BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 890|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 890
Author: Scott (D), et al
Amended: 6/4/07
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 9-0, 4/26/07
AYES: Scott, Wyland, Alquist, Denham, Maldonado, Padilla,
Romero, Simitian, Torlakson
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 16-0, 5/31/07
AYES: Torlakson, Cox, Aanestad, Ashburn, Cedillo, Corbett,
Dutton, Florez, Kuehl, Oropeza, Ridley-Thomas, Runner,
Simitian, Steinberg, Wyland, Yee
NO VOTE RECORDED: Battin
SUBJECT : Early College Commitment Program
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill establishes the Early College
Commitment Program, a voluntary program which would be
administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Districts volunteering to participate in this program would
be required to undertake a variety of activities aimed at
increasing high school completion rates and motivating
pupils to take rigorous college preparatory or career
technical coursework, as specified.
ANALYSIS : The California Student Opportunity and Access
Program (Cal-SOAP) is administered by the California
CONTINUED
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Student Aid Commission (CSAC). It was statutorily
established in 1978 and is directed to improve the flow of
information about postsecondary education and financial aid
while raising the achievement levels of low-income,
elementary and secondary school student or geographic
regions with documented low-eligibility or college
participation rates, and who are first in their families to
attend college. Cal-SOAP currently funds projects
operating in 17 locations through the state by consortia
made up of secondary and postsecondary schools and
community agencies. Projects annually apply to CSAC for
funds and, by law, must provide equal or greater matching
funds. Some common services provided by the consortia
include advising, tutoring, parent outreach and college
awareness workshops.
This bill establishes until January 1, 2014, the Early
College Commitment Program, a voluntary program
administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) under which participating school districts would
motivate and assist their students, as specified.
Specifically the bill:
1. Establishes the program goals to include:
A. Increasing high school completion and direct
college-going rates for pupils attending schools
with high poverty rates.
B. Motivates students to take challenging
coursework.
C. Helps families understand that college is
attainable.
D. Prepares the highly skilled workforce needed in
California.
2. Specifies that participation by pupils and school
districts is voluntary. However, school districts which
voluntary participate would be encouraged to do so on a
districtwide basis and would be required to:
A. Provides schoolwide college information targeted
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towards pupils who sign specified "Save Me a Spot
in College" pledge cards. Participating districts
identified by the SPI as having high proportions of
low-income students would be required to give all
grade six to nine students, foster youth, and
related responsible adults the opportunity to sign
the specified pledge card.
B. Records specified student participation data and
provide reports to the SPI for purposes of
monitoring and evaluating the program.
C. Provides information and services, through
existing programs, to students who sign the pledge
cards through their middle school and high school
years.
3. Requires the SPI to:
A. Identify 30 percent of the school districts
which operate middle and high schools which have
the highest proportion of pupils eligible for free
or reduced-price meals.
B. Develop the "Save Me a Spot in College" pledge
cards and other program materials, as specified.
Shall utilize online distribution.
C. Consult with the University of California (UC),
the California State University (CSU), California
Community Colleges (CCCs), the California Student
Aid Commission (CSAC) and the independent colleges
and universities.
D. Determine the form of recognition participating
students will receive at the time of high school
graduation.
E. Collect data and evaluate the program, as
specified.
F. Develop and post on their website a letter
describing major preparation steps for college and
the available financial and opportunities.
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Requests districts to distribute the letter through
existing means.
G. Determine a mechanism by which pupils can be
assured a two-year CCC fee waiver.
4. Specifies that students signing a "Save Me a Spot in
College" pledge card commit to:
A. Meets all high school graduation requirements.
B. Seeks proficiency in math and English.
C. Takes challenging coursework.
D. Completes an application for financial aid
during their senior year, as specified.
5. Provides, for students who sign the pledge and complete
all requirements, a guaranteed pre-approval for a
two-year CCC fee waiver.
6. Encourages UC, CSU, the CCCs, the independent colleges,
the California Student Opportunity and Access Program,
the CSAC and other businesses and organizations to
provide support services, as needed.
7. Requires the SPI to submit a report to the Legislature
by November 1, 2012 recommending whether or not to
continue the program.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee analysis:
Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2007-08 2008-09
2009-10 Fund
SDE evaluation, monitoring $350
General
Support services, data,
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Promotions
CCC fee waivers Unknown
General*
*Counts toward meeting the Proposition 98 minimum funding
guarantee
Staff notes that the guarantee for CCC fee waivers could
potentially increase state costs to the extent that more
students receive the waiver than would otherwise have been
eligible. However, it is also the case that a high
percentage of fees are already waived by the CCCs, and that
the pledge program targets communities that are
disproportionately low-income. Thus, it is likely that a
significant majority of the pupils eligible through this
program would likely receive a waiver, anyway. The cost
pressures, in this case, are unknown.
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/4/07)
ALL Student Loan
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees (AFL-CIO)
Anaheim City School District
Applied Research Center
AsianPacific American Legal Center
Automobile Club of Southern California
Bay Area Council
Boyle Heights Learning Collaborative
California Catholic Conference
California Farm Bureau Federation
California for Justice Education Fund
California State PTA
California State University
Central Valley Higher Education Consortium
Citrus College
College of the Sequoias
College Options
Community Action Partnership
Contoural
Contra Costa College
Garvey School District
Girls, Inc.
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Hispanas Organized for Political Equality
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
Innercity Struggle
International Brotherhood of Teamsters, AFL-CIO
Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Merced College
Mexican American Community Services Agency
Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund
Modesto Chamber of Commerce
Modesto Junior College
Oakland Unified School District
Orange County Department of Education
Parent Institute for Quality Education
PICO California
Pierce College
Raytheon
Rio Linda Union School District
Saddleback Valley Unified School District
Salinas Valley Chamber of Commerce
San Bernardino County Office of Education
Savanna School District
Southern California Edison
Southwestern College
Stanislaus County Office of Education
UCLA Institute for Democracy, Education & Access
United Way
West Los Angeles College
Yuba Community College District
NC:do 6/5/07 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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