Bill Text: CA AB2819 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: Student Opportunity and Access Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-05-05 - Re-referred to Com. on HIGHER ED. [AB2819 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB2819-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  May 04, 2020

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2819

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Introduced by Assembly Member Limón

February 20, 2020

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An act to amend Section 300 of Sections 69560 and 69561 of, and to repeal Section 69565 of, the Education Code, relating to elementary and secondary education. student financial aid.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2819, as amended, Limón. Elementary and secondary education: English language education. Student Opportunity and Access Program.

Existing law establishes the Student Aid Commission and assigns to it numerous duties with respect to student financial aid programs, including administration of the Student Opportunity and Access Program. Under this program, the commission may apportion funds for the support of projects designed to increase accessibility of postsecondary educational opportunities for certain elementary and secondary school pupils from historically underserved backgrounds. Existing law requires each project to be proposed and operated through a consortium, as specified, and requires at least 30% or the equivalent of each project grant to be allocated for stipends to peer advisers and tutors meeting specified criteria.

This bill, among other things, would authorize the commission to apportion funds under the program to projects designed to increase accessibility of postsecondary educational opportunities for certain pupils from underserved communities. The bill would impose additional requirements on projects receiving funding, including requiring projects to provide assistance to those pupils from underserved communities who are enrolled in middle school and their parents or guardians in order to implement outreach efforts designed to inform them of the future availability of and access to postsecondary student financial assistance. The bill would require every consortium operating a project to allocate at least 20%, with the goal of allocating 30%, of each project grant to college success coaches meeting specified criteria.

Existing law authorizes the initial grant for a proposed new project in an area that has demonstrated need for services provided by the Student Opportunity and Access Program to be used for planning and development and requires full project grant funding to be allocated when specified criteria is met.

This bill would repeal these provisions.

Existing law, as amended by Proposition 58, a measure approved by the voters at the November 8, 2016, statewide general election, contains findings and declarations regarding the value of the English language and multilingualism. Proposition 58 expresses the resolve of the people of California to ensure that all children in public schools shall receive the highest quality education, master the English language, and access high-quality, innovative, and research-based language programs.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to these provisions.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 69560 of the Education Code is amended to read:

69560.

 The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Lack of information about postsecondary educational opportunities and low achievement levels college financing options are primary barriers to a college higher education for students from schools that have low college eligibility and college participation rates.

(b)The Student Opportunity and Access Program, initiated in 1978 to increase postsecondary educational opportunities, has been successful in meeting its goals to increase the availability of information, improve students’ access to higher education by raising their achievement levels, and reduce the duplication of services by coordinating outreach efforts.

(b) Since its initiation in 1978, the Student Opportunity and Access Program has focused on increasing the availability of information and improving college access to historically underserved student populations by creating a collegegoing culture, focusing on financial aid application completion and coordinating student outreach efforts.

(c) The intersegmental consortium nature of the program has proven to be a highly effective mechanism in coordinating existing services and in fostering the cooperation of the various education segments and partner organizations involved.

(d) An essential core of state funding for the program is required to maintain its intersegmental character, which has generated better communication, understanding, and teamwork resulting in an impact enhanced by the collective effort, while minimizing duplication of services in a geographic area.

(e)The anticipated growth in the state’s schoolage population indicates an increasing demand for services provided by the program to assist students to compete successfully for admission to postsecondary educational institutions.

(f)Salaries for college students of low-income backgrounds to provide informational and tutorial help for students from schools that have low eligibility and college participation rates is a cost-effective method of increasing access and of providing student financial aid.

(e) According to Student Expenses and Resources Surveys (SEARS), many students do not have the financial means to cover the increasing costs of postsecondary education or access to adequate financial aid. SEARS findings indicate a need for services provided by the program to assist students to become knowledgeable about higher education costs and financing options, including student financial aid, as they prepare to attain a postsecondary education.

(f) Employing current college students from historically underserved communities to act as college success coaches is a cost-effective method to provide information about higher education costs and financing options and college preparation assistance to pupils from schools that have low college eligibility and participation rates.

SEC. 2.

 Section 69561 of the Education Code is amended to read:

69561.

 (a) The Student Opportunity and Access Program is administered by the Student Aid Commission.

(b) The Student Aid Commission may apportion funds on a progress payment schedule for the support of projects designed to increase the accessibility of postsecondary educational opportunities for any of the following elementary and secondary school pupils: pupils from underserved communities who meet one or more of the following criteria:

(1) Pupils who are from low-income families.

(2) Pupils who would be the first in their families to attend college.

(3) Pupils who are from schools or geographic regions with documented low-eligibility or college low college eligibility or participation rates.

(4) Pupils who are homeless youth and former homeless youth, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66025.9. 66025.9, or who are at risk of becoming homeless.

(5) Pupils who are from mixed immigration status households or who themselves are immigrants.

(6) Pupils who are current or former foster youth. As used in this paragraph, “current or former foster youth” means a person whose dependency was established or continued by the court on or after the date on which the person reached 13 years of age.

(7) Pupils who identify as being LGBTQ+.

(c) These projects shall primarily do all of the following:

(1) Increase the availability of information for these pupils on the existence of postsecondary schooling education and work opportunities. opportunities, including the total cost of attending a postsecondary educational institution.

(2)Raise the achievement levels of these pupils so as to increase the number of high school graduates eligible to pursue postsecondary learning opportunities.

(2) Increase the number of pupils submitting completed financial aid applications pursuant to Section 69433.

(3) Hire undergraduate or graduate college success coaches to actively mentor pupils, encourage a collegegoing culture, and help pupils plan for their postsecondary education.

(d) Projects may assist community college students in transferring to four-year institutions, postsecondary educational institutions, and students in their first year at four-year postsecondary educational institutions, to the extent that project resources are available.

(e) Projects may shall provide assistance to low-income fifth and sixth grade middle school pupils described in subdivision (b) and their parents or guardians in order to implement outreach efforts designed to use inform them of the future availability of and access to postsecondary education financial assistance as a means of motivating pupils to stay in school and complete college preparatory courses.

(f) Projects may shall provide assistance to low-income middle and high school pupils described in subdivision (b) and their parents or guardians in order to implement outreach efforts designed to use the future availability of financial assistance as a means of motivating pupils to stay in school by promoting career technical education public awareness. Projects shall promote the value of career technical education, available career programs in public schools and postsecondary segments with sequenced courses beginning in high school and continuing into postsecondary education, and the resulting career opportunities.

(g) Each project shall establish or strengthen regional collaborative relationships and partnerships. Each project shall be proposed and operated through a consortium that involves at least one secondary school district office, at least one four-year college or university, at least one community college, and at least one of the following agencies:

(1) A nonprofit educational, counseling, or community agency.

(2) A private vocational or technical school accredited by a national, state, or regional accrediting association recognized by the United States Department of Education.

(h) The commission, in awarding initial project grants, shall give priority to proposals developed by more than three eligible agencies. Projects shall be located throughout the state in order to provide access to program services in rural, urban, and suburban areas.

(i) The governing board of each project, comprising composed of at least one representative from each entity in the consortium, shall establish management policy, approve and provide direction to the project director, set priorities for budgetary decisions that reflect the specific needs of the project, and assume responsibility for maintaining the required level of matching funds, including solicitations from the private sector and corporate sources.

(j) Prior to Before receiving a project grant, each consortium shall conduct a planning process and submit a comprehensive project proposal to include, but not be limited to, the following information:

(1) The agencies participating in the project.

(2) The pupils to be served by the project.

(3) The ways in which the project will reduce duplication and related costs.

(4) The methods for assessing the project’s impact.

(k) Each project shall include the direct involvement of secondary school staff in the daily operations of the project, with preference in funding to those projects that effectively integrate the objectives of the Student Opportunity and Access Program with those of the school district in providing services that are essential to preparing pupils for postsecondary education.

(l) Each project shall maintain within the project headquarters a comprehensive pupil-specific information pupil outcome data system on pupils receiving services through the program in grades 11 and 12 at secondary schools middle and high school within the participating districts. This information shall be maintained in a manner consistent with the law relating to pupil records.

(m)  At least 30 percent Each consortium shall allocate at least 20 percent, with a goal of allocating 30 percent, or the equivalent of each project grant shall be allocated for stipends to peer advisers and tutors college success coaches who meet all of the following criteria:

(1) Work with secondary middle and high school pupils.

(2) Are currently enrolled in a college or other postsecondary school as an undergraduate or graduate student.

(3) Have demonstrated financial need for the stipend. stipend, as defined by the commission.

(n) Each project should work cooperatively with other projects in the program and with the commission to establish viable student services and sound administrative procedures and to ensure coordination of the activities of the project with existing educational opportunity programs. The Student Aid Commission may develop additional regulations regarding the awarding of project grants and criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of the individual projects.

SEC. 3.

 Section 69565 of the Education Code is repealed.

69565.

The initial grant for a proposed new project in an area that has demonstrated need for services provided by the Student Opportunity and Access Program may be utilized for planning and development. Full project grant funding shall be allocated when the consortium meets the criteria established in Section 69561.

SECTION 1.Section 300 of the Education Code is amended to read:

300.

The people of California find and declare as follows:

(a)Whereas, The English language is the national public language of the United States of America and of the State of California, is spoken by the vast majority of California residents, and is also the leading world language for science and technology, thereby being an important language of economic opportunity; and

(b)Whereas, All parents are eager to have their children master the English language and obtain a high-quality education, thereby preparing them to fully participate in the American Dream of economic and social advancement; and

(c)Whereas, California is home to thousands of multinational businesses that must communicate daily with associates around the world; and

(d)Whereas, California employers across all sectors, both public and private, are actively recruiting multilingual employees because of their ability to forge stronger bonds with customers, clients, and business partners; and

(e)Whereas, Multilingual skills are necessary for our country’s national security and essential to conducting diplomacy and international programs; and

(f)Whereas, California has a natural reserve of the world’s largest languages, including English, Mandarin, and Spanish, which is critical to the state’s economic trade and diplomatic efforts; and

(g)Whereas, California has the unique opportunity to provide all parents with the choice to have their children educated to high standards in English and one or more additional languages, including Native American languages, thereby increasing pupils’ access to higher education and careers of their choice; and

(h)Whereas, The government and the public schools of California have a moral obligation and a constitutional duty to provide all of California’s children, regardless of their ethnicity or national origin, with the skills necessary to become productive members of our society, and of these skills, literacy in the English language is among the most important; and

(i)Whereas, The California Legislature approved, and the Governor signed, a historic school funding reform that restructured public education funding in a more equitable manner, directed increased resources to improve English language acquisition, and provided local control to school districts, county offices of education, and schools on how to spend funding through the local control funding formula and local control and accountability plans; and

(j)Whereas, Parents now have the opportunity to participate in building innovative new programs that will offer pupils greater opportunities to acquire 21st century skills, such as multilingualism; and

(k)Whereas, All parents will have a choice and voice to demand the best education for their children, including access to language programs that will improve their children’s preparation for college and careers, and allow them to be more competitive in a global economy; and

(l)Whereas, Existing law places constraints on teachers and schools, which have deprived many pupils of opportunities to develop multilingual skills; and

(m)Whereas, A large body of research has demonstrated the cognitive, economic, and long-term academic benefits of multilingualism and multiliteracy.

(n)Therefore, It is resolved that: amendments to, and the repeal of, certain provisions of this chapter at the November 2016 statewide general election will advance the goal of voters to ensure that all children in California public schools shall receive the highest quality education, master the English language, and access high-quality, innovative, and research-based language programs that provide the California Ed.G.E. (California Education for a Global Economy).