BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 1663
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Date of Hearing: March 21, 2012
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 1663 (Dickinson) - As Introduced: February 14, 2012
SUBJECT : Pupil instruction: California State Summer School for
Mathematics and Science
SUMMARY : Authorizes the Regents of the University of California
(UC) to increase the tuition fee for the California State Summer
School for Mathematics and Science program, also known as,
COSMOS, by an amount of up to 10% each year. Specifically, this
bill : Raises the cap on annual tuition fee increases from 5% to
10% for the COSMOS summer school program.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the California State Summer School for Mathematics
and Science program to provide academic development to enable
pupils with demonstrated academic excellence in mathematics
and science to receive intensive educational enrichment in
these subjects and an opportunity for pupils who wish to study
mathematics or science or to pursue careers that require a
high degree of skills in and knowledge of mathematics and
science.
2)Requests the Regents of the UC to operate the aforementioned
summer school program and to set a tuition fee within a range
that corresponds to actual program costs, up to but not
exceeding $1,000 in the year 2000, and to increase this fee by
an amount of up to 5% each year thereafter.
3)Specifies that pupils who have demonstrated academic
excellence in mathematics and science and who meet one of the
following criteria shall be eligible for admission:
a) The pupil graduated, or will graduate, from the 8th
grade at the end of the school year immediately preceding
the summer school session for which he or she is applying;
b) The pupil is currently enrolled in any of grades 9 to
12, inclusive; or,
c) The pupil graduated from high school during the school
year immediately preceding the summer school session for
which he or she is applying.
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4)Expresses the intent of the Legislature that at least 50% but
not more than 75% of the actual costs of the California State
Summer School for Mathematics and Science program would be
financed by state funds and the balance of the operating costs
would be financed with fees and private support.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Background : the California State Summer School for
Mathematics and Science, also known as, COSMOS is an intensive
four-week summer residential program for pupils with a
demonstrated aptitude for academic and professional careers in
the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)
fields. Pupils completing grades 8-12 have the opportunity to
work with faculty, researchers, and scientists while exploring
advanced STEM topics beyond those usually offered in California
high schools. The program exists at four UC campuses: UC Davis,
UC Irvine, UC San Diego, and UC Santa Cruz. The pupil
participants appear to be evenly split between male and female
according to data from 2006-2010, during which time 50.4% males
and 49.6% females enrolled in the program. Enrollment data from
the same time frame show that Asian students made up 48.1% of
COSMOS participants, followed by 24.2% White, 17.5%
Chicano/Latino, 2.3% African American, and 0.3% American Indian
pupils.
This bill allows the UC Regents to raise the cap on tuition fee
increases to up to 10% each year from the current 5% increase
cap. Current statutes express the intent of the Legislature
that the state fund at least 50%, but no more than 75% of the
program's actual cots, and that the balance of the costs are to
be financed with fees and private support. UC Regents may set a
tuition fee within a range that corresponds to actual program
costs, up to but not exceeding $1000 per session in the year
2000, and may increase this fee by an amount up to 5% each year
thereafter. In 2005, Senate Bill 755, Chapter 676, Statutes of
2005 increased the tuition cap to $2200 for the 2006 year,
thereby resetting the tuition amount from which the fee
increases are based. Even though in the statues it appears that
the tuition has only increased by 5% per year in the last 12
years, from the $1000 starting maximum amount, there was a very
considerable increase in tuition fees in 2006 from which annual
5% fee increases have followed.
AB 1663
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Rationale for raising the cap for tuition increases : According
to the author, "This bill would amend Education Code to raise to
10% the current 5% annual cap on fee increases for California
residents in order to provide financial assistance for
low-income students." According to the COSMOS Internet web
site, the program offers full and partial financial assistance
for tuition. Students who qualify for free/reduced lunch by The
National School Lunch Program are eligible for full financial
assistance, based on verification requirements and availability
of funding. Students not receiving free/reduced lunch are
evaluated for financial assistance based on family size and
income to determine the scholarship amount.
The sponsor of this bill, the University of California, contends
that in years past, full assistance was provided to every
eligible pupil who needed it, however, in the current
environment, the full need has not been met. Additionally, the
sponsor points out that fundraising support and state funding
have both decreased in years past, therefore creating a need to
raise fees in order to provide full financial support for low
income students.
The full program cost per attendee is $6,500, and state funds
currently support 41% of program expenses. In terms of student
participation, currently 30% of COSMOS students receive some
sort of financial aid. According to the sponsor, allowing
flexibility in the fee increase cap - along with fundraising -
will help return the program to its original assistance levels -
to between 30-40 percent of participants. Furthermore, the
sponsor contends that in the first year of a fee increase which
would be 2013, if this bill is enacted, the raise in the cap
would produce an additional $134,000 in funds for the program
which would in turn allow approximately 20 more students to
attend COSMOS with full financial assistance.
Suggested amendment : While the intent of this bill is to expand
access to low income students and provide additional
scholarships, nothing in the bill states that the revenue
generated as a result of the potential higher fee increases will
indeed be used for scholarships for low income students. Staff
recommends an amendment specifying that the revenue generated as
a result of this bill would be directed towards scholarships for
low income students and would be awarded on a sliding scale
based on need.
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Current statutes express the intent of the Legislature that the
University of California award full or partial scholarships on
the basis of need and that pupils who are unable to pay all or
part of the fee may petition the University of California for a
fee reduction or waiver to ensure that a qualified applicant is
not denied admission solely because of his or her inability to
pay part or all of the fee.
Program evaluation : Previous legislative reports on COSMOS
(submitted in 2004 and 2006), contain evidence supporting the
assertion that COSMOS is realizing the short-term goals the
Legislature intended to provide outstanding students
opportunities to explore STEM disciplines. There is some
evidence that supports the notion that student participation in
COSMOS is having the desired mid- to long-term effects of
encouraging participants to pursue STEM disciplines as
undergraduates and graduate students, and in their careers. The
2008 evaluation of the program notes that a random survey of
alumni was conducted and of the 17 alumni that responded 85%
were pursuing a STEM discipline or were planning to declare an
undergraduate major in a STEM field. The evaluation also
includes information from survey follow-up interview questions
designed to determine how participation in COSMOS influenced
participant choices with regards to educational or career
objectives. Out of the 17 random alumni interviews, three
answered that they did not think COSMOS had an impact, while 14
thought it did, and were able to articulate their belief that
COSMOS had an impact on their current objectives.
Arguments in support : The American Federation of State, County
and Municipal Employees writes, "The Legislature intends that at
least 50% of COSMOS costs be funded by the State, but State
funding simply did not meet this criteria in the summer of 2010
or 2011. AB 1663 would amend the Education Code to increase the
current 5% annual cap on fee increases for California residents
to 10% in order to provide financial assistance for low income
students. This proposed change would allow COSMOS the
flexibility needed to maintain program quality."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
University of California (Sponsor)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
AB 1663
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(AFSCME), AFL-CIO
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Avi�a / ED. / (916) 319-2087