BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 2352
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 22, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION
Das Williams, Chair
AB 2352 (Chesbro) - As Introduced: February 21, 2014
SUBJECT : Community colleges: early and middle college high
schools.
SUMMARY : Exempts from the low enrollment priority requirement
a student attending an early college high school if the student
is seeking to enroll in a California Community College (CCC)
course that is required for the student's early college high
school (ECHS) program; and, specifies that a community college
district does not need to include middle college high school
(MCHS) and ECHS students in their district full-time equivalent
students (FTES) report, if a MCHS or ECHS student is enrolled in
a community college course that is required for the student's
MCHS or ECHS program.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes MCHS as broad-based comprehensive instructional
programs focusing on college preparatory and school-to-work
curricula, career education, work experience, community
service, and support and motivational activities; and declares
ECHS to be autonomous schools that blend high school and
college into a coherent educational program - specifying that
ECHS pupils should begin taking college courses as soon as
they demonstrate readiness and the college credit earned may
be applied toward completing an associate or bachelor's
degree, transfer to a four-year university, or obtaining a
skills certificate (EC � 11300 and � 11302).
2)Provides opportunities for minor students to enroll in
college-level, degree-applicable courses for advanced
scholastic or advanced vocational purposes while they are in
high school and authorizes the governing board of a school
district, upon recommendation of the principal of a pupil's
school and with parental consent, to authorize a student to
concurrently enroll in a community college during any session
or term to undertake one or more courses of instruction
(Education Code � 48800 et. seq.).
3)Requires the CCC Chancellor's Office to report to the
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Department of Finance and Legislature annually on the amount
of FTES claimed by each CCC district for high school pupils
enrolled in non-credit, non-degree applicable, degree
applicable (excluding physical education), and degree
applicable physical education courses; and provides that, for
purposes of receiving state apportionments, CCC districts may
only include high school students within the CCC district's
report on FTES if the students are enrolled in courses that
are open to the general public, as specified. Additionally,
current law requires the governing board of a CCC district to
assign a low enrollment priority to special part-time or
full-time students in order to ensure that these students do
not displace regularly admitted community college students;
however, current law exempts MCHS students from being assigned
low enrollment priority if they are seeking to enroll in a CCC
course that is required for their MCHS program (EC � 76001 and
� 76002).
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : Middle and early college high schools . MCHS and
ECHS operate in a similar manner to provide high school pupils
opportunities to take college courses while still in high school
as part of an integrated program. According to information
provided by the author's office, data shows that ECHS are
reaching their target populations; nationally, roughly
three-fourths of high school pupils attending ECHS are students
of color, while nearly 60% report eligibility for free or
reduced-priced lunch. Most students attending ECHS will be the
first in their families to go to college. Currently, there are
40 ECHS in California. The demographic make-up of the ECHS
students in the 40 schools in California is as follows: 59.52%
are Latino; 17.41% are White; 8.57% are Black; and, 6.47% are
Asian. To note, 92% of the 40 schools are currently partnered
with a CCC.
Challenges for MCHS and ECHS students . High school pupils
participating in MCHS and ECHS programs are considered special
part-time or full-time students for purposes of attending a
community college to fulfill the college aspect of the program.
According to the author, pupils attending ECHS programs are
encountering difficulty in enrolling in the necessary community
college classes they need to meet the dual degree coursework
requirement of such programs and thus there has been a decrease
in the number of students completing the full mission of these
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programs. The author argues that ECHS are experiencing a drop
in the number of new student applications due to pupils'
difficulty in enrolling in community college courses.
By providing ECHS students an exemption from the low enrollment
priority requirement, this bill will give ECHS students an
opportunity to complete their programs in a timely manner. AB
230 (Carter, Chapter 50, Statues of 2011), allowed MCHS students
this exemption, but not ECHS students; this bill will give bring
parity to ECHS students.
Course demands . Currently, there is more demand than there are
course offerings at the CCC and course registration priorities
play an important role in managing CCC enrollment. Enrollment
priorities determine which groups of students are enrolled in
courses and which students get turned away. According to a
March 2013 report by the Public Policy Institute of California
(PPIC), course offerings have declined from 420,000 to 334,000
since 2008-86,000 or 21% of course offerings-and most were
credit courses necessary to transfer or obtain a degree or
certificate. PPIC estimates that since 2008, 600,000 students
have not been able to enroll in classes, and another 500,000
students were on waiting lists for fall 2012 courses.
Existing law requires CCC to assign high school pupils a low
enrollment priority in order to ensure they do not displace
regularly admitted CCC students. This bill creates a narrow
exemption from the low enrollment priority for students
attending an ECHS, if the student is seeking to enroll in a
community college course that is required for the student's ECHS
program. The proposal does not give ECHS students priority in
CCC enrollment but rather gives community colleges some
flexibility in the priority assignment for ECHS students.
Conflicting legislation . AB 1451 (Holden), which passed out of
this committee on April 1, 2014, among other things, authorizes
the governing board of a school district to authorize a pupil,
as specified, to attend a community college during any session
or term as a special part-time or full-time student and to
undertake one or more courses of career technical education
offered at the community college and authorizes the governing
board of a school district to enter into a concurrent enrollment
partnership agreement with a community college district located
within its immediate service area. Additionally, this bill will
allow certain exemptions for pupils who attend ECHS and MCHS.
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Staff recommends, should this measure pass out of this
committee, that the two measures eventually be amended to
address potential chaptering out issues.
Related legislation . AB 230 (Carter), as described above.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Alvord Unified School District
Banning Unified School District
Beaumont Unified School District
Coachella Valley Unified School District
Corona-Norco Unified School District
Desert Center Unified School District
Desert Sands Unified School District
Hemet Unified School District
Jurupa Unified School District
Lake Elsinore Unified School District
Los Angeles Community College District
Los Rios Community College District
Menifee Union School District
Moreno Valley Unified School District
Murrieta Valley Unified School District
Newport-Mesa Unified School District (sponsor)
Nuview Union Elementary School District
Palm Springs Unified School District
Palo Verde Unified School District
Perris Elementary School District
Perris Union High School District
Riverside County Superintendent of Schools
Riverside Unified School District
Romoland Elementary School District
San Diego Unified School District
San Jacinto Unified School District
South Orange County Community College District
Temecula Valley Unified School District
Val Verde Unified School District
Yosemite Community College District
Opposition
None on file.
AB 2352
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Analysis Prepared by : Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916)
319-3960