BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 906
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Date of Hearing: June 14, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Jose Medina, Chair
SB
906 (Beall) - As Amended May 19, 2016
[Note: This bill is doubled referred to the Assembly Human
Services Committee and will be heard as it relates to issues
under its jurisdiction.]
SENATE VOTE: 38-0
SUBJECT: Public postsecondary education: priority enrollment
systems.
SUMMARY: Conforms the definition of "foster youth or former
foster youth," for the purposes of priority registration at the
University of California (UC), the California State University
(CSU), and the California Community Colleges (CCC), to existing
state higher education program definitions; deletes the sunset
on the extension of priority registration to foster youth or
former foster youth; and, deletes the sunset on the extension of
priority registration to Extended Opportunity Programs and
Services (EOPS) students and Disabled Student Programs and
Services (DSPS) students at the CCC.
EXISTING LAW:
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1)Requires, if the postsecondary institution administers a
priority enrollment system for registration, that the CSU and
each CCC district, and requests that the UC, grant priority
enrollment, to any current or former foster youth, and repeals
these provisions on January 1, 2017 (Education Code (EC)
Section 66025.9).
2)Requires each CCC district that administers a priority
enrollment system for registration to grant priority
registration for enrollment to students in the EOPS program
and to disabled students, as specified, and repeals these
provisions on January 1, 2017 (EC Section 66025.91)
3)Establishes the CCC EOPS to extend opportunities for community
college 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. Requires the CCC Board of Governors
(BOG) to adopt regulations with the objective that the EOPS
programs include qualified counseling staff, facilitation of
transfer, and enrollment in courses necessary to develop
successful study skills, as specified. Authorizes local
community college 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 Sections 69640
- 69656).
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs.
COMMENTS: Background on DSPS and EOPS. Disabled Student
Programs and Services provide support services, specialized
instruction and accommodations to students with a disability,
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allowing them to fully participate and benefit from an equitable
college experience. The overall mission of DSPS is to provide
exemplary instruction, support services and access to students
with disabilities. DSPS will support students with disabilities
in educationally related activities consistent with the mission
and vision of the institution and in compliance with federal and
state laws.
Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, a state funded
program, was created to enable low income, educationally
disadvantaged students "affected by language, social, and
economic handicaps" to achieve a college education (SB 164,
Alquist, Chapter 1579, Statutes of 1969). EOPS works to help
students succeed by providing educational opportunities,
encouragement, and support services. Students are eligible for
EOPS if all of the following requirements are met:
1) Student is a California resident;
2) Student qualifies for the CCC BOG Tuition Fee Waiver (A
or B) through the Financial Aid Office;
3) Student is enrolled full-time (12 or more units);
4) Student has completed less than 60 degree applicable
college units; and,
5) Student is educationally disadvantaged as determined by
EOPS.
Foster Youth. According to the Foundation for California
Community Colleges, each year, approximately 4,000 of
California's foster youth turn 18 and become independent, many
without the necessary skills to support themselves. Special
programs are needed in order to support foster students'
academic and emotional needs; helping to set them up for success
in college and beyond.
According to a 2013 study by the Center for Social Services and
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Research that measured the academic achievement of foster youth,
students with disabilities, and low-income students, the
research found that said groups, "fared significantly worse than
the general population in a range of areas, including, the
percentage who initially enter community college and persist one
year." Additionally, the Center found that by age 26, each of
these student populations is much less likely to hold a
post-secondary education degree. For foster youth, six percent
will hold a degree, 10 percent of low-income students will hold
a degree, and 29 percent of students with a disability will hold
a degree. To note, approximately half of the population that is
not low-income, disabled, or in foster care, hold a degree.
Current law allows for these student populations to receive
college priority registration; however, this priority will end
on January 1, 2017. This measure calls for the removal of the
sunset.
Need for this measure. According to the author, the eligibility
for priority registration for foster youth applies to those
students who were in foster care on or after their 18th birthday
and under age 23. The author contends that this measure
"removes the sunset date for the three categories of students to
allow colleges to continue the priority registration process and
also changes the eligibility criteria for foster youth to align
with other existing programs."
To note, currently, foster youth are eligible for priority
registration if they were in foster care on or after their 18th
birthday and under age 23. Under this measure, foster youth
would be eligible for priority registration if they were in
foster care on or after their 16th birthday, and were under age
26.
The author argues that, "By removing the sunset, colleges will
be able to continue to grant priority registration for foster
youth, low-income, and disabled students, so it enables them to
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register for courses before the larger student population.
Priority registration would allow them to secure required
courses, shorten the time to degree completion and reduce
financial aid utilization. In regards to changing the
definition of foster youth, these youth are already at a
disadvantage and have encountered many challenges throughout
their lives. These students can't afford to have another
barrier placed upon them. Many foster youth have shown success
based on the offering of priority registration and additional
support services."
How many? CCC. The annual 2014-15 systemwide enrolled count of
EOPS students was 75,776; 121,410 DSPS students, and 15,227
foster youth out of approximately 2.3 million CCC students.
CSU. The annual 2014-15 systemwide number of enrolled foster
youth is not available. According to the CSU Chancellor's
Office, foster youth data is not collected at the systemwide
level. Additionally, the data is all self-identified at the
campus level.
UC. According to the UC Office of the President, foster youth
self-identify on the UC admissions application. The Fall 2015
systemwide number of enrolled foster youth was 1,587.
Related legislation. AB 2506 (Thurmond), which is awaiting a
hearing in the Senate Education Committee, would, among others,
address the low rates of college persistence and completion
among foster youth in the state, by requiring the California
Student Aid Commission to provide a Chafee Educational and
Training Voucher to qualified students attending qualifying
institutions.
AB 595 (Gomez), Chapter 704, Statutes of 2013, required a
community college district that administers a priority
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enrollment system to grant priority registration for enrollment
to students in the EOPS programs and to disabled students, as
defined; and also established the Legislature's intent that any
student who receives priority registration for enrollment shall
comply with the requirements of the Student Success Initiative.
AB 2133 (Blumenfield), Chapter 400, Statutes of 2012, required
a veteran to use his/her four years of priority enrollment at
the UC, CSU, and CCC within 15 years of leaving active duty;
and, required that veterans receiving priority enrollment comply
with the requirements of the Student Success Act of 2012.
AB 194 (Beall), Chapter 458, Statutes of 2011, until July 1,
2017, required a community college district to grant priority
enrollment for registration to any current or former foster
youth, if the institution already administers a priority
enrollment system, and repeals these provisions on January 1,
2017.
SB 813 (Committee on Veteran Affairs), Chapter 375, Statutes of
2011, extended the time frame for eligibility for priority
enrollment for veterans at the UC, CSU, and CCC from two years
to four years.
SB 272 (Runner), Chapter 356, Statutes of 2007, extended
priority enrollment at the UC, CSU and CCC for a veteran 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 two years of leaving state or federal active
duty, if the institution already administered a priority
enrollment system.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
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Alameda County Office of Education
Alliance for Children's Rights
American Academy of Pediatrics
Arc California
Aspiranet
Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges
(sponsor)
Butte College
Cabrillo College's Foster Youth Independence Program
California Alliance of Child and Family Services
California Association for Postsecondary Education and
Disability
California Coalition for Youth
California Community Colleges Extended Opportunity Programs and
Services Association
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California Community Colleges Student Financial Aid
Administrators Association
California Federation of Teachers
California State Association of Counties
California State Student Association
California State University, Chico Student Learning Center
California Teachers Association
Campaign for College Opportunity
Centennial High School
Cerritos College EOPS and foster youth
Cerritos College Leaders Involved in Creating Change Program
Children Now
Children's Law Center of California
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Community College League of California
County of San Bernardino
Cuyamaca College Unlimited Potential Program
David and Margaret Youth and Family Services
Disability Rights California
East Bay Children's Law Offices
Educational Opportunity Program at California State University,
Los Angeles
Evergreen Valley College, YESS Program
Faculty Association of California Community Colleges
Family Care Network
Feather River College
First Place for Youth
Foothill-De Anza Community College District
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Foster Care Counts
Foster Youth Program at College of the Canyons
Foster Youth Success Program at College of the Siskiyous
Guardian Scholar Program at California State University,
Fullerton
Guardian Scholars at Pierce College
Guardian Scholars of Santa Barbara Community College
Guardian Scholars Program, San Bernardino Valley College
Hillsides
Imperial Valley Regional Occupational Program Project Accessing
Careers through Education
Inspiring Scholars, Foster Youth Program at Butte-Glenn
Community College
John Burton Foundation
Junior Leagues of California State Public Affairs Committee
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Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc.
Junior League of San Diego
Kamali'I Foster Family Agency
Kern Community College District
Larkin Street Youth Services
Los Rios Community College District
National Association of Social Workers - California Chapter
National Center for Youth Law
Mission College
Norco College
Orange Coast College Guardian Scholars Program
PATH Scholars at CSU, Chico
Peacock Acres, Inc.
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Peralta Community College District
Public Counsel
Reedley College
Renaissance Scholars Program, Fresno State University
Riverside City College, Guardian Scholars Program
San Diego Community College District
San Joaquin County Independent Living Program
Shasta College
Smith Renaissance Society, University of California, Santa Cruz
Sonoma State University Seawolf Scholars Foster Youth Support
Program
South Orange County Community College District
United Cerebral Palsy California Collaboration
University of California
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Western Center on Law & Poverty
90 plus individuals
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by:Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960