BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 176
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Date of Hearing: March 29, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Marty Block, Chair
AB 176 (Lara) - As Introduced: January 24, 2011
SUBJECT : Standardized testing: valid identification.
SUMMARY : Requires a test sponsor to accept university
transcript and university identification issued within the last
five years as valid identification (ID) for purposes of
admitting a test subject to take a standardized test, and
provides that a test sponsor shall not require any additional
form of ID to admit a test subject.
EXISTING LAW:
1)Establishes various requirements and procedures for test
sponsors to follow in administering standardized tests for
admission to, or placement in, postsecondary educational
institutions and programs and subjects any test sponsor who
violates the requirements or procedures of administering
standardized tests to a civil penalty of up to $750 per
violation.
2)Exempts specified nonresident students of California from
paying nonresident tuition at the California State University
(CSU) and the California Community Colleges (CCC) under the
provisions of AB 540 (Firebaugh), Chapter 814, Statutes of
2001. The University of California (UC), by resolution,
complies with existing law established by AB 540.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown. This bill has been keyed non-fiscal by
Legislative Counsel.
COMMENTS : Background : AB 540 was enacted in part to address
circumstances when a student, who was brought to the U.S. as a
child by his or her parents, was deemed a nonresident for
tuition purposes when attending UC, CSU, or CCC. Often, these
students were unaware that they were not legal U.S. residents,
having spent most of their live in this country. AB 540
provides access to in-state tuition based on high school
attendance and other factors rather than legal status,
recognizing that the state and its economy benefits from the
educational successes of these students.
AB 176
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Purpose of this bill : According to the author, undocumented
students attempting to take standardized tests to enter
postsecondary education graduate programs often find that they
cannot meet the identification requirements of test sponsors.
This bill would require test sponsors to accept university
identification and transcript as valid ID, thereby ensuring
undocumented students who wish to pursue graduate school the
opportunity to take the tests required for admittance into these
programs.
Current test sponsor requirements : There are numerous test
sponsors conducting testing services in California. Test
subject identification requirements are established by test
sponsors. Educational Testing Service, which administers the
Graduate Record Examinations, generally requires test subjects
testing outside of their country of citizenship to present a
valid passport as primary ID, although some other ID documents,
including permanent and temporary residency cards and border
crossing cards, are also allowed when combined with
supplementary ID. The Law School Admissions Council (LSAC),
which administers the Law School Admissions Test, requires a
valid passport or government-issued ID from test subjects.
College Board, which administers the Scholastic
Aptitude/Assessment Test required for college admissions in the
United States, requires acceptable identification to be current,
include a recognizable photo, bear the student's name in
English, and match the name shown on the student's admission
ticket. Acceptable identification includes a driver's license
or other state-issued ID, school ID card, or valid passport.
The College Board has established an ID verification process for
home-schooled students who cannot meet the ID requirements; the
process involves the student working with his/her local school
district to complete a Student ID Form.
Requirements for obtaining a university identification and
transcript : According to UC and CSU, there are no systemwide
standards for issuance of student ID cards. According to UC,
requirements at campuses generally include the student providing
their student ID number, address, phone number, and signing a
statement certifying the accuracy of the information. Student
ID cards are generally valid as long as the student is enrolled
and has paid for the term. Requirements for obtaining student
transcripts also vary by campus; however many campuses provide
students the ability to review and print unofficial transcripts
AB 176
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as well as order official transcripts online. This bill would
require test sponsors to accept university ID cards (up to five
years old) and university transcripts as proof of
identification. This provision would apply to any test subject,
not just those students who are unable to obtain currently
required ID.
Concerns regarding security : The Association of American
Medical Colleges (AAMC) and LSAC have an "oppose unless amended"
position on this bill and have expressed concerns that the
provisions of this bill would undermine the security of
admissions tests. AAMC and LSAC argue that university IDs are
not issued with the rigor needed to adequately verify ID; there
is no standard industry practice for the issuance of university
IDs, many lack an expiration date, some lack a photo, and none
include the electronic information contained in
government-issued ID cards that is necessary to verify their
validity.
Committee suggested amendments : Committee staff recommends
amending the bill to require test sponsors establish alternative
ID verification for those students unable to obtain required ID,
but allow test sponsors flexibility in what that process
includes and the types of ID required. According to information
provided by test sponsors, the process would likely include
students contacting test sponsors prior to testing registration
deadlines, and test sponsors working with individual students to
verify ID based on the documents the student is able to obtain.
Acceptable documents might include combinations of university
IDs and bank/credit cards with photos. Committee staff proposes
the following:
Section 99155. (a) A test sponsor shall provide alternative
methods to verify a test subject's identity for those test
subjects who are unable to provide the required identification
for purposes of admitting a test subject to take a standardized
test administered by the sponsor.
(b) Test sponsors may require test subjects to obtain approval
from the test sponsor in advance of the test registration
deadline in order to be admitted to the test with an alternate
form of identification.
AAMC/LSAC requested amendment : AAMC and LSAC have requested an
amendment to clarify that nothing in the provisions established
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by the bill precludes a test sponsor from taking steps to
confirm a test subject's identity on the day of the test, just
prior to testing. Committee staff understands that test
sponsors often uses thumb printing, photographing, videotaping
or other forms of electronic ID confirmation in additional to
the requirement for valid ID. These verification systems are
designed to ensure that the test subject has not previously
tested under a different identity. Committee staff notes that
this amendment is likely unnecessary since the bill in its
current form does not prohibit those types of ID verification
activities.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California State Student Association (sponsor)
Bay Area Dream Act Coalition
California Immigrant Policy Center
Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
Opposition
Association of American Medical Colleges (Oppose Unless Amended)
Law School Admissions Council (Oppose Unless Amended)
Analysis Prepared by : Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960