Bill Text: CA AB637 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Community colleges: cross-enrollment in online education.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2017-10-13 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 743, Statutes of 2017. [AB637 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB637-Introduced.html


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill No. 637


Introduced by Assembly Member Medina

February 14, 2017


An act to amend Section 78220 of the Education Code, relating to community colleges.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 637, as introduced, Medina. Community colleges: student equity plans.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law, known as the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012, establishes and provides for the funding of the Student Success and Support Program. Existing law requires, as a condition for receiving Student Success and Support Program funding, that the governing board of each community college district maintain a student equity plan, as specified.
Existing law requires the student equity plan to include, for each community college in the community college district, campus-based research as to the extent of student equity by gender and for each of several specified categories of students. Existing law also requires the student equity plan to include whether significant underrepresentation of any of these categories of students is found to exist in terms of access to, and completion of, basic skills, career technical education and workforce training, and transfer courses.
This bill would require the campus-based research to use a standard definition and measure of “equity” provided by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. The bill would also require the issue of “significant underrepresentation” to be addressed based on a standard definition of that term provided by the chancellor.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 78220 of the Education Code is amended to read:

78220.
 (a) As a condition for receiving Student Success and Support Program funding, and in order to ensure equal educational opportunities and to promote student success for all students, regardless of race, gender, age, disability, or economic circumstances, the governing board of each community college district shall maintain a student equity plan that includes all of the following for each community college in the community college district:
(1) Campus-based research research, which uses a standard definition and measure of “equity” provided by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, as to the extent of student equity by gender and for each of the following categories of students:
(A) Current or former foster youth.
(B) Students with disabilities.
(C) Low-income students.
(D) Veterans.
(E) Students in the following ethnic and racial categories, as they are defined by the United States Census Bureau for the 2010 Census for reporting purposes:
(i) American Indian or Alaska Native.
(ii) Asian.
(iii) Black or African American.
(iv) Hispanic or Latino.
(v) Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.
(vi) White.
(vii) Some other race.
(viii) More than one race.
(2) Goals for access to, and completion of, basic skills, career technical education and workforce training, and transfer courses for the overall student population and for each population group of high-need or disadvantaged students, and a determination of what activities are most likely to effectively meet those goals.
(3) Whether significant underrepresentation is found to exist pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2), (2) based on a standard definition of “significant underrepresentation” provided by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, measures for addressing the disparities in those areas, implementation activities designed to attain the goals specified in paragraph (2), including, but not necessarily limited to, the adoption of evidence-based models of remediation, implementation of placement tests and policies that more accurately predict student success and identify students’ remedial needs, and a means of coordinating with, at a minimum, the following student equity-related categorical programs or campus-based programs:
(A) Students with disabilities.
(B) Extended Opportunity Programs and Services and Special Services.
(C) Fund for Student Success.
(D) Student Success and Support Program.
(E) Programs for foster youth.
(F) Programs for veterans.
(G) Special Services for CalWORKs Recipients.
(H) Student Financial Aid Administration.
(I) Student Success for Basic Skills Students.
(4) Sources of funds for the activities in the plan.
(5) A schedule and process for evaluation.
(6) An executive summary that includes, at a minimum, the students student groups for whom goals have been set, the goals, the initiatives that the community college or community college district will undertake to achieve these goals, the resources that have been budgeted for that purpose, and the community college district official to contact for further information. Commencing with 2016–17 academic year, the executive summary shall also include a detailed accounting of how funding was expended and an assessment of the progress made in achieving the identified goals.
(b) Student equity plans shall be developed with the active involvement of all groups on campus as required by law, including, but not limited to, the academic senate, academic faculty and staff, student services, and students, and with the involvement of appropriate people from the community.
(c) The plan shall be adopted by the governing board of the community college district and submitted to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges on or before January 1, 2015, who shall publish all executive summaries, sending copies to the appropriate policy and budget committees of the Legislature, the Department of Finance, every community college and community college district, each consultation group identified in subdivision (b) that so requests, and additional individuals and organizations as deemed appropriate.
(d) The plan shall be updated every three academic years and plan updates shall be submitted to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges for publication and distribution as provided for in subdivision (c).

feedback