BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1584
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Date of Hearing: April 11, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 1584 (Eng) - As Introduced: February 2, 2012
SUBJECT : Health Education: Health Science and Medical
Technology Project
SUMMARY : Deletes the sunset date of the Health Science and
Medical Technology Project (HSMTP), thereby extending the
project indefinitely and makes various changes to the statutes
governing this program. Specifically, this bill :
1)Adds public postsecondary students to the list of students
eligible to participate in the HSMTP.
2)Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
approve all final grant allocations pursuant to this bill, and
provides that allocations shall be contingent upon the
provision of funding in the annual Budget Act.
3)Requires grant recipients to design and implement a multiyear
coherent sequence of standards-based academic and career
technical education (CTE) courses and work-based learning
experiences that provide pupils as early as middle school with
a structured progression of secondary and postsecondary
education.
4)Specifies that a major component of the grant is the
relationship with education partners to facilitate
articulation, dual credit, and other strategies to support
pupil advancement and transition into postsecondary education.
5)Stipulates that the purposes of the HSMTP include all of the
following:
a) Increasing pupils' interest in, knowledge of, and
exposure to the health care industry;
b) Enhancing academic achievement and leadership skills
applicable to health care;
c) Providing pupils with a path to complete postsecondary
health care programs and complete a health care certificate
or license; and,
d) Pursuing a full range of health care employment at
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entry, technical, or professional levels.
6)Requires funding provided for the HSMTP be limited to the
following activities:
a) Coordination, design, and implementation of an
articulated multiyear sequence of courses from middle
school through postsecondary education in a selected
pathway;
b) Development of standards-based health-science- and
medical-technology- focused curriculum;
c) Integration of pupil leadership and engagement
practices;
d) Support of work-based learning experiences;
e) Providing related professional development
opportunities; and,
f) Providing materials and equipment to support academic
and technical curriculum alignment in the selected pathway.
7)Requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to
monitor and review grantees and provide technical assistance
to ensure that grantees meet the requirements of the program.
8)Repeals the requirement for the CDE to report to the
Legislature and the Governor on the efficacy of the HSMTP on
or before January 1, 2012; and eliminates the January 1, 2014
program repeal date.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the Health Science and Medical Technology Project,
administered by the CDE to provide competitive grant funds to
California public schools offering grades 7 to 12, inclusive,
to enhance existing or establish new health-related career
pathway programs, including programs at California partnership
academies and regional occupational centers and programs, as
well as other health science and medical technology pathway
programs. (Education Code Section (EC) 33430)
2)Requires grant recipients to offer a coherent sequence of
standards-based academic and CTE coursework in selected
pathways that will result in higher levels of achievement,
technical skills, and knowledge necessary for students to
pursue a full range of health care employment at support,
technical, or professional levels. (EC 33430)
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3)Provides that the funds from this program shall be used for
any of the following: curriculum development, development of a
sequence of courses in selected pathways, program articulation
in grades 7 to 14, inclusive, materials and equipment, and
student support. (EC 33430)
4)Requires the CDE to report to the Legislature and the Governor
on the efficacy of the HSMTP on or before January 1, 2012, and
repeals the project as of January 1, 2014. (EC 33431-33432)
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : The HSMTP was enacted by SB 1309 (Scott), Chapter
837, Statutes of 2006, and according to information provided by
the author, approximately 40 schools in urban, suburban, and
rural communities in California receive grants through this
program. The primary purpose of the HSMTP is to build programs
statewide that prepare students for postsecondary options in the
health-care industry in an effort to address the critical worker
shortages in the industry. HSMTP grants may be used to
establish new or to enhance existing health science pathway
programs, and these programs must be structured so that
participating students explore a variety of careers in health
care beginning in grade seven. In grades 9-12, students begin
developing knowledge and skills to prepare them for the
transition to postsecondary education and specific careers in
health care. According to the CDE, the HSMTP has been funded
through the Career Technical Education (CTE) Pathways Initiative
programs, established by SB 70 (Scott), Chapter 352, Statutes of
2005 (SB 70). In 2005, the amount of $20 million dollars was
allocated from the Community College reversion account to fund
SB 70 activities, and in 2006, additional funds were allocated
through the enactment of SB 1133 (Torlakson), Chapter 751,
Statutes of 2006, for five additional years through the 2013-14
fiscal year.
Program sunset date : This bill proposes to eliminate the sunset
date of the HSMTP, thus authorizing this program indefinitely.
The author states, "This bill would make the HSMTP permanent to
continue to establish rich, rigorous, integrated health science
and medical careers pathway programs to serve students from
every school in California." The HSMTP and its source of
funding (SB 70) will sunset in 2014; the former in January and
the latter in July. In consideration that the source of funding
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for the HSMTP is not permanent and that it will sunset next
year, it is questionable as to whether the program should be
made permanent. If SB 70 funds are not reauthorized and/or no
other funds become available for this program, reauthorizing it
indefinitely may create a false promise to participating and
prospective students. It will also potentially leave an
inoperative program in the statutes, if it is not funded
prospectively. In light of the fiscal climate in the state and
the uncertainty surrounding SB 70, the prospects for the future
funding of this program are questionable. For this reason, this
Committee may wish to instead consider an extension of the
sunset date as opposed to a complete elimination of the sunset
of the HSMTP program. A sunset extension will maintain the
program in statute temporarily, while giving the Legislature the
opportunity to revisit and review the effectiveness of the
program, and decide whether to continue it going forward.
Instead of eliminating the sunset date, staff recommends an
amendment to extend the sunset of the program by five years,
thereby extending the program until July 1, 2018, and to require
an efficacy report with a due date of January 1, 2016.
Program eligibility : This bill also revises the current
statutes of the HSMTP to expand eligibility for participation to
postsecondary education students. However, without an
augmentation of funds, this expansion may have the effect of
reducing opportunities for participation for pupils in grades
7-12. Additionally, it is unclear as to how postsecondary
students would be funded since the grantees currently appear to
be all middle or high schools. As currently drafted, it is
unclear as to whether community colleges and/or four-year
institutions would also be able to apply for these funds. Staff
recommends the bill be amended to maintain the focus of the
program on pupils in grades 7-12 and delete language expanding
eligibility for postsecondary students. On page 2, line 9,
strike out "or California public postsecondary students."
This bill additionally, makes various technical clean-up changes
to explicitly state the purpose of the program and to update the
language to more accurately reflect the current and essential
elements of the program such as course sequences, standards
alignment, and work-based learning experiences. Another
significant change proposed by this bill is the monitoring and
review of grantees by the CDE to ensure the requirements of the
program are met. Current law does not require any monitoring of
grantees, but does require a report on the efficacy of the
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program.
Efficacy report : A draft report of the HSMTP containing
self-reported data from the grantees point out that participants
in the program had higher grade point averages, higher test
scores, higher passage of the high school exit exam, higher
attendance rates, higher graduation rates, higher number
entering postsecondary education, decreased disciplinary
referrals, and increased motivation. According to the draft
report, the program appears to have some level of success. The
final efficacy report of the HSMTP has not been submitted,
however, this bill repeals the requirement for the report to be
submitted by January 1, 2012. Staff recommends an amendment to
reinstate this language until the report is submitted.
Additional technical amendment : To correct a drafting error on
page 2 of the bill, specifically in the first two sentences of
subdivision (a) of Section 33430, staff recommends the following
amendment: On page 2, line 8, strike out the period and
"Programs."
Arguments in support : The California Hospital Association
writes, "As California's population ages, older people will be
retiring and leaving the workforce, while at the same time,
creating an increased demand for healthcare services. A
critical element of any long-term solution is the need to boost
career awareness and preparation among students regarding a wide
array of health professions, especially in the area of allied
health. Programs such as HSMTP accomplish this by preparing
students to be successful in post-secondary education and to
gain the required skills for entering heath care occupations
thereby ensuring that California has an adequate supply for
qualified health professionals."
Previous legislation : SB 1309 (Scott), Chapter 837, Statutes of
2006 enacts an array of initiatives to address the nursing
shortage in California, including the creation of the HSMTP.
SB 70 (Scott), Chapter 352, Statutes of 2005, requires the Board
of Governors of the Community Colleges to assist economic and
workforce regional development centers and consortia to improve
career-technical education pathways between high schools and
community colleges, as specified.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
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Support
California Hospital Association
Californians for Patient Care
Superintendent for Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Avi�a / ED. / (916) 319-2087