BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2
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Date of Hearing: March 15, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Marty Block, Chair
AB 2 (Portantino) - As Introduced: December 6, 2010
SUBJECT : Postsecondary education: Educational and Economic
Goals for California Higher Education.
SUMMARY : Establishes a state accountability framework for the
purpose of biennially assessing the collective progress of the
state's system of postsecondary education in meeting specified
educational and economic goals. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requires that the framework be used to measure progress toward
specified goals by collecting and reporting information that
answers six statewide policy questions:
a) Are enough Californians prepared for postsecondary
education?
b) Are enough Californians going to college?
c) Is the state's postsecondary education system affordable
to all Californians?
d) Are enough Californians successfully completing
certificates and degrees?
e) Are college graduates prepared for life and work in
California?
f) Are California's people, communities, and economy
benefiting?
2)Requires that the questions in (1) be answered by collecting
data for up to 30 progress indicators, which may include any
or all of 25 indicators delineated in this bill.
3)Requires the segments of higher education, as represented by
the governing boards of the University of California (UC), the
California State University (CSU), and the California
Community Colleges (CCC), and the Association of Independent
California Colleges and Universities (AICCU), to provide data
for the framework to the California Postsecondary Education
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Commission (CPEC) by May 31 of each odd-numbered year. The
segments are to (a) rely on existing data to the extent
possible, and (b) post this data on the Internet.
4)Requires CPEC to make the collected data available on the
Internet and report the data-by August 1, 2012, and by August
1 of each even-numbered year-on an aggregate statewide level,
by segment, by region, and by race and ethnicity, gender, Cal
Grant recipient status, and socioeconomic status to the extent
these data are available, and requires the indicators to be
collected and maintained by each segment longitudinally where
appropriate and possible.
5)Requires the Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) and the
Department of Finance (DOF) to convene an advisory committee
to coordinate the technical specifications of the data
collection and indicators.
6)Requires the LAO, in consultation with DOF, to report to the
Legislature and governor by January 30, 2012, on the
recommended indicator data, including any data limitations in
responding to the suggested indicators, and expresses
Legislative intent that to the extent the Legislature and
governor with the LAO's recommendations, the indicators be
formally adopted by statute.
7)Requires the LAO, within 120 days of receiving the CPEC report
per (4), to assess the extent to which the state is making
progress regarding the six questions in (1), and present its
analysis to a joint hearing of the appropriate legislative
policy and budget subcommittee by December 30 of each
even-numbered year.
8)Authorizes the segments to provide reports, including
specified information regarding each segment's efforts toward
meeting the statewide goals, at the joint legislative hearing.
9)Declares legislative intent that the governor do the
following:
a) Appoint and convene a task force by January 1, 2012 to
review the accountability framework and recommend any
modifications, and
b) Establish an advisory body to the task force for
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technical expertise and guidance.
10)Declares legislative intent that UC, CSU, CCC, and the
private and independent colleges and universities provide
information, as specified, for students and parents that
improves their understanding and comparison of postsecondary
educational institutions.
11)Declares the following educational and economic goals for
California by 2020:
a) Improve the educational pipeline numbers so that
California is among the top 10 states in the nation in this
regard.
b) Increase California's per capita income to the average
of the top 10 new economy states, as defined.
c) To rank in the top 10 states nationally for the
percentages of its age groups with degrees and certificates
conferred.
12)Repeals the following existing provisions, which will be
included in the accountability framework:
a) CPEC to annually report on significant indicators of
performance at the state's public colleges and universities
b) UC, CSU, and the CCC to provide annual statistical
reports on transfer patterns, and CPEC to report biennially
on the effectiveness of the segments' transfer programs.
EXISTING LAW :
1)CCC is required to provide an annual evaluation of
district-level performance in meeting statewide educational
outcomes, known as the Accountability Reporting for the
Community Colleges (ARCC). The ARCC currently contains data
for a variety of indicators.
2)UC and CSU have entered into system-specific "compacts" and
then "partnerships" with several Governors to ensure stable
multi-year funding in exchange for a commitment to deliver on
specific performance measures.
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3)CPEC is required to prepare an annual report on performance
indicators for California higher education on a segmental
basis, focusing on demographics, fiscal context, student
preparation, student access, and student outcomes.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown, although according to an analysis by
the Assembly Appropriations Committee of a substantially similar
bill from 2009:
1)To the extent the bill does not add new reporting duties on
UC, CSU, and CCC, costs will be absorbable.
2)Data collection costs for CPEC will be absorbable as they
generally replace current commission data collection and
assessment activities being repealed by this bill.
3)LAO costs to convene the advisory committee and analyze the
CPEC data biennially will be absorbable.
4)Any costs for the governor's task force and advisory body will
be absorbable.
COMMENTS : Background : There is a growing trend toward state
accountability systems for higher education, using different
approaches and indicators. Nearly all states have some form of
mandated statewide accountability program for higher education.
California has relied upon segmental accountability, reflecting
the missions and functions outlined in the California Master
Plan for Higher Education. None of these efforts combine to
measure how California's students perform as a whole nor does
California engage in a statewide approach to higher education
policy planning.
Purpose of this bill : According to the author, when it comes to
higher education policy, "California is data rich and
information poor." This bill establishes a framework for
measuring the collective performance of California's system of
higher education in achieving state goals of access and
workforce preparation by:
1)Articulating statewide public policy goals for California's
higher education segments;
2)Identifying specific indicators and benchmarks to be reported
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by higher education institutions in order to track progress
toward those goals; and,
3)Establishing a process for collecting, reporting, and
analyzing the collective progress toward the articulated
goals.
How were the indicators determined ? In 2002, the Senate Office
of Research commissioned a study of higher education
accountability models in other states in order to develop a
framework that could function well in California. The
indicators included in this bill are the result of that study,
along with the input of a workgroup that included the higher
education segments, LAO, and other stakeholders. It is
anticipated that much of the data are presently available. Once
it is centralized and analyzed, it will provide the basis for
higher education policy decisions and priorities.
Related efforts : Each of the segments has undertaken planning
efforts to ensure its ability to meet future student and state
needs. In December 2010, the UC Regents adopted a report by its
Commission on the Future that addressed how UC can best serve
the state in the years ahead and maintain access, quality and
affordability in a time of diminishing resources. In February
2009, CSU adopted a ten-year strategic plan-Access to
Excellence-that identifies priorities for attention for
policy-makers and the broad public in order to meet California's
educational needs. The Community College League of California,
which is comprised of the trustees and executive officers of the
CCC districts, issued a study in November 2010, outlining
effective policy and practice changes that, if incorporated,
could be reasonably implemented by 2020 and would enable the
system to increase the number of students who have access to,
and are able to complete, high-quality degrees, certificates and
transfer pathways in our community colleges. The CCC Board of
Governors, pursuant to SB 1143 (Liu), Chapter 409, Statutes of
2010, has established a task force to examine best practices for
promoting student success and adopt a plan for improving CCC
student success.
Technical amendments : This bill includes references to the
Secretary for Education, which has been abolished by the
Governor. Staff recommends these references be deleted from
Sections 67051.5(b), 67052(d), and 67053(a).
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Previous legislation : AB 218 (Portantino) of 2009, which was
held in the Senate Appropriations Committee, and SB 325 (Scott)
of 2008, which was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger, were
nearly identical to this bill. The Governor's veto message
expressed the desire to for penalties to be included as part of
the accountability framework. SB 721 (Lowenthal), pending in
the Senate, would require an undesignated state entity to
establish an additional accountability framework for achieving
prescribed educational and economic goals.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
California Community Colleges Chancellor's Offic
California Postsecondary Education Commission
California State University
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Sandra Fried / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960