AB 1977, as introduced, Roger Hernández. Public postsecondary education: Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships.
(1) Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools maintained and operated by local educational agencies throughout the state. Existing law establishes a system of public postsecondary education in this state, consisting of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California. The University of California administers Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships with the goal of raising student achievement levels generally and to close achievement gaps among groups of students from kindergarten to the postgraduate level. Existing programs within the Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships (SAPEP) include the Early Academic Outreach Program (EAOP), the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, and the Puente program.
This bill would express legislative intent to provide increased financial support for SAPEP programs and to make it easier for SAPEP students to meet their educational goals. The bill would grant priority enrollment to students who are participants in a SAPEP program in the high school and college courses necessary for the student to graduate, and transfer when appropriate, in order to efficiently progress from high school to a baccalaureate degree. Because this provision would impose new duties on local educational agencies and community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.
(2) This bill would appropriate an unspecified sum from the General Fund to the Regents of the University of California for allocation, without regard to fiscal year, to Student Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships. The bill would further provide that, of the amount appropriated under this provision, an unspecified amount would be allocated to the Puente program.
(3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.
Vote: 2⁄3. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Article 1.7 (commencing with Section 66727) is
2added to Chapter 9.2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the 3Education Code, to read:
4
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
9following:
10(1) The underrepresentation of certain groups of Californians
11in the ranks of students seeking baccalaureate degrees has serious
12consequences for our state’s ability to compete in a global
13economy.
14(2) Our state needs to create a statewide plan for higher
15education through which our public postsecondary educational
16segments can be funded to increase the enrollment numbers and
17the success rate of the underrepresented groups.
P3 1(3) The coordination between our elementary and secondary
2schools and our postsecondary educational institutions needs to
3be improved
so that more students can succeed.
4(4) The programs within the Student Academic Preparation and
5Educational Partnerships (SAPEP), especially the Early Academic
6Outreach Program (EAOP), Mathematics, the Engineering, Science
7Achievement (MESA) program, and the Puente program, have
8been proven to be successful in assisting members of
9underrepresented groups to excel while making the transition from
10high school to university.
11(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to provide
12increased financial support for SAPEP programs and to make it
13easier for SAPEP students to meet their educational goals.
Notwithstanding any other law, a student who is a
15participant in a SAPEP program shall be granted priority for
16enrollment in the high school and college courses necessary for
17the student to graduate, and transfer when appropriate, in order to
18efficiently progress from high school to a baccalaureate degree.
The sum of ____ dollars ($____) is hereby appropriated
20from the General Fund to the Regents of the University of
21California for allocation, without regard to fiscal year, to Student
22Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships. Of the amount
23appropriated under this section, no less than ____ dollars ($____)
24shall be allocated to the Puente program.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
26this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
27local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
28pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
294 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
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