |
|Urgency: Yes |Mandate: No |
| | |
|--------------------------------+--------------------------------|
| | |
|Hearing Date: May 18, 2015 |Consultant: Jillian Kissee |
| | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------
This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: This bill, an urgency measure, authorizes the
Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), for purposes of
participation in Title IV authorized federal student financial
assistance programs, to: 1) certify by name a regional
occupational center and program, a county office of education,
or an adult school; 2) adopt regulations that authorize a
complaint process under the Uniform Complaint Procedures
outlined in specified regulations; and to 3) decertify any
program no longer in compliance with specified federal
regulations.
Fiscal
Impact:
This bill will create new one-time costs to CDE workload of
$60,000 to $100,000, and ongoing workload of about $55,000
General Fund per year to create and maintain a certification
process for adult education programs for the purpose of
participation in Title IV authorized federal student financial
SB 425 (Hernandez) Page 1 of
?
assistance programs.
This bill also requires the CDE to adopt regulations
authorizing complaints to be made through the Uniform
Complaint Procedure process which will create additional,
potentially significant new workload, depending on how many
complaints are received. These costs are unknown, but a
recent law authorizing complaints to be filed for
noncompliance with student fees, required additional staffing
at CDE.
Background: Existing federal law outlines the requirements for eligibility
to participate in Title IV federal financial assistance programs
for postsecondary education institutions. Federal regulations
define postsecondary vocational institution for this purpose
and, among other things, require that an educational
institution:
1. Be legally authorized by a state to operate educational
programs beyond secondary education.
2. Have a process to review and act appropriately on
complaints concerning postsecondary institutions. (34 Code
of Federal Regulations § 600.6, § 600.9)
Existing law authorizes school county superintendents to
establish Regional
Occupational Centers and Programs (ROCPs) that allow students
from multiple schools or districts to participate in career
technical training programs regardless of the geographical
location of their residence in a county or region. (Education
Code § 52300, et. seq.)
Existing law authorizes a school district governing board, with
the approval of the
CDE, to establish and maintain classes for adults, as specified,
and outlines various requirements to be met by these programs.
Adult schools and evening high schools are required to consist
of classes for adults and are authorized to admit minors if
specified conditions are met. (Education Code § 52500-52610)
Proposed Law:
SB 425 (Hernandez) Page 2 of
?
This bill, an urgency measure, authorizes the SPI to certify
specified career training programs for the purpose of
participating in Title IV authorized federal student financial
assistance programs. Specifically it:
1. Authorizes the SPI to certify by name, any ROCP, county
office of education, or adult education program, that
provides a program of training to prepare adult students
for gainful employment in a recognized occupation to
legally authorize the center, program, or office to provide
an educational program beyond secondary education,
including an education program that leads to a degree or
certificate.
2. Extends this authority exclusively for the purpose of
participation in Title IV authorized federal student
financial assistance programs.
3. Requires a ROCP, county office of education, or adult
education program applying for certification to comply with
both of the following:
A. Satisfy all applicable eligibility
requirements in specified federal regulations.
B. Apply in writing to the SPI as an individual
entity to be considered for certification.
4. Authorizes any person to file a complaint under the
Uniform Complaint Procedures regarding an alleged violation
by a local agency of federal or state law governing adult
education programs or ROCPs, including allegations of
unlawful discrimination, harassment, intimidation, or
bullying, and requires the SPI to adopt regulations to
implement this authorization.
5. Authorizes the SPI to decertify a ROCP, county office of
education, or adult education program, for purposes of
participation in Title IV authorized federal student
financial assistance programs, upon a determination that
the entity is no longer in compliance with the specified
federal regulations.
SB 425 (Hernandez) Page 3 of
?
Related
Legislation:1. AB 907 (Burke), almost identical to this bill, has been placed on
the suspense file in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
AB 1181 (Calderon) declares the Legislature's intent that
regional occupational centers will serve state and national
interests in providing secondary and postsecondary career
technical and technical education to students and authorizes
adult schools and evening high schools to include postsecondary
career technical education programs. AB 1181 is pending in the
Assembly Education Committee.
-- END --