BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Christine Kehoe, Chair
1126 (Liu)
Hearing Date: 05/27/2010 Amended: 04/06/2010
Consultant: Dan Troy Policy Vote: ED 6-0
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BILL SUMMARY: SB 1126 would require the Academic Senates of
the California Community Colleges (CCC) and the California State
University (CSU), and requests the Academic Senate of the
University of California, to review the eight common core lower
division courses in child development or early education to
improve articulation. This bill also prohibits the CSU from
requiring more total units in child development or early
education for students who complete the eight common core lower
division and general education requirements at a CCC, unless
alternative recommendations by the Academic Senates to
facilitate student completion of transferable lower division
coursework are implemented.
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Fiscal Impact (in thousands)
Major Provisions 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13 Fund
Articulation review $50 to 100
General
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STAFF COMMENTS: SUSPENSE FILE.
While several efforts have been undertaken to improve the
transfer process from the CCCs to California's public four-year
postsecondary institutions, recent research suggests that
transfer rates remain low and that students often take more
units than are necessary to complete their desired degrees, and
that there is a lack of consistency between lower-division
course requirements between segments and between campuses within
the same segment.
This bill would attempt to bring ease transferability in the
child development and early education field by improving
articulation between the CCCs and public four-year institutions,
primarily CSU, as UC does not offer undergraduate majors in
early childhood education. Specifically, the bill requires the
Academic Senates of the California Community Colleges (CCC) and
the California State University (CSU), and requests the Academic
Senate of the University of California, to review the eight
common core lower division courses in child development or early
education to improve articulation. The Academic Senates would
be required to consider a plan and make findings concerning: 1)
a plan to ensure CSU and UC courses reflect the advanced level
of early educator competencies that will build upon the lower
division 8 common courses (listed below), 2) the transferability
of coursework from the CCC to CSU/UC, and 3) the appropriateness
and feasibility of attaining an baccalaureate degree in child
development, early education or related major at the CCCs in
collaboration with CSU or UC. The bill would also prohibit the
CSU from requiring more total units in child development or
early education for students who complete the eight common core
lower division and general education requirements at a CCC,
unless alternative
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SB 1126 (Liu)
recommendations by the Academic Senates to facilitate student
completion of transferable lower division coursework are
implemented.
The bill states the intent that the Academic Senates build upon
the work of The Early Childhood Curriculum Alignment Project, a
coordinated effort of CCC and CSU faculty, which has already
identified the eight common core lower division courses in child
development or early education. Those courses are:
a. Child growth and development.
b. Child, family and community.
c. Principles and practices.
d. Introduction to curriculum.
e. Observation and assessment.
f. Health, safety and nutrition.
g. Teaching in a diverse society.
h. Practicum.
The work of the academic senates will likely be in the range of
$50,000 to $100,000 for the review of lower division courses and
required findings and recommendations. It is also possible that
better segmental articulation will lead to long-term savings due
to less duplication of course taking.
The Senate Committee on Education analysis noted that the jobs
in the early child development field are typically low paying.
This results in high turnover in the profession. While
producing more and better trained 4-year degree holders in this
field could plausibly lead to improved quality of care, it is
not clear there is a high demand for the services of employees
with this level of training.
SB 1440 (Padilla), heard by the this committee on May 24th,
would require community college districts to provide a transfer
degree to students meeting specified course requirements and
would guarantee those students admission with junior status at
CSU.