BILL NUMBER: AB 1673 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 17, 2010
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Mendoza
( Coauthors: Assembly Members
Jones and Torlakson )
( Coauthor: Senator Correa
)
JANUARY 20, 2010
An act to add Section 52526 to the Education Code, relating to
adult education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1673, as amended, Mendoza. Adult education.
Existing law authorizes the governing board of any school district
maintaining secondary schools to establish and maintain classes for
adults, provided these classes meet specified requirements.
This bill, subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or
another statute for these purposes, would require the Legislative
Analyst's Office, by January 1, 2012, to report to the Legislature on
various issues concerning adult education program funding, as
specified.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) Adult education programs, offered by school districts, provide
valuable educational services to a broad cross section of our
population and prepare both adults and high school pupils for the
workforce. These adult education programs are vital for the
educational and workforce development of Californians for all of the
following reasons:
(1) Expansion of adult basic skills: Adult schools are currently
serving 306,000 adults in adult basic skills and adult secondary
education courses. The State Department of Education estimates that
only 8 percent of the needed courses in basic skills are currently
being met by adult schools and the community colleges.
(2) Gaining a high school diploma: There are 5.3 million adults in
California who do not have a high school diploma and 3 million who
speak with limited English fluency. Additionally, almost one-third of
all pupils fail to graduate from public high schools within four
years and more operate at low levels of basic literacy that leave
them unprepared for postsecondary education or participation in the
workforce.
(3) Overcoming poverty: Many unemployed and underemployed adults
who are affected by poverty are unable to provide the support needed
to ensure that their children are ready for school. These children
can impose heavy costs on taxpayers by requiring social services,
in-home support, incarceration, or institutionalization. Therefore,
sustaining and further developing a strong workforce preparation
system should be a top priority for California.
(4) Education for immigrants: Immigrants are 35 percent of
California's workforce, compared to 14 percent nationally.
Foreign-born residents are four times less likely to have a high
school diploma than native-born residents. Because this group
constitutes approximately one-third of California residents over 25
years of age -- 8.3 million of 23 million -- foreign-born residents'
educational levels have a significant impact on California's
educational profile, presenting challenges for the future of the
economy.
(5) Basic skills development for parents and caregivers: Adults
must gain foundational skills not only in order to be productive in
the workforce, but also to play key roles in their homes and
communities. Parents and community members, including those not
currently in the workforce, play an essential role in educating and
motivating schoolage children.
(6) Postsecondary education and training: The Public Policy
Institute of California projects that California will fail to produce
enough college graduates and people with some level of postsecondary
training needed to meet growing workforce training demands.
Seventy-five percent of career occupations will require at least some
college education, but only 61 percent of the population is
projected to have this level of education.
(7) Training for replacing retired workers: As the highly educated
baby boom generation retires in the period between 2011 to 2029,
inclusive, it will be replaced in the workforce by individuals who
are currently 18 to 44 years old, inclusive. Of the 5.3 million
adults who lack a high school diploma, 2.9 million, or 53 percent,
are 18 to 44 years of age, inclusive. This is the critical population
that will replace the baby boom population in the workforce over the
next 20 years. In addition, there are nearly 3.8 million
Californians between 18 to 44 years of age, inclusive, whose highest
level of education is a high school diploma or equivalent.
(8) Career technical education: The need for career technical
education (CTE) services is crucial if California is to maintain a
strong economy. In 2008, 178,000 adults participated in CTE through
adult education programs. Of these, over 72,000 adult students were
economically disadvantaged, and over 14,000 were limited English
proficient. Adult education plays a key role in local workforce
development. As recipients of federal Workforce Investment Act of
1998 funds and Perkins loan funds, adult education is deemed a
mandated partner in the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 one-stop
delivery system. Because adult education CTE programs range from
entry-level employment training opportunities to more advanced
technological or medical career technical training programs, it is
important for these programs to be maintained.
(b) Given the state's budget crisis and the ability of school
districts to use categorical program funds in a flexible manner, the
Legislature is interested in better understanding how adult education
programs have been funded in the prior two fiscal years, and to
better understand how reductions in existing adult education programs
have affected adult education students. This data is critical
to inform policy decisions when the categorical flexibility statutes
sunset at the end of the 2012-13 fiscal year.
SEC. 2. Section 52526 is added to the Education Code, to read:
52526. Subject to an appropriation for these purposes in the
annual Budget Act or another statute, the Legislative Analyst's
Office shall provide a report to the Legislature by January 1, 2012,
on all of the following for the 2008-2010 fiscal years,
inclusive: for the 2008-09, 2009-10, and 2010-11
fiscal years, inclusive, and where available, projected school
district budget actions for the 2011-12 fiscal year, on all of the
following:
(a) The aggregate amounts and percentage of categorical funds from
adult education that have been diverted for purposes other than
adult education, and the total amount of categorical funds diverted
from adult education for the purposes of supporting the school
district's general fund.
(b) Which, if any, adult education course offerings have been
reduced or eliminated due to diversion of adult education funds.
(c) The number of adult students, by district, and a demographic
breakdown of these students, that were unable to enroll in adult
education courses due to a reduction of program offerings or
increased fees, or both.
(d) The number of adult education programs that have been
discontinued in the 2009-10 or 2010-11 fiscal year, or are projected
to be discontinued in the 2011-12 fiscal year due to adult education
program funds being transferred.
(d) The manner in which
(e) In the case of an adult education
program that has been d iscontinued, the location of any
federal Perkins loan funds and Workforce Investment Act of 1998
funds that are being used by school districts.
(e)
(f) Whether school districts are charging fees for
courses to replace funds that have been diverted from adult
education, and which courses are now fee-based.
(f) The impact of adult education cuts on community college
noncredit programs and private technical schools.
(g) A comparison of the ratio of programmatic increases in
community college credit programs to community college noncredit
programs.
(h) A comparison of the ratio of programmatic decreases in
community college credit programs to community college noncredit
programs.
(i) Growth in private technical schools, by geographic region, and
a measurement, if applicable, of the equivalent reduction in adult
education career technical programs.
(g)
(j) The impact on local employers resulting from fewer
adult education students receiving training from career programs in
adult schools due to program cuts, if applicable.