BILL ANALYSIS
AB 552
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ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 552 (Furutani)
As Amended June 1, 2009
Majority vote
HIGHER EDUCATION 7-0 APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Portantino, Block, Fong, |Ayes:|De Leon, Ammiano, Charles |
| |Galgiani, Huber, Ma, | |Calderon, Davis, Fuentes, |
| |Ruskin | |Hall, John A. Perez, |
| | | |Price, Skinner, Solorio, |
| | | |Torlakson, Krekorian |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+---------------------------|
| | |Nays:|Nielsen, Duvall, Harkey, |
| | | |Miller, |
| | | |Audra Strickland |
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SUMMARY : Establishes the Commission on Adequate Funding for
Career Technical and Vocational Education at the California
Community Colleges (Commission), funded through private funds,
comprised of specified members with specified powers and duties.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Provides that the Commission shall be composed of nine voting
members with three members appointed by the Governor, three
members appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules, and three
members appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly; and each
appointing entity shall include a California Community
Colleges (CCC) professor, a CCC administrator, and a
representative of a local workforce investment board.
2)Provides that the Commission shall also include ex officio,
nonvoting members representing the Legislative Analyst's
Office, the Department of Finance, the California Workforce
Investment Board, the Office of the Chancellor of the CCC
(CCCCO), including the Chair of the Senate Committee on Rules
or a member of that committee appointed by that committee, and
the Chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education or a
member of that committee appointed by the Speaker of the
Assembly.
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3)Provides that the Commission shall elect a chair and vice
chair among the members; the term of the chair, vice chair and
all members shall be for the duration of the Commission; five
members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum at any
meeting for transacting business, but a lesser number may
conduct hearings; members of the Commission shall serve
without compensation but may be reimbursed for travel,
subsistence, and other necessary expenses to the extent that
funds are available.
4)Provides that state funds shall not be available to the
Commission, except that private donations collected may be
expended to reimburse members for expenses and other purposes
of the Commission and provides that the Commission may not
commence duties until the CCC Board of Governors (BOG) has
certified that adequate private funds have been obtained for
the Commission to complete its duties.
5)Requires the Commission to gather facts and conduct a study
regarding financing alternatives for career technical
education (CTE), vocational education, and high-cost
laboratory programs at the CCC, for the purpose of making
recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature in a
written report to be submitted within 18 months after the CCC
BOG has certified adequate private funds are available to
complete the Commission's duties.
6)Provides that the Commission shall hold public meetings and
hearings, may authorize a subcommittee to hold hearings, and
may request the attendance and testimony of a witness and the
production of records, correspondence, and documents that the
Commission, any subcommittee of the Commission, or any member
of the Commission deems necessary.
7)Provides that, subject to the approval of the Department of
Finance, the CCC BOG may solicit, and the Director of Finance
may accept on behalf of the Commission, gifts, donations, and
other financial support from private entities for the purposes
of carrying out the duties of the Commission, and that private
entities may deposit gifts, donations, and other financial
support with the state for the purposes of this chapter.
Provides that the Director of Finance, upon the CCC BOG
certifying that adequate private funds are available for the
Commission to complete its duties, shall transfer funds
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received to the Commission for expenditure for purposes of
this bill.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, one-time costs of about $150,000 for 1.5 positions to
staff the Commission and complete the required report and for
Commission expenses related to travel and per diem. This bill
specifies that the Commission is to be funded from non-state
sources.
COMMENTS : Background: The state funds community colleges
through a funding formula based primarily on an allocation per
full-time equivalent student (FTES). This formula, which was
simplified by SB 362 (Scott), Chapter 631 of 2006, generally
does not differ between general education and CTE courses. The
author believes that, while the simplification provides a stable
environment for the community colleges to plan and administer
programs, it may disadvantage CTE programs, which generally have
a higher per-FTES cost due to enrollment limitations and greater
facilities, materials, and equipment costs. As a result, the
author is concerned that, if community colleges were to make
decisions about programs offering based solely on net revenues,
they would clearly choose to offer general education courses
rather than CTE programs.
Purpose of this bill: The author believes a commission of
policy experts and practitioners can provide the Legislature
with an independent report of options and policy considerations
to address the funding of high-cost community college programs.
Other states funding mechanisms for CTE: According to
information complied by the Education Commission of the States,
funding formulas vary from state to state. Some states have
separate funding for CTE programs, while others have made no
separate provisions. Seven states report enhanced FTES funding
for CTE students, including Arizona, which provides up to 1.75
FTES (an additional 75% above a general education student),
Kansas, which provides 1.5 FTES, and Florida, which provides 1.3
FTES for each student who completes the CTE program.
Analysis Prepared by : Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960
AB 552
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FN: 0001303