Existing law authorizes the governing board of a community college district to enter into a College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) partnership with the governing board of a school district with the goal of developing seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer, improving high school graduation rates, or helping high school pupils achieve college and career readiness. Existing law requires the partnership agreement to outline the terms of the partnership, as specified, and to establish protocols for information sharing, joint facilities use, and parental consent for high school pupils to enroll in community college courses. These provisions are repealed on January 1, 2022.

This bill would establish the California College Promise Grant Program, until January 1, 2022, to be administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act for this purpose, to provide planning grants to eligible school districts and community college districts to establish CCAP partnerships. The bill would authorize the Superintendent and the chancellor to establish the grant application process and the criteria for determining the amount of each grant. The bill would set the maximum grant amount under this program at $25,000.

Under existing law, the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, are the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state.

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation relating to public postsecondary education in this state.

Date of Hearing: May 11, 2016

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Lorena Gonzalez, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2681

Author:(O'Donnell) – As Amended Ver:April 14, 2016

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill creates the California College Promise Grant Program to provide planning grants to school districts and community college districts to establish a College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) partnership. This program is subject to an appropriation in the annual Budget Act and sunsets on January 1, 2022. Specifically, this bill:

1. Provides that grants may be awarded to a school district or community college district that has met the requirements of the existing CCAP program and has certified intent to establish a CCAP partnership no later than the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the grant is received.
2. Authorizes the grant funding to be used for planning and implementation activities necessary to develop a CCAP partnership and to inform parents and students about opportunities that are available through the CCAP partnership.
3. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to administer the grant funding, establish the grant application process and criteria for determining the amount of each grant. Specifies the maximum amount per CCAP partnership is $25,000.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. Unknown Proposition 98/GF cost pressure to provide $25,000 grant awards to school districts or CCCs that plan to establish a CCAP partnership. Costs could range from $25,000 to several million. Actual costs will depend upon the amount of funding provided in the annual Budget Act for this purpose. The Governor's proposed budget does not include funding for this purpose.
2. General Fund costs of approximately $64,000 annually to the California Department of Education to administer grant funding.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. The CCAP partnership was established by AB 288 (Holden), Chapter 618, Statutes of 2015, for the purpose of offering or expanding dual enrollment opportunities for students who may not already be college bound or who are underrepresented in higher education. The goal is to develop seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer, improving high school graduation rates, or helping high school pupils achieve college and career readiness.
2. Related legislation. AB 1741 (Rodriguez) establishes the California College Promise Innovation Grant Program and appropriates $25 million for the purpose of establishing CCAP partnerships. This bill is pending on the Suspense file in this committee.

Analysis Prepared by: Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 19, 2016

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Jose Medina, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2681 (

Author:O'Donnell) – As Amended Ver:April 14, 2016

SUBJECT: Public education: California College Promise Grant Program

SUMMARY: Establishes the California College Promise Grant Program (Program) to provide planning grants to school districts and California Community College (CCC) districts to establish a College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) partnership. Specifically, this bill:

1. Establishes the Program to provide planning grants to school districts and CCC districts to establish a CCAP. Provides that, subject to appropriation in the Budget Act, a grant may be awarded under this section to a school district or CCC district that has met requirements, as outlined below, and has certified its intention to establish a CCAP partnership no later than the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the grant is received. Provides that a grant awarded may be used to cover costs incurred for the CCAP partnership and to inform parents and students about opportunities that are available through the CCAP partnership.
2. Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and the CCC Chancellor (CCCCO) to administer the Program and requires the SPI and CCCCO to establish the grant application process and the criteria for determining the amount of each grant. Provides that the maximum amount of a grant awarded under this section shall be $25,000 per CCAP partnership.
3. Sunsets all of the aforementioned on January 1, 2022.

EXISTING LAW: Establishes the CCAP partnership for the purpose of offering or expanding dual enrollment opportunities for students who may not already be college bound or who are underrepresented in higher education, with the goal of developing seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer, improving high school graduation rates, or helping high school pupils achieve college and career readiness.

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown. This bill appropriates $1,000,000 for this purpose.

COMMENTS: Purpose of this bill. Last year, the Legislature passed AB 288 (Holden, Chapter 618, Statutes of 2015), which established the CCAP partnership. Through the partnership, CCC districts and school districts may work together to offer or expand dual enrollment opportunities for students who may not already be college bound or who are underrepresented in higher education, with the goal of developing seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer, improving high school graduation rates, or helping high school pupils achieve college and career readiness.

Existing law requires the CCAP partnership agreement to outline the terms of the partnership and include, but not necessarily be limited to, the total number of high school students to be served and the total number of full-time equivalent students projected to be claimed by the community college district for those students; the scope, nature, time, location, and listing of community college courses to be offered; and criteria to assess the ability of pupils to benefit from those courses. The CCAP partnership agreement shall also establish protocols for information sharing, in compliance with all applicable state and federal privacy laws, joint facilities use, and parental consent for high school pupils to enroll in community college courses.

The cost of fulfilling these planning requirements may discourage districts from establishing partnerships. This means that the enhanced opportunities provided by the partnership would not be available to the students in those districts.

This bill provides planning grants of up to $25,000 per partnership to help cover the costs of the required planning activities. In addition, planning grants may be used to inform parents and students of the opportunities available through the partnership. The bill appropriates $1 million for this purpose, which would fund a minimum of 40 partnerships. The bill requires the grant program to be administered by the CCCCO and the SPI.

Related legislation. AB 1741 (Rodriguez) was heard and approved by this Committee on April 12, 2015. AB 1741 establishes the California College Promise Innovation Grant Program to provide funds to CCC districts for the purpose of establishing regional Promise programs that, among other activities, establish partnerships with school districts and universities. This bill appears to complement the provisions of AB 1741; authors may wish to coordinate efforts.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on File

Opposition

None on File

Analysis Prepared by: Laura Metune / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960

Date of Hearing: April 13, 2016

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Patrick O'Donnell, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 2681 (

Author:O'Donnell) – As Amended Ver:March 18, 2016

[This bill is double referred to the Assembly Committee on Higher Education and will be heard by that committee as it relates to issues under its jurisdiction.]

SUBJECT: Public education: California College Promise Grant Program

SUMMARY: Establishes the California College Promise Grant Program to provide planning grants to school and community college districts to establish College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) partnerships. Specifically, this bill:

1. Establishes the California College Promise Grant Program to provide planning grants to school districts and community college districts to establish a College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) partnership.
2. Provides that a grant may be awarded under this section to a school district and community college district that have:
   1. Presented the CCAP partnership at a meeting of each board as information and approved the partnership at a subsequent meeting of each board.
   2. Certified their intent to establish a CCAP partnership no later than the fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the grant is received.
3. Requires the grant program to be administered by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
4. Requires the SPI and Chancellor to establish a grant application process and criteria for determining the amount of each grant.
5. Provides that the maximum grant shall be $25,000.
6. Provides that the grants awarded may be used to:
   1. Establish protocols for information sharing, in compliance with all applicable state and federal privacy laws, joint facilities use, and parental consent for high school pupils to enroll in community college courses
   2. Establish the terms of the CCAP partnership, including, but not necessarily limited to, the total number of high school students to be served and the total number of full-time equivalent students projected to be claimed by the community college district for those students;
   3. Plan the scope, nature, time, location, and listing of community college courses to be offered;
   4. Develop criteria to assess the ability of pupils to benefit from those courses; and
   5. Inform parents and students about opportunities that are available through the CCAP partnership.
7. Establishes a sunset date of January 1, 2022.
8. Appropriates $1 million from the General Fund for the grant program.
9. Specifies that the funds appropriated for the grant program are Proposition 98.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the CCAP partnership for the purpose of offering or expanding dual enrollment opportunities for students who may not already be college bound or who are underrepresented in higher education, with the goal of developing seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer, improving high school graduation rates, or helping high school pupils achieve college and career readiness.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriates $1 million from the General Fund (Proposition 98)

COMMENTS: The CCAP partnership was established by AB 288 (Holden, Chapter 618, Statutes of 2015), which passed both houses of the Legislature with unanimous votes. By expanding dual enrollment opportunities, the partnerships are intended to increase the college-going rates among students who are historically underrepresented in higher education. Prior to entering into a partnership, a school and community college district must each present the partnership as an information item at a board meeting and approve the partnership at a subsequent meeting. In addition, existing law requires the partnership districts to do the following:

• • Establish protocols for information sharing, in compliance with all applicable state and federal privacy laws, joint facilities use, and parental consent for high school pupils to enroll in community college courses
  • Establish the terms of the CCAP partnership, including, but not necessarily limited to, the total number of high school students to be served and the total number of full-time equivalent students projected to be claimed by the community college district for those students;
  • Plan the scope, nature, time, location, and listing of community college courses to be offered; and
  • Develop criteria to assess the ability of pupils to benefit from those courses.

Benefits of concurrent enrollment. Concurrent enrollment provides high school students the opportunity to take college-credit bearing courses while still in high school. Some students are able to earn up to a full year of college credit at the time they graduate from high school. This increases the rate at which high school graduates go on to colleges or universities and increases college completion. Research cited by the National Alliance for Concurrent Enrollment Partnerships includes the following findings:

• Students entering four Texas public universities were 42% more likely to earn a degree in four years than their counterparts.
• Concurrent enrollment students in Colorado were 23% more likely to enroll in college immediately after high school and 9% less likely to enroll in remedial classes.
• Concurrent enrollment students in Oregon have a higher college participation rate than high school graduates overall and continue to the second year at a higher rate than other freshmen.

The purpose of this bill is to establish an incentive for districts to enter into CCAP partnerships by providing grants that may be used to offset the costs of these activities. In addition, the bill permits the grants to be used to inform parents and students about opportunities that are available through the CCAP partnership.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None received

Opposition

None received

Analysis Prepared by: Rick Pratt / ED. / (916) 319-2087