BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    



SENATE RULES COMMITTEE
Office of Senate Floor Analyses
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                                                        .

                                           THIRD READING
                                                              
                                                        .

Bill No:  AB 603
Author:   Knight (R)
Amended:  7/10/95 in Senate
Vote:     21
                                                              
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 SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE:   6-0, 6/28/95
AYES:  Greene, Campbell, Dills, Hughes, O'Connell, Watson
NOT VOTING:  Hayden, Haynes, Peace

 SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE:   Senate Rule 28.8

 ASSEMBLY FLOOR:   46-28, 6/1/95, -- See last page for vote
  (See NOTE in Digest)
                                                              
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SUBJECT:    Pupil testing:  high school proficiency  
examination

 SOURCE:     State Department of Education
                                                              
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DIGEST:    This bill requires the State Department of  
Education (SDE) to periodically review the effectiveness of  
the California High School Proficiency Examination, and  
permits SDE to charge an application fee sufficient to  
recover the administrative costs.

NOTE:  As it left the Assembly, this bill sunsetted the  
entire California High School Proficiency Examination  
process.

 ANALYSIS:    Under current law, SDE administers the  
California High School Proficiency Examination (CHSPE).   
                                                     
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                                                      AB 603
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This test of proficiency in basic skills may be taken by  
pupils who are either 16 years of age or who have 








































                                                     
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                                                      AB 603
                                                      Page  
3

been enrolled in the 10th grade for at least one academic  
year.  Pupils who pass the CHSPE are awarded a certificate  
of proficiency by the State Board of Education.  This  
certificate is the equivalent of a high school diploma.

Under current law, the SDE may charge an application fee to  
recover its costs, provided the fee does not exceed $40.

This bill:

1. Requires SDE to periodically review the effectiveness of  
   the basic skills proficiency examination, and specifies  
   that the costs of this review may be recovered through  
   test fees.

2. Repeals the $40 limit on the application fee, provided  
   the fee does not exceed the average cost of test renewal  
   and administration.

 Comments

Approximately 8,000 students take the CHSPE annually,  
primarily students who are seeking early admission to  
community colleges or technical schools.
 
FISCAL EFFECT:   Appropriation:  No   Fiscal Com.:  Yes    
Local:  No

 SUPPORT:   (Verified 7/14/95)

State Department of Education (source)
Home School Association of California
Private/Home Educators of California
 
ASSEMBLY FLOOR VOTE:
AYES:  Aguiar, Alby, Allen, Alpert, Baldwin, Battin,  
  Boland, Bordonaro, Bowen, Bowler, Brewer, Brulte, Conroy,  
  Cunneen, Davis, Firestone, Frusetta, Goldsmith, Granlund,  
  Harvey, Hauser, Hawkins, Hoge, House, Isenberg,  
  Kaloogian, Knight, Knowles, Kuykendall, McPherson,  
  Miller, Morrissey, Morrow, W. Murray, Olberg, Poochigian,  
  Pringle, Rainey, Richter, Rogan, Setencich, Speier,  
  Takasugi, Thompson, Weggeland, Woods
NOES:  Archie-Hudson, Baca, Bates, V. Brown, Burton,  
                                                     
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                                                      AB 603
                                                      Page  
4

  Bustamante, Caldera, Campbell, Cannella, Cortese,  
  Ducheny, Gallegos, Hannigan, Katz, Knox, Kuehl, Lee,  
  Machado, Martinez, Mazzoni, McDonald, K. Murray,  
  Napolitano, Sher, Tucker, Vasconcellos, Villaraigosa, W.  
  Brown
NOT VOTING:  Escutia, Figueroa, Friedman, Sweeney
 



































                                                     
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NC:ctl  7/15/95  Senate Floor Analyses
              SUPPORT/OPPOSITION:  SEE ABOVE
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