Bill Text: CA AB377 | 2015-2016 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Examination fees: Advanced Placement and International
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Failed) 2016-02-01 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB377 Detail]
Download: California-2015-AB377-Introduced.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 377 INTRODUCED
BILL TEXT
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Members Linder and Dababneh
FEBRUARY 18, 2015
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 377, 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
or other statute, 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 or charter school
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 or charter school 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 or charter school staff for a grant to pay the examination
fee, as provided.
The bill would also make various findings and declarations
relating to advanced placement courses and college outcomes.
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) Advanced placement (AP) courses provide willing and
academically prepared high school pupils with the opportunity to
obtain college-level coursework experience.
(b) According to a research report conducted by the college board,
a positive relationship has consistently been shown between AP
participation and performance and various college outcomes, including
grades earned in subsequent courses related to the AP courses,
higher first-year grade point averages, retention, and graduation.
(c) Also according to the college board's research, AP
participation and performance is related to an increased likelihood
of majoring in areas related to science, technology, engineering, and
mathematics, and fostering interest in those particular careers.
SEC. 2. 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 or
other statute 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 or charter school 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 or charter school enrolled in AP
courses or IB courses, or in both, who will take the next offered AP
or IB examinations. A school district or charter school that applies
to the department for this purpose shall designate school district or
charter school 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 or charter school 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 shall not be used to
supplant fee waivers available to low-income pupils who take AP or IB
examinations.
(g) If the total applications from school districts and charter
schools 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.
(h) To facilitate program administration and school district or
charter school 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.
