BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 1977
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Date of Hearing: April 1, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Das Williams, Chair
AB 1977 (Roger Hernández) - As Amended: March 24, 2014
SUBJECT : Public postsecondary education: Student Academic
Preparation and Educational Partnerships.
SUMMARY : Appropriates $82,243,000.00 from the General Fund
(GF) to the Regents of the University of California (UC) for
allocation, without regard to fiscal year, to the Student
Academic Preparation and Educational Partnerships (SAPEP)
program; and, makes several legislative declarations.
Specifically, this bill :
1)Expresses the Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
a) The underrepresentation of certain groups of
Californians in the ranks of students seeking baccalaureate
degrees has serious consequences for our state's ability to
compete in a global economy;
b) Our state needs to create a statewide plan for higher
education through which our public postsecondary
educational segments can be funded to increase the
enrollment numbers and the success rate of the
underrepresented groups;
c) The coordination between our elementary and secondary
schools and our postsecondary educational institutions
needs to be improved so that more students can succeed;
and,
d) The programs within the SAPEP, especially the Early
Academic Outreach Program (EAOP), Mathematics, the
Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program, and the
Puente program, have been proven to be successful in
assisting members of underrepresented groups to excel while
making the transition from high school to university.
2)States the Legislature intends to provide increased financial
support for SAPEP programs and to make it easier for SAPEP
students to meet their educational goals.
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3)Appropriates $82,243,000.00 from the GF to the UC Regents for
allocation, without regard to fiscal year, to SAPEP and
specifies that of the appropriated amount, no less than an
unspecified sum shall be allocated to the Puente program.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Requires the CSU and each community college district (CCD),
and requests the UC to, with respect to each campus in their
respective jurisdictions that administers a priority
enrollment system, grant priority enrollment to all of the
following: a) member or former member of the Armed Forces, as
defined who meets specified requirements, for any academic
term within 15 years of leaving state or federal active duty;
and b) current and former foster youth, as defined (EC §
66025.8 and 66025.9).
2)Requires each CCD with respect to each campus in their
respective jurisdictions that administers a priority
enrollment system, grant priority enrollment to all of the
following: a) students in the Community College Extended
Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) program; b) disabled
students within the meaning of the federal Americans with
Disabilities Act; and, c) students that are recipients of the
California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids
(CalWORKs) program (EC § 66025.91 and 66025.92).
3)Tasks the California Community Colleges (CCC) and the
California State University (CSU), in consultation with
various entities, including the California Department of
Education, to develop a student-centered communication and
marketing strategy in order to increase the visibility of the
associate degree for transfer pathway for all students in
California that includes, but is not necessarily limited to,
targeted outreach to first-year students through camps
orientations and student support services programs offered by
the campus that may include, but are not necessarily limited
to, MESA and Puente (Education Code § 66748.5).
FISCAL EFFECT : At least $82,243,000.00 to the GF.
COMMENTS : Background . The SAPEP administered by the UC
Regents, aims to prepare a higher proportion of California's
young people, including those who are first generation,
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socioeconomically disadvantaged, and English-language learners,
for postsecondary education, graduate and professional school
opportunities, and/or success in the workplace. The SAPEP is
comprised of 13 programs: ArtsBridge; Community College
Transfer Programs - TransferPrep; Community College Transfer
Programs - Articulation; Community College Transfer Programs -
ASSIST; EAOP; Graduate and Professional School Programs; K-20
Regional Intersegmental Alliances; MESA; Puente Project;
Student-Initiated Programs; UC Scout; University Community Links
(UC Links); and, University Community Engagement.
According to the UC Office of the Vice Provost, Education
Partnerships, as of 2011-2012 (most recent data available),
SAPEP programs collectively served nearly 135,000 California
K-20 students, as well as large numbers of parents, teachers,
and administrators. To note, collectively, the SAPEP programs
reach students in 1,113 K-12 public schools and all 112 CCCs.
Most high schools served by SAPEP programs need assistance; of
those schools, 65% are among the lowest performing schools in
the state, with Academic Performance Index (API) rankings of
1-5 on a scale of 1-10.
Additionally, participants in SAPEP programs have higher rates
of enrollment to each of our state's public college segments.
In the aggregate, SAPEP programs have leveraged the state and
university investment of $24.9 million by raising an additional
$37.2 million in support of K-20 efforts.
Early Academic Outreach Program, MESA, and Puente . The MESA
program was founded in 1970, EAOP was founded in 1976, and
Puente was founded in 1981. Collectively, these SAPEP programs
seek to improve participating students' academic achievement,
college readiness, and college enrollment. Student participants
are prepared for and succeed in college-preparatory courses
(also known as "A-G") at greater rates than students who do not
participate. Additionally, a higher proportion of EAOP, MESA
and Puente students took the SAT or ACT exams than did students
who did not participate in the same schools. And the Class of
2012 participating students had higher percentages of students
going on to California two-and four-year colleges. The charts
below, based on a 2011-12 SAPEP report to the Legislature from
the UC Office of the President, show the percentages of SAPEP
(EAOP, MESA and Puente specific programs) students in contract
to non-SAPEP student participants in the same schools.
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Percentage of students in California public high schools who
complete "A-G" courses:
---------------------------------------
| Program |Percentage|
| | |
|----------------------------+----------|
|EAOP participants | 77% |
|----------------------------+----------|
|MESA participants | 71% |
|----------------------------+----------|
|Puente participants | 69% |
|----------------------------+----------|
|Non-SAPEP participants |35% |
---------------------------------------
Percentage of California students at API decile 1 and 2 schools
who took the SAT Reasoning or ACT Exams:
---------------------------------------
| Program |Percentage|
| | |
|----------------------------+----------|
|EAOP, MESA and Puente | 68% |
|participants | |
|----------------------------+----------|
|Non-SAPEP participants |43% |
| | |
---------------------------------------
Class of 2012 California students who went on to California
two-and four-year colleges:
---------------------------------------
| Program |Percentage|
| | |
|----------------------------+----------|
|EAOP participants | 57% |
|----------------------------+----------|
|MESA participants | 60% |
|----------------------------+----------|
|Puente participants | 63% |
|----------------------------+----------|
|Non-SAPEP participants |41% |
| | |
---------------------------------------
State budget challenges . Some SAPEP programs have noted
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declines in the number of participants who enrolled in
postsecondary institutions, with particular declines in
community college student enrollment. Due to the state's fiscal
crisis over the last several years, the SAPEP budget has been
reduced. In 2011-2012, the SAPEP portfolio experienced an
overall budget reduction of 16%. The 2012-13 funding levels for
the SAPEP portfolio remain the same as the 2011-12 funding
levels, with an overall budget of $25 million.
To note, to date, the UC has no position on this measure because
this bill lies outside of the budget priorities established by
the UC Regents in November 2013. The UC remains committed to
the success of the SAPEP programs and to working with the author
in order to provide technical assistance as needed.
Need for this bill . According to the author, "By increasing
funding and granting priority status to these [SAPEP] students,
this bill will give these students an opportunity to become more
competitive and achieve their goals while giving their talents
back to the state making California more economically
competitive and sound."
Committee consideration . Seeing that the entire SAPEP portfolio
is serving the needs of thousands of students, parents,
teachers, and beyond, should the Legislature decide to
appropriate ongoing funds from the GF in order to continue to
ensure the great demands for the SAPEP portfolio are met, is it
appropriate for just the Puente program to receive a special
allocation?
To note, the author is working with the Assembly Appropriations
and Budget Committees in order to arrive at the appropriate sum
to allocate.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,
AFL-CIO
Opposition
None on file.
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Analysis Prepared by : Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960