BILL ANALYSIS
AB 669
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 5, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Anthony Portantino, Chair
AB 669 (Fong) - As Introduced: February 25, 2009
SUBJECT : Postsecondary education: residency requirements.
SUMMARY : Allows entering students 19 years of age and younger
who were wards of the state or who were served by California's
child welfare system to be classified as residents for tuition
purposes until they have resided in the state for the minimum
time needed to become residents.
EXISTING LAW : Establishes uniform residency requirements for
purposes of ascertaining the amount of fees to be paid by
students at the University of California (UC), California State
University (CSU), and the California Community Colleges (CCC)
and establishes various exceptions to these residency
requirements.
FISCAL EFFECT : None
COMMENTS : Background : When foster youth turn 18 years old,
they are emancipated and expected to be independent, averaging
approximately 4,000 each year in California. Only 20% of those
who graduate from high school attempt to attend college,
compared to 60% of their peers. CCC served approximately 6,000
self-identified former foster youth in 2007-08. California has
enacted several programs to help foster youth transition to
postsecondary education, yet only 1%-5% graduate from college.
Purpose of this bill : According to the author, this bill would
ensure that foster youth do not have to establish residency,
which takes one year and one day, before pursuing a higher
education at UC, CSU, or CCC, eliminating a barrier to higher
education that results from paying higher nonresident tuition
fees.
Requirements for residency : In order to be considered a
California resident for tuition purposes at UC, CSU, or CCC,
students must have resided in California for one year and one
day immediately prior to a date established by the segments to
determine residency for that term, semester, or quarter. The
segments also determine the documentation required as proof of
AB 669
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residency. In general, students' residency extends from their
parents. Another path to residency is provided by AB 540
(Firebaugh), Chapter 814, Statutes of 2001, which exempts
specified nonresidents of California from paying nonresident
tuition at CSU and CCC if they attended a California high school
for three or more years, as specified.
Foster youth residency : The state has authorized several
exceptions to the residency requirement, including
self-supporting students, certain minor students, students under
the care of an adult other than their parents, Native American
students, Olympic athletes training in California, and members
of the armed forces and their dependents, among others. While
many foster youth qualify for some of these exceptions, recently
emancipated foster youth who have not been under the care of an
adult for at least two years do not. Further, because foster
youth may be moved around in placement, the documentation of
continuous care and control can be very burdensome.
AB 540 should provide residency for foster youth at UC and CSU,
where a high school diploma is required for admission; however,
CCC also educate students who have not graduated from high
school, providing them an opportunity to continue their
education.
Resident v. nonresident fees : The fees charged to
non-California residents are intended to cover the cost of the
subsidy that is generated by California taxpayers. Tuition and
fees for a full-time undergraduate student in 2008-09, not
including registration and education fees, are:
Resident Nonresident
UC $7,126 $27,724
CSU $3,048 $10,170
CCC $20 per unit $190 per unit for a 30 unit academic
year
Previous legislation : AB 1393 (Skinner), approved by this
Committee on April 21, 2009, and currently pending in the
Assembly Appropriations Committee, requires CSU and requests CCC
and UC to give priority for campus housing to current and former
foster youth, as specified. AB 1578 (Leno) of 2007, which was
held in the Senate Appropriations Committee, would have enacted
the Foster Youth Higher Education Preparation and Support Act of
2007. AB 1532 (Bass) of 2006, which was held in the Senate
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Appropriations Committee, would have exempted foster youth from
all deadlines pertaining to the Cal Grant Entitlement Programs.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
All Saints Foster Care Project
California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
California Postsecondary Education Commission
Chabot-Las Positas Community College District
City College of San Francisco
College of the Canyons
Community College League
Cuyamaca College Financial Aid Office
Desert Community College District
El Camino College
Faculty Association of California Community Colleges
Foothill-De Anza Community College District
Fullerton College
Imperial Community College District
Kern Community College District
Los Angeles Community College District
Los Rios Community College District
MiraCosta Community College District
Mt. San Antonio College
Peralta Community College District
Riverside Community College District
San Jose/Evergreen Community College District
Student Senate for California Community Colleges
West Kern Community College District
Yuba Community College Foster Kinship Care Education
1 Individual
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Sandra Fried / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960