BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 684
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 684 (Medina)
As Amended May 24, 2013
Majority vote
HIGHER EDUCATION 12-0 APPROPRIATIONS 17-0
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|Ayes:|Williams, Bloom, Fong, |Ayes:|Gatto, Harkey, Bigelow, |
| |Fox, | |Bocanegra, Bradford, Ian |
| |Jones-Sawyer, Levine, | |Calderon, Campos, |
| |Waldron, Medina, Olsen, | |Donnelly, Eggman, Gomez, |
| |Quirk-Silva, Weber, Wilk | |Hall, Ammiano, Linder, |
| | | |Pan, Quirk, Wagner, Weber |
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SUMMARY : Authorizes the California Workforce Investment Board
(Board) to provide grants from available state and federal funds
to accredited institutions that provide instruction to persons
who are preparing for the General Equivalency Degree (GED) test
and that apply to the Board to receive grants. Specifically,
this bill :
1)Declares that the Legislature believes it is important to
increase the number of Californians who obtain a marketable
and industry-recognized credential or degree; recognizes that
it is important to advance the education and training of
California students and workers so that they can keep pace
with the education and skill needs of the state, its regional
economies, and leading industry sectors; and expresses the
intent of the Legislature to provide funding to institutions
that offer instruction to persons who are preparing for the
GED test so that more Californians may pass the GED test and
become eligible to receive financial aid when they matriculate
to a postsecondary institution for a degree or vocational
training certificate.
2)Authorizes the Board to provide grants from state and federal
funds that are available to the Board for the purpose of
workforce training, to accredited institutions that provide
instruction to individuals that are preparing for the GED test
and apply to the Board for a grant.
3)Requires the Board to develop and adopt regulations and
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procedures for the process of receiving and evaluating
applications for grants from accredited institutions offering
GED training if the Board identifies funds available for the
grants.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Provides for a variety of student financial aid programs
including the Cal Grant programs, the CCC Board of Governors
(BOG) fee waiver, a variety of systemwide and/or
campus-specific grant and/or loan programs, and other
state-administered financial aid programs. Participation in
these programs is, among other criteria, typically needs-based
and limited to California residents (Education Code (EC)
Section 69433).
2)Requires the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to
issue a California high school equivalency certificate to any
person who has not completed high school and who meets a
variety of requirements, including successfully passing the
GED (EC Section 51420).
3)Requires the Board to assist the Governor in the development,
oversight, and the continuous improvement of California's
workforce investment system (Unemployment Insurance Code
Section 14010).
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee, one-time costs for the Board to establish the program
would be around $120,000 for one position, and ongoing program
administration would require at least a half-time position at
$60,000. Annual costs for the grants are unknown, but would
probably be at least up to several hundred thousand or low
millions of dollars annually for a meaningful grant program.
COMMENTS : According to two recent Public Policy Institute of
California (PPIC) reports, by the year 2025, demand for
college-educated workers will outstrip the supply. Researchers
estimate that California will need an additional one million to
3.5 million workers with some postsecondary education training.
However, the most recent statistics from the United States
Census Bureau indicate that approximately 19% of California
persons do not hold a high school diploma or a GED, ranking
California 45th in the nation in high school completion,
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according to a recent study by the National Center for Education
Statistics.
In the past, students without a high-school diploma or GED could
apply for federal financial aid through the Ability to Benefit
(ATB) test; however, this option was eliminated last year,
affecting the ability of students to enroll in programs to
complete their high school education.
According to the author, the elimination of the ATB test reduced
the opportunity for California's low-income persons without a
high school diploma or GED to access federal financial aid.
This includes the loss of eligibility for Pell Grants and other
financial aid to non-high school graduates interested in
enrolling and preparing to take the GED test in an accredited
post-secondary training center on or after July 1, 2012.
The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (Public Law 105-220). The
California Workforce Investment Act established the workforce
investment boards in every state to provide a comprehensive
range of workforce development activities through statewide and
local organizations. These activities, provided in local
communities, can benefit the unemployed of all ages, veterans,
persons with disabilities and employers.
Accredited training centers. According to the Western
Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Accrediting
Commission for Schools, there are 197 WASC-accredited training
centers. These centers are relatively equally disbursed in all
regions throughout the state.
Analysis Prepared by : Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960
FN: 0000907