BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 725
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Date of Hearing: August 19, 2015
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Jimmy Gomez, Chair
SB 725
(Hancock) - As Amended August 18, 2015
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
Yes
SUMMARY:
This bill specifies the California high school exit exam
(CAHSEE) is not required as a condition of receiving a diploma
of graduation or a condition of graduation from high school for
SB 725
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a pupil completing grade 12 in 2015, and who has met all other
high school graduation requirements.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Unknown, likely minor costs to local education agencies to
modify graduation policies to reflect the removal of the CAHSEE
as a requirement for receiving a diploma of graduation or as a
condition of graduation from high school in 2015.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. Current law requires pupils to successfully pass the
CAHSEE as a condition of receiving a diploma of graduation, in
addition to completing state and local graduation
requirements.
The last administration of the CAHSEE was in May 2015 and the
state does not plan to administer the test again because the
contract has expired. The contract was not renewed because
pending legislation, SB 172 (Liu), proposes to cancel the test
in the 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2017-18 school years while an
advisory committee determines future alternatives.
Accordingly, the exam is no longer available for class of 2015
test takers who failed the May administration and cannot
retake the test.
This bill removes the CAHSEE as a requirement for high school
graduation for the 2015 year only. This addresses the
immediate need of those students that do not have the
opportunity to take the test and allows local education
agencies to provide students with a high school diploma if
they have met all other graduation requirements.
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The California Department of Education estimates approximately
5,000 students have met all coursework requirements to
graduate but have not passed the CAHSEE.
2)Related legislation. SB 172 (Liu), pending on Suspense in
this committee, suspends the CAHSEE requirement for the
2014-15 through the 2017-18 school years, inclusive and
requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
convene an advisory panel to
provide recommendations on the continuation of the CAHSEE and
on alternative pathways to satisfy the high school graduation
requirements.
Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916) 319-2081