Bill Text: CA AB372 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended

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Bill Title: California community colleges: matriculation services.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 8-1)

Status: (Engrossed - Dead) 2011-08-25 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB372 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB372-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 372	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 1, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 27, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 26, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Roger Hernández
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Blumenfield, Hueso, Huffman,
Jeffries, Lara, Pan, Williams, and Yamada)

                        FEBRUARY 14, 2011

   An act to amend Section 78212 of the Education Code, relating to
community colleges.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 372, as amended, Roger Hernández. California community
colleges: matriculation services.
   Existing law establishes a matriculation process that brings a
college and a student who enrolls for credit into agreement for the
purpose of realizing the student's educational objectives. The
agreement involves the responsibilities of both parties to attain
those objectives through the college's established programs,
policies, and requirements.
   This bill would require, to the extent that federal funding is
provided, as specified, that military personnel and veterans be given
a prior learning assessment to determine college-level learning
gained in other than a college credit setting. The bill would require
the assessment to meet the standards of the American Council on
Education, the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, or other
equivalent standard for awarding academic credits.
   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.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) California has an estimated population of nearly 2 million
veterans, with approximately 30,000 veterans who returned from
service in 2010.
   (b) Military service personnel returning from service face many
unexpected challenges in assimilating back to civilian life, such as
finding employment or getting a higher educational degree.
   (c) As of 2010, the job market in California was grim for workers
of all ages with an unemployment rate still above 12 percent.
However, among California veterans between 18 and 24 years of age,
the unemployment rate was a staggering 25 percent.
   (d) Each year, millions of military service personnel receive
extensive training experiences equivalent or comparable to the
content in credit classes.
   (e) Depending on the specialty area, returning veterans have
received significant education in concepts relating to engineering,
management, accounting, leadership, medical treatment, logistics, and
computer systems, among others.
   (f) A recent Council for Adult and Experiential Learning study of
more than 62,000 adult students at 48 institutions nationwide showed
that students with prior learning experience credit had higher
graduation rates, greater persistence, and needed less time to earn
degrees, compared to students without prior learning experience
credit.
   (g) Students who are veterans are being denied admission at higher
education institutions at an increasingly alarming rate.
  SEC. 2.  Section 78212 of the Education Code is amended to read:
   78212.  (a) For purposes of this article, "matriculation" means a
process that brings a college and a student who enrolls for credit
into an agreement for the purpose of realizing the student's
educational objectives. The agreement involves the responsibilities
of both parties to attain those objectives through the college's
established programs, policies, and requirements.
   The student's responsibilities under the agreement include the
expression of at least a broad educational intent upon enrollment,
the declaration of a specific educational objective within a
reasonable period after enrollment, diligence in class attendance and
completion of assigned coursework, and the completion of courses and
maintenance of progress toward an educational goal according to
standards established by the college, the district, and the state.
   (b) Matriculation services to be made available by the colleges
shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
   (1) Processing of the application for admission.
   (2) Orientation and preorientation services designed to provide to
students, on a timely basis, information concerning campus
procedures, academic expectations, financial assistance, and any
other matters the college or district finds appropriate.
   (3) Assessment and counseling upon enrollment, which shall
include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   (A) Administration of assessment instruments to determine student
competency in computational and language skills.
   (B) Assistance to students in the identification of aptitudes,
interests and educational objectives, including, but not limited to,
associate of arts degrees, transfer for baccalaureate degrees, and
vocational certificates and licenses.
   (C) Evaluation of student study and learning skills.
   (D) Referral to specialized support services as needed, including,
but not limited to, federal, state, and local financial assistance;
health services; campus employment placement services; extended
opportunity programs and services provided pursuant to Article 8
(commencing with Section 69640) of Chapter 2 of Part 42; campus child
care services provided pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with
Section 8225) of Chapter 2 of Part 6; programs that teach English as
a second language; and disabled student services provided pursuant to
Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 67300) of Part 40.
   (E) Advisement concerning course selection.
   (F) (i) For military service personnel and veterans, the provision
of a prior learning assessment of college-level learning gained in
other than a college credit setting. The prior learning assessment
will be determined by relevant faculty and related equivalent
educational credit will be awarded that meets the standards of the
American Council on Education, the Council for Adult and Experiential
Learning, or other equivalent standard for awarding academic
credits.
   (ii) Districts shall only be required to implement clause (i) to
the extent that reimbursement for the prior learning assessment is
provided by the federal Department of Veterans Affairs pursuant
 to provisions of the federal Montgomery GI Bill (38 U.S.C.
Sec. 3001 et seq.).   to provisions of the federal
Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Public Law
110-252) or any other federal act establishing veterans education
benefits. 
   (4) Postenrollment evaluation of each student's progress, and
required advisement or counseling for students who are enrolled in
remedial courses, who have not declared an educational objective as
required, or who are on academic probation, as defined by standards
adopted by the Board of Governors of the California Community
Colleges and community college districts.