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. The board of governors appoints the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to serve as the chief executive officer of the segment. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state, and authorizes them to provide instruction to students at the campuses they operate.

This bill would express findings and declarations of the Legislature relating to the need in the state for well-trained providers of care for individuals with developmental disabilities. The bill would require the chancellors office to develop a model curriculum for a certification program for providers of care for individuals with developmental disabilities, designed to be offered at community college campuses where there is sufficient student interest and a properly qualified faculty to sustain a certification program. The bill would require the chancellors office, in developing the model curriculum, to consult with individuals and organizations with expertise in providing care to individuals with developmental disabilities and the training of practitioners for that task.

Date of Hearing: March 20, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1914

Author:(Grayson) – As Introduced Ver:January 24, 2024

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

SUMMARY:

This bill requires the California Community College (CCC) Chancellor’s Office to develop a model curriculum for a certification program for providers of care for individuals with developmental disabilities.

Specifically, the bill requires the chancellor’s office to design the curriculum to be offered at CCC campuses where there is sufficient student interest and properly qualified faculty to sustain a program. The bill requires the chancellor’s office to consult with individuals and organizations with expertise in the provision of care for individuals with developmental disabilities and practitioner training when designing the curriculum. The bill does not designate a deadline for the chancellor’s office to complete the curriculum.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. One-time Proposition 98 General Fund costs, of an unknown but potentially significant amount, to fund program implementation at one or more CCCs. Costs likely will range in the hundreds of thousands of dollars to millions of dollars. Costs will depend on the number of colleges offering the program and the adopted program’s specific implementation costs.
2. One-time General Fund costs, of an unknown but potentially significant amount, for the CCC Chancellor’s Office to develop the model curriculum. According to the chancellor’s office, grants that individual colleges have received for curriculum development for workforce programs have ranged from $10,000 to $250,000, though colleges typically contribute additional funds. The chancellor’s office, however, has never designed a model curriculum and has no expertise in in the subject of a certification program for providers of care for individuals with developmental disabilities.

According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the General Fund faces a structural deficit in the tens of billions of dollars over the next several fiscal years.

COMMENTS:

1. Background. The CCC Academic Senate represents CCC faculty members before the CCC Board of Governors and the CCC Chancellor’s Office on issues of statewide concern. With regard to CCC curriculum, generally, a committee within the CCC Academic Senate, known as the Curriculum Committee, makes recommendations to the CCC Chancellor’s Office on curriculum policy and regulations, including curriculum for general education and workforce development. When establishing a new workforce program at an individual CCC, the college is required to conduct a job market study of the labor market area to determine whether the results justify the proposed program. If the study justifies doing so, the CCC may execute the program and will receive state funding as part of the state’s Proposition 98 General Fund per-student apportionment process in the same way the CCC does for all other courses. In addition, the program may receive some earmarked funding from existing CCC workforce programs, such as the Strong Workforce Program. Nothing prohibits a college from pursuing a certification program for providers of care for individuals with developmental disabilities if these conditions are met.

This bill departs significantly from the state’s traditional curriculum development and program execution process.

1. Prior Legislation. AB 1417 (Frazier), of the 2021-22 Legislative Session, was nearly identical to this bill. AB 1417 was held in the Senate Education Committee.

AB 968 (Christina Garcia), of the 2019-20 Legislative Session, would have required the CCC Chancellor’s Office to establish a naturalist workforce model curriculum and related vocational programs. The bill was held in this committee.

SB 462 (Stern), of the 2019-20 Legislative Session, would have required the CCC Chancellor’s Office to develop a forest and woodlands restoration workforce model curriculum and related programs. The bill was held in this committee.

Analysis Prepared by: Natasha Collins / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: March 12, 2024

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Mike Fong, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1914 (

Author:Grayson) – As Introduced Ver:January 24, 2024

SUBJECT: Community colleges: providers of care for individuals with developmental disabilities: model curriculum

SUMMARY: Requires the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCCCO) to develop a model curriculum for a certification program for providers of care for individuals with developmental disabilities, designed to be offered at community college campuses where there is sufficient student interest and properly qualified faculty to sustain such a program. Specifically, this bill:

1. Requires the CCCCO to develop a model curriculum for a certification program for providers of care for individuals with developmental disabilities, and requires the model curriculum to be designed to be offered at community college campuses where there is sufficient student interest and properly qualified faculty to sustain such a program.
2. Requires the CCCCO, in developing the model curriculum, consult with individuals and organizations with expertise in the provision of care for individuals with developmental disabilities and the training of practitioners for that task.
3. Finds and declares that:
   1. There is a great need in this state for well-trained providers of care for individuals with developmental disabilities.
   2. Providing care for California’s population of individuals with developmental disabilities is a difficult job that requires a practitioner to possess unique and specific skills in order to provide the high-quality care that these individuals deserve.
4. Establishes the intent of the Legislature that the California Community College (CCC) system create a certification program to establish a pathway for persons interested in the care for individuals with developmental disabilities to obtain the necessary preparation.

EXISTING LAW: Establishes the CCC, under the administration of the Board of Governors (BOG) of the CCC, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. The BOG appoints the Chancellor of the CCC to serve as the chief executive officer of the segment. The CCC comprises 116 campuses operated by community college districts throughout the state. (Education Code (EDC) Section 66700, et seq.)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: Purpose. According to the author, “the high turnover of direct service staff is primarily attributed to the inadequate compensation they receive for their crucial roles. Elevating the professionalism of this workforce through enhanced training and certification opportunities holds the potential not only to improve staff retention but also to establish a clear path for career advancement. By developing a model curriculum that grants certification to individuals seeking to work with those with developmental disabilities, we can empower this essential workforce to demand higher wages as a result of their professional training.”

Background. The Department of Developmental Services (DDS) oversees the coordination and delivery of services for Californians with developmental disabilities through a statewide network of 21 community-based, non-profit agencies known as regional centers. Regional centers provide assessments, determine eligibility for services, and offer case management services. Regional centers also develop, purchase, and coordinate the services in each person’s Individual Program Plan.

California’s regional centers support more than 350,000 individuals with developmental disabilities in community settings. Direct services to support individuals in their own or family homes, out-of-home residential settings, and non-residential daytime support and employment settings are provided by contracted service providers. In state-run care, most direct services were provided by licensed staff who have completed mandated courses of study. In community care, most direct care is provided by staff who are paid at or just above the minimum wage and do not complete a robust prescribed course of training. Consequently, the staff turnover rate is high – according to information from the American Network of Community Options and Resources, the turnover rate for direct services professionals (DSP) is 44%.

Current law does not recommend a course of training for most unlicensed direct service staff to complete to enhance their effectiveness in supporting people with developmental disabilities. DSS submitted a service provider rate study, completed by Burns and Associates, to the Legislature in 2019 that included a recommendation for pay differentials for direct service workers who completed additional training and certification. The recommendation contained specific criteria to be developed by DDS; using National Alliance for Direct Support Professionals’ DSP Certification program as an example:

1. Level 1. 100 hours of training, commitment to code of ethics, demonstration of competency in four specified areas, at least one letter of support from a service recipient (or family member/guardian).
2. Level 2. Level 1 requirements plus another 100 hours of training and demonstration of competency in an additional four areas.
3. Level 3 (Specialist). Level 2 requirements plus 40 hours of specialized instruction and demonstration of competency in specialty area (inclusion, health support, employment, positive behavior support, aging)

Arguments in support. The California Disability Services Association (CDSA) wrote in support of AB 1914, noting that “…CDSA cares deeply about ensuring all Californians eligible for regional center services can access what they need to live fully integrated lives in their communities. Unfortunately, California is grappling with a crisis in access to care for individuals with developmental disabilities due to a substantial shortage of service providers dedicated to serving those with developmental disabilities. Staff providing direct care are paid at or just above the minimum wage and do not complete a robust prescribed course of training. As a result, the staff turnover rate is high. By developing a model curriculum that grants certification to individuals seeking to work with those with developmental disabilities, we can empower this essential workforce to demand higher wages because of their professional training.”

Committee comments. As noted in this bill’s legislative intent, the CCCCO would be tasked with creating a model curriculum for a certification program that has not yet been formalized. While the lack of a formal program will present challenges from a curriculum design standpoint, it does present an opportunity for subject matter experts in academia and DSP services to collaborate and design a model that will undoubtedly benefit one of California’s most vulnerable populations.

Committee staff notes that, according to information provided by the Chancellor’s office, the CCCCO does not develop model curricula. This is led by the California Community College Curriculum Committee (5C), which works closely with the CCCCO. The 5C is responsible for developing and revising all Title 5 regulations related to curriculum and instruction, and provides guidance to the CCCCO on all curriculum related matters. Their work is important to ensure that local, regional, and statewide curricular design and approval is faculty led and driven by identified student need.

Committee staff also notes that AB 1914 (Grayson) does require the new curricula be offered at community colleges where there is established student need and properly qualified faculty to sustain the new program. It is generally considered best practice to first determine student need and demand before determining if and when to develop a model curricula in a new area.

Moving forward, the author should to collaborate with stakeholders in the CCCCO and CCC Academic Senate to ensure that the appropriate entities are being tasked and consulted.

Prior legislation. AB 1417 (Frazier, 2019) was essentially identical to AB 1914 (Grayson), and was held in Senate Education.

AB 968 (Christina Garcia, 2019) required the CCCCO to establish a naturalist workforce model curriculum and related vocational programs on or before July 31, 2022, for the 2022–23 academic year, and required the CCCCO to consult with specified entities in developing the curriculum, and would require the CCCC Academic Senate to approve, modify, or reject the curriculum. AB 968 was held in the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.

SB 462 (Stern, 2019) required the CCCCO, in collaboration with the CCC Academic Senate, to develop a forest and woodlands restoration workforce model curriculum and related programs to be offered by community college districts beginning July 31, 2021. SB 462 was held in the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

California Disability Services Association

Opposition

None on file

Analysis Prepared by: Kevin J. Powers / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960