BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 885
Page 1
Date of Hearing: July 6, 2011
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
SB 885 (Simitian) - As Amended: March 24, 2011
Policy Committee: Education
Vote:10-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the University of California (UC), the
California State University (CSU), the Chancellor of the
Community Colleges (CCCs), the Commission on Teacher
Credentialing (CTC), the California Postsecondary Education
Commission (CPEC), the State Board of Education (SBE), the
Employment Development Department, and the California School
Information Services to enter into a joint powers agreement to
implement a statewide educational data system from preschool
through higher education (P-20).
FISCAL EFFECT
Minor, absorbable costs to specified agencies to enter into
joint powers agreements for the purpose of implementing a
statewide educational data system.
COMMENTS
1)Background . SB 1298 (Simitian), Chapter 561, Statues of 2008,
expressed legislative intent for the state to design and
implement a longitudinal data system. Chapter 561 also
authorized specified higher education and workforce agencies
to enter into interagency agreements to facilitate the
implementation of the transferring of data for a longitudinal
data system.
2)Purpose . According to a RAND report entitled Toward a K-20
Student Unit Record Data System (January 2008), California
would benefit from the establishment of a student unit record
(SUR) system, a robust student data system that tracks an
SB 885
Page 2
individual's student progress over time from elementary school
to college and eventually entry into the labor market.
Specifically, the report states "a K-20 SUR system would
enable the state, education administrators, faculty, and the
public to address questions that currently cannot be addressed
with current data systems-questions such as how California's
students are progressing over time; how course articulation
between high school and college can be improved; how effective
are programs to retain, prepare, and help students succeed in
college; what classes of students may need special
intervention and attention; and how well are students prepared
to meet California's future labor demands."
Chapter 561 also established a working group to discuss
governance issues related to the longitudinal data system.
The workgroup consisted of legislative staff, the Legislative
Analyst Office, CCCs, UC, the CSU, and the Superintendent of
Public Instruction. The working group made several
recommendations, including that each entity maintains
responsibility for the collection of its data and then
distributing it with other agencies for the purpose of the
data system. The group also suggested a joint powers
authority may be created to facilitate this work. This bill
implements this recommendation.
3)Technical Amendment . As part of the 2011-12 budget actions,
Governor Brown vetoed all funding for the California
Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC), which does not
allow them to operate. As such, the committee recommends the
bill be amended to remove reference to CPEC.
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081