Bill Text: CA AB1854 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Examination fees: Advanced Placement and International

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-05-23 - In committee: Set, second hearing. Held under submission. [AB1854 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB1854-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1854	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Linder

                        FEBRUARY 19, 2014

   An act to add Chapter 19 (commencing with Section 53400) to Part
28 of Division 4 of Title 2 to the Education Code, relating to pupil
instruction.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1854, as introduced, Linder. Examination fees: Advanced
Placement and International Baccalaureate Examination Fee Grant
Program.
   Existing law authorizes a system of incentives to encourage high
schools to operate International Baccalaureate Diploma Programs, and
to encourage pupils in these schools to enroll in, attempt, and pass
the International Baccalaureate course of study and examinations that
lead to the International Baccalaureate Diploma. Existing law
requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, from funds
appropriated for the purpose of the International Baccalaureate
Diploma Program, to annually allocate to each school district, on
behalf of each high school or middle school within the district that
offers the program, up to $25,000 for each participating high school
and middle school to cover the costs of professional development
required by the program and to help pay the test fees for low- and
middle-income pupils in need of financial assistance.
   Existing law authorizes a school district receiving economic
impact aid funds to expend any portion of those funds to pay for all
or part of the costs of one or more advanced placement examinations
that are charged to economically disadvantaged pupils, as defined.
   This bill would, subject to appropriation in the annual Budget
Act, establish a grant program, administered by the State Department
of Education, for the purpose of awarding grants to cover the costs
of advanced placement examination fees or International Baccalaureate
examination fees, or both, for eligible economically disadvantaged
or foster youth high school pupils, as defined. The bill would
authorize a school district to apply to the department for grant
funding under the program based on the number of economically
disadvantaged or foster youth high school pupils in the school
district who will take the next offered advanced placement or
International Baccalaureate examinations and would require that
grants be expended only to pay the fees required of eligible
economically disadvantaged or foster youth high school pupils to take
an advanced placement or International Baccalaureate examination, or
both. The bill would authorize an eligible economically disadvantage
or foster youth high school pupil enrolled in an advanced placement
or International Baccalaureate course, or both, to apply to the
designated school district staff for a grant to pay the examination
fee, as provided. The bill would require funding priority be given to
advanced placement examination fees if there is insufficient funding
allocated to the grant program in a given fiscal year.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Chapter 19 (commencing with Section 53400) is added to
Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:
      CHAPTER 19.  ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
EXAMINATION FEE GRANT PROGRAM


   53400.  (a) Subject to appropriation in the annual Budget Act for
this purpose, there is hereby established a grant program for the
purpose of awarding grants to cover the costs of advanced placement
(AP) examination fees or International Baccalaureate (IB) examination
fees, or both, for eligible economically disadvantaged or foster
youth high school pupils. The department shall administer this
program.
   (b) (1) As used in this section, "eligible economically
disadvantaged high school pupil" means a pupil in high school who is
eligible for a state or federal free or reduced-price meal program.
   (2) As used in this section, "eligible foster youth" has the same
meaning as "foster youth," as that term is defined in Section
42238.01.
   (c) A school district may apply to the department for grant
funding pursuant to this section, based on the number of economically
disadvantaged or foster youth high school pupils in the school
district enrolled in AP courses or IB courses, or in both, who will
take the next offered AP or IB examinations. A school district that
applies to the department for this purpose shall designate school
district staff to whom pupils may submit applications for grants and
shall institute a plan to notify pupils of the availability of
financial assistance pursuant to this section. Grants shall be
expended only to pay the fees required of eligible economically
disadvantaged or foster youth high school pupils to take an AP or IB
examination, or both.
   (d) An eligible economically disadvantaged or foster youth high
school pupil who is enrolled in an AP or IB course, or both, may
apply to the designated school district staff for a grant pursuant to
this section. A pupil who receives a grant shall only pay five
dollars ($5) of the examination fee.
   (e) School districts and county superintendents of schools may
join together and form collaboratives or consortia in order to
participate in the grant program established by this section.
   (f) Grants provided pursuant to this section may not be used to
supplant fee waivers available to low-income pupils who take AP or IB
examinations.
   (g) If the total school district applications exceed the total
funds available pursuant to this section, the department shall
prorate the grants based upon the ratio of the total amount requested
to the total amount allocated in the annual Budget Act or another
statute for this purpose. Funding priority shall be given to AP
examination fees if there is insufficient funding allocated for the
grant program in a given fiscal year.
   (h) To facilitate program administration and school district
reimbursement, the department may enter into a contract with the
provider of AP or IB examinations. For purposes of the contract
authorized pursuant to this subdivision, the department is exempt
from the requirements of Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of
Division 2 of the Public Contract Code and from the requirements of
Article 6 (commencing with Section 999) of Chapter 6 of Division 4 of
the Military and Veterans Code.