Bill Text: CA AB1091 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Student financial aid: Cal Grant Program.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2015-10-08 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 637, Statutes of 2015. [AB1091 Detail]
Download: California-2015-AB1091-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 1091 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 637
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE OCTOBER 8, 2015
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR OCTOBER 8, 2015
PASSED THE SENATE SEPTEMBER 3, 2015
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JUNE 3, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 1, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2015
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2015
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Eduardo Garcia
FEBRUARY 27, 2015
An act to amend Section 69432.9 of, and to add Section 69432.92
to, the Education Code, relating to student financial aid.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 1091, Eduardo Garcia. Student financial aid: Cal Grant Program.
The Cal Grant Program establishes the Cal Grant A and B
Entitlement awards, the California Community College Transfer
Entitlement awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B awards, the Cal
Grant C award, and the Cal Grant T award under the administration of
the Student Aid Commission, and establishes eligibility requirements
for awards under these programs for participating students attending
qualifying institutions. As part of these eligibility requirements,
existing law requires the commission to require that a grade point
average be submitted to it electronically for all grade 12 pupils at
public schools, including charter schools, each academic year, except
as specified.
This bill would require this electronic submission to be on a
standardized form. The bill would also authorize the commission to
require that verification of high school graduation or its equivalent
be electronically submitted for all former grade 12 pupils who
graduated from public schools, including charter schools, in the
prior academic year, except for pupils who have opted out, as
specified. By requiring the electronic submission of grade point
average information to be on a standardized form, and authorizing the
commission to additionally require verification of graduation
information of prior grade 12 pupils, this bill would impose a
state-mandated local program.
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.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 69432.9 of the Education Code is amended to
read:
69432.9. (a) A Cal Grant applicant shall submit a complete
official financial aid application pursuant to Section 69433 and
applicable regulations adopted by the commission. Each pupil enrolled
in grade 12 in a California public school, including a charter
school, other than pupils who opt out as provided in subdivision (d),
shall be deemed to be a Cal Grant applicant.
(b) Financial need shall be determined to establish an applicant's
initial eligibility for a Cal Grant award and a renewing recipient's
continued eligibility using the federal financial need methodology
pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 69506 and applicable
regulations adopted by the commission, and as established by Title IV
of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C.
Secs. 1070 et seq.).
(1) "Expected family contribution," with respect to an applicant
or renewing recipient, shall be determined using the federal
methodology pursuant to subdivision (a) of Section 69506 (as
established by Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965,
as amended (20 U.S.C. Secs. 1070 et seq.)) and applicable rules and
regulations adopted by the commission.
(2) "Financial need" means the difference between the student's
cost of attendance as determined by the commission and the expected
family contribution. The calculation of financial need shall be
consistent with Title IV of the federal Higher Education Act of 1965,
as amended (20 U.S.C. Secs. 1070 et seq.).
(3) (A) The minimum financial need required for receipt of an
initial and renewal Cal Grant A or C award shall be no less than the
maximum annual award value for the applicable institution, plus an
additional one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) of financial
need.
(B) The minimum financial need required for receipt of an initial
and renewal Cal Grant B award shall be no less than seven hundred
dollars ($700).
(c) (1) The commission shall require that a grade point average be
submitted to it for all Cal Grant A and B applicants, except for
those permitted to provide test scores in lieu of a grade point
average.
(2) The commission shall require that a grade point average be
submitted to it electronically on a standardized form for all grade
12 pupils at public schools, including charter schools, each academic
year, except for pupils who have opted out as provided in
subdivision (d). Social security numbers shall not be included in the
information submitted to the commission. However, if the commission
determines that a social security number is required to complete the
application for financial aid, the school, school district, or
charter school may obtain permission from the parent or guardian of
the pupil, or the pupil, if he or she is 18 years of age, to submit
the pupil's social security number to the commission.
(3) The commission shall require that each report of a grade point
average include a certification, executed under penalty of perjury,
by a school official, that the grade point average reported is
accurately reported. The certification shall include a statement that
it is subject to review by the commission or its designee.
(4) The commission shall adopt regulations that establish a grace
period for receipt of the grade point average and any appropriate
corrections, and that set forth the circumstances under which a
student may submit a specified test score designated by the
commission, by regulation, in lieu of submitting a qualifying grade
point average.
(5) It is the intent of the Legislature that high schools and
institutions of higher education certify the grade point averages of
their students in time to meet the application deadlines imposed by
this chapter.
(6) It is the intent of the Legislature that the commission make
available to each high school and school district a report
identifying all grade 12 pupils within the high school or school
district, respectively, who have and have not completed the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid or the California Dream Act
Application.
(d) (1) The school district or charter school shall, no later than
October 15 of a pupil's grade 12 academic year, notify, in writing,
each grade 12 pupil and, for a pupil under 18 years of age, his or
her parent or guardian that, pursuant to subdivision (a), the pupil
will be deemed a Cal Grant applicant unless the pupil opts out within
a period of time specified in the notice, which shall not be less
than 30 days. The required notice shall indicate when the school will
first send grade point averages to the commission. The school
district or charter school shall provide an opportunity for the pupil
to opt out of being automatically deemed a Cal Grant applicant.
(2) Until a pupil turns 18 years of age, only a parent or guardian
may opt the pupil out. Once a pupil turns 18 years of age, only the
pupil may opt himself or herself out and, if prior to the conclusion
of the notice period, the pupil may opt in over the prior decision of
a parent or guardian to opt out.
SEC. 2. Section 69432.92 is added to the Education Code, to read:
69432.92. (a) The commission may require verification of high
school graduation or its equivalent to be electronically submitted
for all former grade 12 pupils who graduated from public schools,
including charter schools, in the prior academic year, except for
pupils who have opted out as provided in subdivision (d) of Section
69432.9.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that high schools or high
school districts verify the graduation of their pupils in time to
meet the deadlines imposed by subdivision (e) of Section 69433.9.
SEC. 3. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.
