Existing law establishes the Learning-Aligned Employment Program under the administration of the Student Aid Commission to provide University of California, California State University, and California Community College students meeting certain criteria with the opportunity to earn money to help defray their educational costs, while gaining educationally aligned, career-related experience.

Existing law authorizes, among other entities, research centers and institutions operated by public postsecondary educational institutions to employ participating students if the learning-aligned employment opportunities provide those students with direct opportunities to participate in the research.

This bill would delete the authorization for research centers and institutions, as described above, and instead would authorize public postsecondary educational institutions to employ participating students if their learning-aligned employment opportunities provide participating students with employment experience related to the students major or provide opportunities for skill attainment necessary for employment within their areas of study after graduation.

Existing law establishes the Learning-Aligned Employment Program under the administration of the Student Aid Commission to provide University of California, California State University, and California Community College students meeting certain criteria with the opportunity to earn money to help defray their educational costs, while gaining educationally aligned, career-related experience.

Existing law requires a student to be from an underrepresented background and satisfy certain criteria to be eligible to participate in the program. Existing law requires participating campuses to prioritize available learning-aligned employment positions for eligible students who are first-generation college students, current or former foster youth, homeless, or at risk of being homeless. Existing law authorizes, among other entities, research centers and institutions operated by public postsecondary educational institutions to employ participating students if the learning-aligned employment opportunities provide those students with direct opportunities to participate in the research.

This bill would delete the requirement that a student be from an underrepresented background to be eligible to participate in the program. The bill would delete the prioritization for positions described above and instead would require participating campuses to prioritize eligible students from underrepresented backgrounds, as defined by the commission, for learning-aligned employment positions. The bill also would delete the authorization for research centers and institutions, as described above, and instead would authorize public postsecondary institutions to employ participating students if their learning-aligned employment opportunities provide participating students with employment experience related to the students major or provide opportunities for skill attainment necessary for employment within their areas of study after graduation.

Existing law establishes the Learning-Aligned Employment Program under the administration of the Student Aid Commission to provide University of California, California State University, and California Community College students meeting certain criteria with the opportunity to earn money to help defray their educational costs, while gaining educationally aligned, career-related experience.

Existing law requires a student to be from an underrepresented background and satisfy certain criteria to be eligible to participate in the program. Existing law requires participating campuses to prioritize available learning-aligned employment positions for eligible students who are first-generation college students, current or former foster youth, homeless, or at risk of being homeless. Existing law authorizes, among other entities, research centers and institutions operated by public postsecondary educational institutions to employ participating students if the learning-aligned employment opportunities provide those students with direct opportunities to participate in the research.

This bill would delete the requirement that a student be from an underrepresented background to be eligible to participate in the program. The bill would delete the prioritization for positions described above and instead would require participating campuses to prioritize eligible students from underrepresented backgrounds, as defined by the commission, for learning-aligned employment positions. The bill also would delete the authorization for research centers and institutions, as described above, and instead would authorize public postsecondary institutions to employ participating students if their learning-aligned employment opportunities provide participating students with employment experience related to the students major or provide opportunities for skill attainment necessary for employment within their areas of study after graduation.

GOVERNOR'S VETO

GV Bill Id:AB 746

Author:(Sanchez)

As Enrolled Ver:September 14, 2023

2/3 vote

SUMMARY

Permits public postsecondary education institutions to employ students participating in the Learning-Aligned Employment Program (LAEP) if the employment aligns with the student's major or provides students with the skills necessary for employment in their area of study after graduation.

Major Provisions

Removes restrictions for public postsecondary educational institutions to only employ students on campus in research positions and permits public postsecondary educational institutions the ability to employ students in any job that will either: 1) provide skill-building opportunities necessary for employment in the student's area of study; or, 2) provide employment experience related to the student's major.

Governor's Veto Message

This bill would modify eligibility for the Learning-Aligned Employment Program to remove specific restrictions on students working for public postsecondary educational institutions.

The Learning-Aligned Employment Program was established in 2021 to offer eligible students at public institutions of higher education the opportunity to defray the cost of attendance while gaining education-aligned, career-related employment outside the classroom. It is a priority of my Administration to increase the connectivity between students and career experiences in placements beyond the confines of their college campus. With $500 million committed to this program, it is an essential tool for increasing student awareness of career opportunities as well as developing skills for future career success. The provisions of this bill undermine the intent and purpose of the Learning-Aligned Employment Program.

COMMENTS

The Learning–Aligned Employment Program (LAEP). In February 2021, the California Governor's Council for Post-Secondary Education (Council) published a report on how the State postsecondary education institutions could recover with equity from the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the key findings from the report was "connections between higher education and the workforce are insufficient to meet the economic and workforce needs of California." Specifically, the report found that students do not see a clear connection between postsecondary programs and achieving their career goals. One of the recommendations by the Council to improve collaboration between industry and higher education was to "integrate work-based learning opportunities across the segments and throughout all disciplines to better prepare learners for their desired careers and to make educational programs more relevant to the students". The genesis of the LAEP was this recommendation to fulfill the State's obligation to foster integration between industry and higher education for purposes of producing a highly skilled workforce.

The LAEP was established, in the 2021-2022 Budget Act, with an investment of $500 million over two years. The purpose of the LAEP was to promote learning-aligned, long-term career development for UC, CSU, and CCC students. The LAEP was California's answer to the federal work-study, to ensure California students were given learning opportunities to expand their work resume, and to promote educational opportunities outside the brick-and-mortar lecture halls. As of March 2023, nine UCs, all 23 campuses of the CSU, and 115 CCCs participate in the LAEP program.

Education Code Sections 69950-69969 contain the language for the LAEP. The language includes parameters on the type of students who qualify for LAEP and the role of businesses and institutions in providing work placement positions for students to participate in work-study. LAEP is overseen by the CSAC and is designed for students who have a financial need and are identified as underrepresented students within Higher Education. The LAEP was not only to provide work opportunities for students, but to maximize the work-study placement of underrepresented students by limiting the program entirely to them. In the qualifying parameters adopted by CSAC, in order to participate a student must:

1. Be from an underrepresented background. CSAC identifies the following students as qualifying under this description:
   1. First-generation students, low-income students, current or former foster youth, homeless students or those at risk for becoming homeless, students with dependent children, formerly incarcerated students, undocumented students, students meeting the requirements of AB 540 (Firebaugh), Chapter 814, Statute of 2001, and students who are veterans;
2. Demonstrate satisfactory academic progress;
3. Demonstrate financial need and have room in their financial aid package for additional funding;
4. Be enrolled at least half-time as determined by the institution;
5. Be eligible to work in the United States; and,
6. Be a resident of the State.

Of the $500 million in state funds provided for the LAEP all the funds have been dispersed to the participating colleges and were allocated based on the share of the student population at each institution who received a federal Pell Grant. Participating institutions have until June 30, 2031, to use the funds. In an FAQ published by CSAC, the UC received 12% of the LAEP funds, or about $61 million, the CSU received 32% of the funds, or roughly $159.9 million, and the CCC received 56% of the funds, or roughly $276.9 million.

The LAEP funds are to be used to provide up to 90% of students' compensation for positions of employment at public education institutions or nonprofit corporations, up to 100% of the students' compensation for positions at the UC, CSU, or CCC, and up to 50% of compensation for positions at for-profit employers. Employers who agree to participate in the LAEP program and provide a work-study position for students must:

1. Place a student in an educationally beneficial position related to the student's area of study;
2. Be able to either employ the student after graduation or connect the student with employment opportunities after graduation;
3. Be able to pay the student a salary comparable to other positions with comparable duties; and,
4. Ensure the placement of the student in the work-study position will not displace other workers.

Contained within the Education Code is a limitation for CCC, CSU, and UCs to only provide LAEP opportunities to students at research centers and institutions on campus. CSAC defines "research" as not limited to scientific research and can take place outside of an academic discipline; however, it is limited in that the student must be directly involved in the research that is undertaken by the research center or institution.

Data regarding the number of participating employers and the number of students who have participated is unknown. At the time of this analysis, the initial report on LAEP has not been published by CSAC. However, on February 28, 2023, EdSource published an article on LAEP and highlighted programs at Ohlone College. According to the article, "one of the early programs is the Junior Leadership Academy at Ohlone College. Cohorts of 20 students receive coaching in a 15-week career readiness class for credit, while working on a project for a local employer that involves research connected to their field. This includes business students working for a consulting firm and engineering students at an engineering firm." Furthermore, Committee Staff understands from CSAC during a legislative update, that 11 institutions have already launched programs; including Riverside City College which hired 10 students, City College of San Francisco which has placed a student at the UC San Francisco in the healthcare field, and CSU, Maritime who in the process of hiring their first assistant in Oceanography.

Changes to the LAEP program. One of the premises of the LAEP was to provide students with opportunities for work experience in their field of study and to avoid traditional work-study positions, such as clerical office work or working in the campus cafeteria. The Governor achieved this in two ways: 1) by requiring the job placement to be aligned with the student's field of study or future career and, 2) by limiting campus employment opportunities to research-based jobs. However, not all careers have research or data collection as a skill-set requirement; just as, not every job on campus available to students is misaligned with their field of study and future career goals. For example, California Community Colleges have supervised tutoring jobs available to students. If a student elected to be a supervised tutor, and was on a career path to being a teacher, would this job not align with the Governor's goals for LAEP? One of the unintended consequences of limiting jobs on campus to research positions is the small number of positions available to students. Therefore, the majority of students are required to leave campus for job placements. While this fulfills the Council's idea of fostering integration between the workforce and higher education, it also places an undue burden on students to find transportation to and from their place of employment. If a student is place-bound and unable to find public transportation, they may be utilizing the funds provided by the program intended for basic needs or financial aid on transportation that could have been avoided if the position was available on campus. This measure seeks to eliminate this unintended consequence by enabling CCCs, CSUs, and UCs to employ students on campus in jobs related to their career fields.

According to the Author

As described by the author, "the Learning-Aligned Employment Program was created to provide students with hands-on, career-related experience. My bill, AB 746, expands access to this crucial program, to ensure that more students can explore different career pathways and leave college with meaningful work experience."

Arguments in Support

The support letter is no longer reflective of the language of the measure as the changes to the LAEP program the letter support are no longer part of the measure due to amendments from the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.

Arguments in Opposition

The opposition letter is no longer reflective of the language of the measure as the changes to the LAEP program the letter opposed are no longer part of the measure due to amendments from the Assembly Appropriations Committee.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee, minor and absorbable General Fund costs to the California Student Aid Commission to adopt certain procedures to implement changes to the program.

VOTES

ASM HIGHER EDUCATION: 12-0-0

YES: Mike Fong, Ta, Addis, Arambula, Gabriel, Irwin, Low, Ortega, Sanchez, Santiago, Wallis, Weber

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-0-5

YES: Holden, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Papan, Pellerin, Weber, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle, Dixon, Mathis, Robert Rivas, Sanchez

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0-1

YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones- Sawyer, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Rendon

ABS, ABST OR NV: Kalra

SENATE FLOOR: 39-0-1

YES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Newman, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk

ABS, ABST OR NV: Caballero

UPDATED

VERSION: September 14, 2023

CONSULTANT: Ellen Cesaretti-Monroy / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 FN: 0002484

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 746

Author: Sanchez (R)

Amended: 5/18/23 in Assembly

Vote: 21

SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/21/23

AYES: Newman, Ochoa Bogh, Cortese, Glazer, McGuire, Smallwood-Cuevas, Wilk

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 9/1/23

AYES: Portantino, Jones, Ashby, Bradford, Seyarto, Wahab, Wiener

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 5/30/23 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Learning-Aligned Employment Program: eligibility

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill modifies eligibility criteria for the types of entities that may employ students under the learning aligned employment program (LAEP) by permitting public postsecondary educational institutions the ability to employ students in any job that will provide employment experience related to the student’s major or opportunities for skill attainment within the students area of study.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law:

1. Creates the LAEP for the purpose of providing eligible college and university students with the opportunity to earn money to help defray their educational costs while also gaining educational-aligned, career-related experience. The LAEP will be administered by California Student Aid Commission (Commission) in consultation with the Office of the President of the University of California (UC), the Office of the Chancellor of the California State University (CSU), and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCC). The UC, CSU, and CCC, who are currently eligible to participate in state-funded student financial aid programs, are eligible to participate in the LAEP and are encouraged to participate. In order to participate, the UC, CSU, and CCC will sign an institutional agreement with the Commission to adhere to the guidance development by the Commission and will only use the funding provided by the LAEP for the intended purposes of the LAEP. (Education Code (EC) § 69950, 60051 and 60052)
2. Requires students who participate in the LAEP to only be employed in the following ways:
   1. By the research centers and institutions operated by either the UC, CSU, or CCC, if the LAEP employment opportunity provides students with direct opportunities to participate in research undertaken by the respective research centers and institutions.
   2. By public schools operated by school districts, county superintendents of schools, the Department of the Youth Authority, or the California Department of Education.
   3. Nonsectarian, nonpolitical organizations or corporations, whether nonprofit or for-profit enterprises licensed to conduct business in the state that are capable of providing students with full-time employment after graduation or opportunities to connect with other employers capable of providing students with full-time employment opportunities within the student’s chosen field of study after graduation. (EC § 69954)
3. Requires that a student who wishes to participate in the LAEP program:
   1. Be from an underrepresented background.
   2. Be enrolled at least half-time at a UC, CSU, or CCC.
   3. Be a resident as defined by EC § 68000 et seq.
   4. Demonstrate satisfactory academic progress leading to a degree or certificate as determined by the UC, CSU, or CCC they are attending for purposes of continual eligibility for federal financial aid. Exceptions to this requirement for homeless individuals, as defined, are provided.
   5. Demonstrate financial need as determined by the financial aid office of the UC, CSU, or CCC they attend. Permits an institution to make adjustments to the student’s financial aid package and offer student eligibility to the LAEP if the student or student’s family is unable to contribute to the student’s total financial resources.
4. Requires the UC, CSU, and the CCC to prioritize LAEP employment opportunities to first-generation college students, a current or former foster youth, a homeless or at risk of being homeless student, and to any student who is majoring in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics discipline. (EC § 69956)
5. Establishes additional requirements for job referral and placement of LAEP participating students in employment opportunities to include job placement in areas that provide an educationally beneficial position that relates to the student’s area of study, career objectives, or the exploration of career objectives and that the program will include and emphasize placement opportunities for students that will result in their full-time employment or connections with employers that will offer full-time employment after graduation. (EC § 69959)
6. Establishes requirements of the UC, CSU, and CCC, who participate in the LAEP. The requirements include but are not limited to areas related to: student employment positions, compensation of students, the requirement for the institutions to maintain all necessary records for the employed student, the ability for the institution to offer academic credit for the work performed in an LAEP position, the possibility of offering LAEP opportunities over the summer, and data compilation and provision of required data to Commission. (EC § (69960 – 69967)

This bill:

1. Modifies eligibility criteria for the types of entities that may employ students under the learning aligned employment program by removing restrictions for public postsecondary educational institutions to only employ students on campus in research positions and permits public postsecondary educational institutions the ability to employ students in any job that will either:
   1. Provide employment experience related to the student’s major.
   2. Provide opportunities for skill attainment necessary for employment within their areas of study after graduation.

Comments

1. Need for the bill. Current law as it relates to this bill requires students who participate in the LAEP when employed by public higher education intuitions to only be employed in research related jobs. According to the author, in part, “not all careers have research or data collection as a skill-set requirement; just as, not every job on campus available to students is misaligned with their field of study and future career goals. For example, California Community Colleges have supervised tutoring jobs available to students. If a student elected to be a supervised tutor, and was on a career path to being a teacher, would this job not align with the Governor’s goals for LAEP? One of the unintended consequences of limiting jobs on campus to research positions is the small number of positions available to students. Therefore, the majority of students are required to leave campus for job placements.”

The author further asserts, that while this fulfills the idea of fostering integration between the workforce and higher education, it also places an undue burden on students to find transportation to and from their place of employment. If a student is place-bound and unable to find public transportation, they may be utilizing the funds provided by the program intended for basic needs or financial aid on transportation that could have been avoided if the position was available on campus. AB 746 (Sanchez) seeks to eliminate this unintended consequence by enabling CCCs, CSUs, and UCs to employ students on campus in jobs related to their career fields.

1. Program created through 2021 Budget Act. The Budget Act of 2021 created LAEP and provided $500 million over two years for the program. The purpose of LAEP is to fund learning-aligned career development for disadvantaged UC, CSU, and CCC students. Funding was disbursed to UC, CSU, and CCC campuses based on each campus’ share of the student population who receive a federal Pell Grant. UC received about $61 million, CSU received about $160 million, and CCC received about $277 million. Campuses have until June 30, 2031, to spend the funds.

LAEP funds are to be used to provide up to 90% of an eligible student’s compensation for positions of employment at public education institutions or nonprofit corporations; up to 100% of the students’ compensation for positions at the UC, CSU, or CCC; and up to 50% of compensation for positions at for-profit employers. Current law limits the positions for which a student may receive compensation at UC, CSU, or CCC to research centers on campus. Current law specifies that a student must be from an underrepresented background to be eligible for LAEP funding. Current law also require campuses to provide LAEP funding priority to students who are first-generation college students, current or former foster youth, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

1. Additional safeguards ensure positions have educational value. This bill attempts to allow non-research-related positions at CCC, CSU, and UC to qualify for LAEP program funding. Arguably, because research opportunities at non-research-based intuitions like the CCCs are limited, these students may not have the same prospects as UC students under the program's current criteria. Although the bill broadens the eligibility pool for other types of on-campus jobs, there are several safeguards in place that remain unchanged to ensure positions are of value to a student’s academic career. Current law requires the placement of students in positions that are educationally beneficial or related to their career interests or exploration of career options. Current law also requires CCC, CSU, and UC students who wish to participate in the program to sign an agreement that includes procedures that the institution will use to ensure that each learning-aligned employment position is related to the student’s area of study or career interests. This bill additionally requires that employment experience be related to the student’s major or provide opportunities for skill attainment necessary for employment within the student’s area of study.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

According to the Senate Appropriations Committeet:

While the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU) and Chancellor’s Office indicate that the bill’s costs for the institutions to update their policies and procedures would be minor and absorbable, this bill would broaden the eligibility pool for students that qualify for LAEP program funding. Specifically, students working in non-research related positions would now be eligible to receive compensation. This could result in additional, unknown General Fund cost pressure on existing program funds. The Budget Act of 2021 created LAEP and provided $500 million over two years for the program.

SUPPORT: (Verified 9/1/23)

Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

OPPOSITION: (Verified 9/1/23)

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 79-0, 5/30/23

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Cervantes, Chen, Connolly, Megan Dahle, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Friedman, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Holden, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, Mathis, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Reyes, Luz Rivas, Robert Rivas, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Rendon

NO VOTE RECORDED: Kalra

Prepared by: Olgalilia Ramirez / ED. / (916) 651-4105

9/2/23 14:46:05

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Senator Anthony Portantino, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular Session

AB 746 (Sanchez) - Learning-Aligned Employment Program: eligibility

Bill Summary:

This bill modifies eligibility criteria for the types of entities that may employ students under the learning aligned employment program (LAEP) by permitting public postsecondary educational institutions the ability to employ students in any job that will provide employment experience related to the student’s major or opportunities for skill attainment within the students area of study.

Fiscal Impact:

While the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU) and Chancellor’s Office indicate that the bill’s costs for the institutions to update their policies and procedures would be minor and absorbable, this bill would broaden the eligibility pool for students that qualify for LAEP program funding. Specifically, students working in non-research related positions would now be eligible to receive compensation. This could result in additional, unknown General Fund cost pressure on existing program funds. The Budget Act of 2021 created LAEP and provided $500 million over two years for the program.

Background:

Existing law authorizes the LAEP for the purpose of providing eligible college and university students with the opportunity to earn money to help defray their educational costs while also gaining educational-aligned, career-related experience. The LAEP is administered by California Student Aid Commission (Commission) in consultation with the Office of the President of the UC, the Office of the Chancellor of the CSU, and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCCs). The UC, CSU, and CCC, who are currently eligible to participate in state-funded student financial aid programs, are eligible to participate in the program

The LAEP funds are to be used to provide up to 90% of an eligible student’s compensation for positions of employment at public education institutions or nonprofit corporations; up to 100% of the students’ compensation for positions at the UC, CSU, or CCC; and up to 50% of compensation for positions at for-profit employers. Current law limits the positions for which a student may receive compensation at UC, CSU, or CCC to research centers on campus.

Current law specifies that a student must be from an underrepresented background to be eligible for LAEP funding. Current law also require campuses to provide LAEP funding priority to students who are first-generation college students, current or former foster youth, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

Proposed Law:

This bill modifies the eligibility criteria for the types of entities that may employ students under the learning aligned employment program. Specifically, this bill would remove restrictions for public postsecondary educational institutions to only employ students on campus in research positions and permit them to employ students in any job that will either provide employment experience related to the student’s major or provide opportunities for skill attainment necessary for employment within their areas of study after graduation.

Staff Comments:

Funding for the LAEP was disbursed to UC, CSU, and CCC campuses based on each campus’ share of the student population who receive a federal Pell Grant. UC received about $61 million, CSU received about $160 million, and CCC received about $277 million. Campuses have until June 30, 2031, to spend the funds. Currently, the positions for which a student may receive compensation at UC, CSU, or CCC are limited to research centers on campus. This bill attempts to allow non-research related positions to qualify for the program. In doing so, the bill broadens the eligibility pool of students.

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Senator Josh Newman, Chair

2023 - 2024 Regular

Bill No: Hearing Date: June 21, 2023

Subject: .

SUMMARY

This bill modifies eligibility criteria for the types of entities that may employ students under the learning aligned employment program (LAEP) by permitting public postsecondary educational institutions the ability to employ students in any job that will provide employment experience related to the student’s major or opportunities for skill attainment within the students area of study.

BACKGROUND

Existing law:

1) Creates the LAEP for the purpose of providing eligible college and university

students with the opportunity to earn money to help defray their educational costs while also gaining educational-aligned, career-related experience. The LAEP will be administered by California Student Aid Commission (Commission) in consultation with the Office of the President of the University of California (UC), the Office of the Chancellor of the California State University (CSU), and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCC). The UC, CSU, and CCC, who are currently eligible to participate in state-funded student financial aid programs, are eligible to participate in the LAEP and are encouraged to participate. In order to participate, the UC, CSU, and CCC will sign an institutional agreement with the Commission to adhere to the guidance development by the Commission and will only use the funding provided by the LAEP for the intended purposes of the LAEP. (Education Code (EC) § 69950, 60051 and 60052)

.

2) Requires students who participate in the LAEP to only be employed in the

following ways:

1. By the research centers and institutions operated by either the UC, CSU, or CCC, if the LAEP employment opportunity provides students with direct opportunities to participate in research undertaken by the respective research centers and institutions.

b) By public schools operated by school districts, county superintendents of schools, the Department of the Youth Authority, or the California Department of Education.

c) Nonsectarian, nonpolitical organizations or corporations, whether nonprofit or for-profit enterprises licensed to conduct business in the state that are capable of providing students with full-time employment after graduation or opportunities to connect with other employers capable of providing students with full-time employment opportunities within the student’s chosen field of study after graduation. (EC § 69954)

3) Requires that a student who wishes to participate in the LAEP program:

1. Be from an underrepresented background.
2. Be enrolled at least half-time at a UC, CSU, or CCC.
3. Be a resident as defined by EC § 68000 et seq.
4. Demonstrate satisfactory academic progress leading to a degree or certificate as determined by the UC, CSU, or CCC they are attending for purposes of continual eligibility for federal financial aid. Exceptions to this requirement for homeless individuals, as defined, are provided.
5. Demonstrate financial need as determined by the financial aid office of the UC, CSU, or CCC they attend. Permits an institution to make adjustments to the student’s financial aid package and offer student eligibility to the LAEP if the student or student’s family is unable to contribute to the student’s total financial resources.

4) Requires the UC, CSU, and the CCC to prioritize LAEP employment opportunities to first-generation college students, a current or former foster youth, a homeless or at risk of being homeless student, and to any student who is majoring in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics discipline. (EC § 69956)

5) Establishes additional requirements for job referral and placement of LAEP participating students in employment opportunities to include job placement in areas that provide an educationally beneficial position that relates to the student’s area of study, career objectives, or the exploration of career objectives and that the program will include and emphasize placement opportunities for students that will result in their full-time employment or connections with employers that will offer full-time employment after graduation. (EC § 69959)

6) Establishes requirements of the UC, CSU, and CCC, who participate in the LAEP. The requirements include but are not limited to areas related to: student employment positions, compensation of students, the requirement for the institutions to maintain all necessary records for the employed student, the ability for the institution to offer academic credit for the work performed in an LAEP position, the possibility of offering LAEP opportunities over the summer, and data compilation and provision of required data to Commission. (EC § (69960 – 69967)

ANALYSIS

This bill:

1. Modifies eligibility criteria for the types of entities that may employ students under the learning aligned employment program by removing restrictions for public postsecondary educational institutions to only employ students on campus in research positions and permits public postsecondary educational institutions the ability to employ students in any job that will either:
   1. Provide employment experience related to the student’s major.
   2. Provide opportunities for skill attainment necessary for employment within

their areas of study after graduation.

STAFF COMMENTS

1. Need for the bill. Current law as it relates to this bill requires students who participate in the LAEP when employed by public higher education intuitions to only be employed in research related jobs. According to the author, in part, “not all careers have research or data collection as a skill-set requirement; just as, not every job on campus available to students is misaligned with their field of study and future career goals. For example, California Community Colleges have supervised tutoring jobs available to students. If a student elected to be a supervised tutor, and was on a career path to being a teacher, would this job not align with the Governor’s goals for LAEP? One of the unintended consequences of limiting jobs on campus to research positions is the small number of positions available to students. Therefore, the majority of students are required to leave campus for job placements.”

The author further asserts, that while this fulfills the idea of fostering integration between the workforce and higher education, it also places an undue burden on students to find transportation to and from their place of employment. If a student is place-bound and unable to find public transportation, they may be utilizing the funds provided by the program intended for basic needs or financial aid on transportation that could have been avoided if the position was available on campus. AB 746 (Sanchez) seeks to eliminate this unintended consequence by enabling CCCs, CSUs, and UCs to employ students on campus in jobs related to their career fields.

1. Program created through 2021 Budget Act. The Budget Act of 2021 created LAEP and provided $500 million over two years for the program. The purpose of LAEP is to fund learning-aligned career development for disadvantaged UC, CSU, and CCC students. Funding was disbursed to UC, CSU, and CCC campuses based on each campus’ share of the student population who receive a federal Pell Grant. UC received about $61 million, CSU received about $160 million, and CCC received about $277 million. Campuses have until June 30, 2031, to spend the funds.

LAEP funds are to be used to provide up to 90% of an eligible student’s compensation for positions of employment at public education institutions or nonprofit corporations; up to 100% of the students’ compensation for positions at the UC, CSU, or CCC; and up to 50% of compensation for positions at for-profit employers. Current law limits the positions for which a student may receive compensation at UC, CSU, or CCC to research centers on campus.

Current law specifies that a student must be from an underrepresented background to be eligible for LAEP funding. Current law also require campuses to provide LAEP funding priority to students who are first-generation college students, current or former foster youth, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

1. Additional safeguards ensure positions have educational value. This bill attempts to allow non-research-related positions at CCC, CSU, and UC to qualify for LAEP program funding. Arguably, because research opportunities at non-research-based intuitions like the CCCs are limited, these students may not have the same prospects as UC students under the program's current criteria. Although the bill broadens the eligibility pool for other types of on-campus jobs, there are several safeguards in place that remain unchanged to ensure positions are of value to a student’s academic career. Current law requires the placement of students in positions that are educationally beneficial or related to their career interests or exploration of career options. Current law also requires CCC, CSU, and UC students who wish to participate in the program to sign an agreement that includes procedures that the institution will use to ensure that each learning-aligned employment position is related to the student’s area of study or career interests. This bill additionally requires that employment experience be related to the student’s major or provide opportunities for skill attainment necessary for employment within the student’s area of study.

SUPPORT

Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce

OPPOSITION

None received

-- END --

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 746

Author:(Sanchez)

As Amended Ver:May 18, 2023

Majority vote

SUMMARY

Permits public postsecondary education institutions to employ students participating in the Learning-Aligned Employment Program (LAEP) if the employment aligns with the student's major or provides students with the skills necessary for employment in their area of study after graduation.

Major Provisions

1. Removes restrictions for public postsecondary educational institutions to only employ students on campus in research positions and permits public postsecondary educational institutions the ability to employ students in any job that will either: a) provide skill-building opportunities necessary for employment in the student's area of study; or, b) provide employment experience related to the student's major.

COMMENTS

The Learning–Aligned Employment Program (LAEP). In February 2021, the California Governor's Council for Post-Secondary Education (Council) published a report on how the State postsecondary education institutions could recover with equity from the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the key findings from the report was "connections between higher education and the workforce are insufficient to meet the economic and workforce needs of California." Specifically, the report found that students do not see a clear connection between postsecondary programs and achieving their career goals. One of the recommendations by the Council to improve collaboration between industry and higher education was to "integrate work-based learning opportunities across the segments and throughout all disciplines to better prepare learners for their desired careers and to make educational programs more relevant to the students". The genesis of the LAEP was this recommendation to fulfill the State's obligation to foster integration between industry and higher education for purposes of producing a highly skilled workforce.

The LAEP was established, in the 2021-2022 Budget Act, with an investment of $500 million over two years. The purpose of the LAEP was to promote learning-aligned, long-term career development for UC, CSU, and CCC students. The LAEP was California's answer to the federal work-study, to ensure California students were given learning opportunities to expand their work resume, and to promote educational opportunities outside the brick-and-mortar lecture halls. As of March 2023, nine UCs, all 23 campuses of the CSU, and 115 CCCs participate in the LAEP program.

Education Code Sections 69950 to 69969 contain the language for the LAEP. The language includes parameters on the type of students who qualify for LAEP and the role of businesses and institutions in providing work placement positions for students to participate in work-study. LAEP is overseen by the CSAC and is designed for students who have a financial need and are identified as underrepresented students within Higher Education. The LAEP was not only to provide work opportunities for students, but to maximize the work-study placement of underrepresented students by limiting the program entirely to them. In the qualifying parameters adopted by CSAC, in order to participate a student must:

1. Be from an underrepresented background. CSAC identifies the following students as qualifying under this description:
   1. First-generation students, low-income students, current or former foster youth, homeless students or those at risk for becoming homeless, students with dependent children, formerly incarcerated students, undocumented students, students meeting the requirements of AB 540 (Firebaugh), Chapter 814, Statute of 2001, and students who are veterans;
2. Demonstrate satisfactory academic progress;
3. Demonstrate financial need and have room in their financial aid package for additional funding;
4. Be enrolled at least half-time as determined by the institution;
5. Be eligible to work in the United States; and,
6. Be a resident of the State.

Of the $500 million in state funds provided for the LAEP all the funds have been dispersed to the participating colleges and were allocated based on the share of the student population at each institution who received a federal Pell Grant. Participating institutions have until June 30, 2031, to use the funds. In an FAQ published by CSAC, the UC received 12% of the LAEP funds, or about $61 million, the CSU received 32% of the funds, or roughly $159.9 million, and the CCC received 56% of the funds, or roughly $276.9 million.

The LAEP funds are to be used to provide up to 90% of students' compensation for positions of employment at public education institutions or nonprofit corporations, up to 100% of the students' compensation for positions at the UC, CSU, or CCC, and up to 50% of compensation for positions at for-profit employers. Employers who agree to participate in the LAEP program and provide a work-study position for students must:

1. Place a student in an educationally beneficial position related to the student’s area of study;
2. Be able to either employ the student after graduation or connect the student with employment opportunities after graduation;
3. Be able to pay the student a salary comparable to other positions with comparable duties; and,
4. Ensure the placement of the student in the work-study position will not displace other workers.

Contained within the Education Code is a limitation for CCC, CSU, and UCs to only provide LAEP opportunities to students at research centers and institutions on campus. CSAC defines "research" as not limited to scientific research and can take place outside of an academic discipline; however, it is limited in that the student must be directly involved in the research that is undertaken by the research center or institution.

Data regarding the number of participating employers and the number of students who have participated is unknown. At the time of this analysis, the initial report on LAEP has not been published by CSAC. However, on February 28, 2023, EdSource published an article on LAEP and highlighted programs at Ohlone College. According to the article, "one of the early programs is the Junior Leadership Academy at Ohlone College. Cohorts of 20 students receive coaching in a 15-week career readiness class for credit, while working on a project for a local employer that involves research connected to their field. This includes business students working for a consulting firm and engineering students at an engineering firm." Furthermore, Committee Staff understands from CSAC during a legislative update, that 11 institutions have already launched programs; including Riverside City College which hired 10 students, City College of San Francisco which has placed a student at the UC San Francisco in the healthcare field, and CSU, Maritime who in the process of hiring their first assistant in Oceanography.

Changes to the LAEP program. One of the premises of the LAEP was to provide students with opportunities for work experience in their field of study and to avoid traditional work-study positions, such as clerical office work or working in the campus cafeteria. The Governor achieved this in two ways: 1) by requiring the job placement to be aligned with the student's field of study or future career and, 2) by limiting campus employment opportunities to research-based jobs. However, not all careers have research or data collection as a skill-set requirement; just as, not every job on campus available to students is misaligned with their field of study and future career goals. For example, California Community Colleges have supervised tutoring jobs available to students. If a student elected to be a supervised tutor, and was on a career path to being a teacher, would this job not align with the Governor’s goals for LAEP? One of the unintended consequences of limiting jobs on campus to research positions is the small number of positions available to students. Therefore, the majority of students are required to leave campus for job placements. While this fulfills the Council's idea of fostering integration between the workforce and higher education, it also places an undue burden on students to find transportation to and from their place of employment. If a student is place-bound and unable to find public transportation, they may be utilizing the funds provided by the program intended for basic needs or financial aid on transportation that could have been avoided if the position was available on campus. This measure seeks to eliminate this unintended consequence by enabling CCCs, CSUs, and UCs to employ students on campus in jobs related to their career fields.

According to the Author

As described by the author, "the Learning-Aligned Employment Program was created to provide students with hands-on, career-related experience. My bill, AB 746, expands access to this crucial program, to ensure that more students can explore different career pathways and leave college with meaningful work experience."

Arguments in Support

The support letter is no longer reflective of the language of the measure as the changes to the LAEP program the letter support are no longer part of the measure due to amendments from the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.

Arguments in Opposition

The opposition letter is no longer reflective of the language of the measure as the changes to the LAEP program the letter opposed are no longer part of the measure due to amendments from the Assembly Committee on Appropriations.

FISCAL COMMENTS

According to the Assembly Committee on Appropriation, minor and absorbable General Fund costs to the California Student Aid Commission to adopt certain procedures to implement changes to the program.

VOTES

ASM HIGHER EDUCATION: 12-0-0

YES: Mike Fong, Ta, Addis, Arambula, Gabriel, Irwin, Low, Ortega, Sanchez, Santiago, Wallis, Weber

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 11-0-5

YES: Holden, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Mike Fong, Hart, Lowenthal, Papan, Pellerin, Weber, Ortega

ABS, ABST OR NV: Megan Dahle, Dixon, Mathis, Robert Rivas, Sanchez

UPDATED

VERSION: May 18, 2023

CONSULTANT: Ellen Cesaretti-Monroy / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 FN: 0000790

Date of Hearing: May 3, 2023

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Chris Holden, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 746

Author:(Sanchez) – As Introduced Ver:February 13, 2023

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

SUMMARY:

This bill make various changes to the Learning-Aligned Employment Program (LAEP) at the University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and the California Community Colleges (CCC).

Specifically, this bill:

1. Deletes a requirement in current law that a student must be from an underrepresented background to be eligible for LAEP funding.
2. Deletes funding prioritization in current law for students who are first-generation college students, current or former foster youth, homeless or at risk of homelessness and instead prioritizes students from underrepresented backgrounds.
3. Removes the restriction that UC, CSU, and CCC use LAEP funds to employ students on campus in research positions and permits UC, CSU, and CCC only to employ students in any job that will either (a) provide skill-building opportunities necessary for employment in the student’s area of study, or (b) provide employment experience related to the student’s major.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. Minor and absorbable General Fund costs to the California Student Aid Commission to adopt certain procedures to implement changes to the program.
2. General Fund shifts of an unknown amount from certain students to other students. Shifts would depend on how campuses implement the changes and what employment opportunities students engage in. The program provides $500 million to UC, CSU, and CCC campuses.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author, “The Learning-Aligned Employment Program was created to provide students with hands-on, career-related experience. My bill, AB 746, expands access to this crucial program, to ensure that more students can explore different career pathways and leave college with meaningful work experience.”
2. Background. The Budget Act of 2021 created LAEP and provided $500 million over two years for the program. The purpose of LAEP is to fund learning-aligned career development for disadvantaged UC, CSU, and CCC students. Funding was disbursed to UC, CSU, and CCC campuses based on each campus’ share of the student population who receive a federal Pell Grant. UC received about $61 million, CSU received about $160 million, and CCC received about $277 million. Campuses have until June 30, 2031, to spend the funds.

LAEP funds are to be used to provide up to 90% of an eligible student’s compensation for positions of employment at public education institutions or nonprofit corporations; up to 100% of the students’ compensation for positions at the UC, CSU, or CCC; and up to 50% of compensation for positions at for-profit employers. Current law limits the positions for which a student may receive compensation at UC, CSU, or CCC to research centers on campus.

Current law specifies that a student must be from an underrepresented background to be eligible for LAEP funding. Current law also require campuses to provide LAEP funding priority to students who are first-generation college students, current or former foster youth, homeless, or at risk of homelessness.

1. Opposition. The California Teachers Association (CTA) opposes this bill. According to CTA, “This proposal is antithetical to the types of high impact college initiatives which support college success for underrepresented students.”

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

Date of Hearing: April 11, 2023

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Mike Fong, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 746 (

Author:Sanchez) – As Introduced Ver:February 13, 2023

SUBJECT: Learning-Aligned Employment Program: eligibility and priority

SUMMARY: Expands the eligibility for the Learning – Aligned Employment Program (LAEP) to all students who demonstrate a financial need and other specified requirements, establishes priority of participation to students who are from an underrepresented background as defined by the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), and permits public postsecondary education institutions to employ students participating in the LAEP if the employment aligns with student’s major or provides students with the skills necessary for employment in their area of study. Specifically, this bill:

1. Removes restrictions for public postsecondary educational institutions to only employ students on campus in research positions and permits public postsecondary educational institutions the ability to employ students in any job that will either: 1) provide skill-building opportunities necessary for employment in the student’s area of study; or, 2) provide employment experience related to the student’s major.
2. Removes the requirement that in order to participate in LAEP, a student must be from an underrepresented background, and requires a public postsecondary education institution to prioritize available LAEP employment opportunities to eligible students from an underrepresented background as defined by the CSAC.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Creates the LAEP for the purpose of providing eligible college and university students with the opportunity to earn money to help defray their educational costs while also gaining educational-aligned, career-related experience. The LAEP will be administered by CSAC in consultation with the Office of the President of the University of California (UC), the Office of the Chancellor of the California State University (CSU), and the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCC). The UC, CSU, and CCC, who are currently eligible to participate in state-funded student financial aid programs, are eligible to participate in the LAEP and are encouraged to participate. In order to participate, the UC, CSU, and CCC will sign an institutional agreement with the commission to adhere to the guidance development by CSAC and will only use the funding provided by the LAEP for the intended purposes of the LAEP (Education Code Section 69950, 60051 and 60052).
2. Requires students who participate in the LAEP to only be employed in the following ways:
   1. By the research centers and institutions operated by either the UC, CSU, or CCC, if the LAEP employment opportunity provides students with direct opportunities to participate in research undertaken by the respective research centers and institutions;
   2. By public schools operated by school districts, county superintendents of schools, the Department of the Youth Authority, or the California Department of Education; or,
   3. Nonsectarian, nonpolitical organizations or corporations, whether nonprofit or for-profit enterprises licensed to conduct business in the state that are capable of providing students with full-time employment after graduation or opportunities to connect with other employers capable of providing students with full-time employment opportunities within the student’s chosen field of study after graduation (EDC Section 69954).
3. Enumerates the eligibility requirements for a student who wishes to participate in the LAEP, as:
   1. The student must be from an underrepresented background;
   2. The student must be enrolled at least half-time at a UC, CSU, or CCC;
   3. The student must be a resident as defined by Education Code Section 68000 et seq,
   4. The student must demonstrate satisfactory academic progress leading to a degree or certificate as determined by the UC, CSU, or CCC they are attending for purposes of continual eligibility for federal financial aid. Exceptions to this requirement for homeless individuals, as defined, are provided; and,
   5. The student must demonstrate financial need as determined by the financial aid office of the UC, CSU, or CCC they attend. Permits an institution to make adjustments to the student’s financial aid package and offer student eligibility to the LAEP if the student or student’s family is unable to contribute to the student’s total financial resources.

Requires the UC, CSU, and the CCC to prioritize LAEP employment opportunities to first-generation college students, a current or former foster youth, a homeless or at risk of being homeless student, and to any student who is majoring in a science, technology, engineering, or mathematics discipline (EDC Section 69956).

1. Establishes additional requirements for job referral and placement of LAEP participating students in employment opportunities to include job placement in areas that provide an educationally beneficial position that relates to the student’s area of study, career objectives, or the exploration of career objectives and that the program will include and emphasize placement opportunities for students that will result in their full-time employment or connections with employers that will offer full-time employment after graduation (EDC Section 69959).
2. Establishes requirements of the UC, CSU, and CCC, who participate in the LAEP. The requirements include but are not limited to areas related to: student employment positions, compensation of students, the requirement for the institutions to maintain all necessary records for the employed student, the ability for the institution to offer academic credit for the work performed in an LAEP position, the possibility of offering LAEP opportunities over the summer, and data compilation and provision of required data to CSAC (EDC Section (69960 – 69967).

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: Need for the measure. As described by the author, “the Learning-Aligned Employment Program was created to provide students with hands-on, career-related experience. My bill, AB 746, expands access to this crucial program, to ensure that more students can explore different career pathways and leave college with meaningful work experience.”

The Learning–Aligned Employment Program (LAEP). In February 2021, the California Governor’s Council for Post-Secondary Education (Council) published a report on how the State postsecondary education institutions could recover with equity from the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the key findings from the report was “connections between higher education and the workforce are insufficient to meet the economic and workforce needs of California.” Specifically, the report found that students do not see a clear connection between postsecondary programs and achieving their career goals. One of the recommendations by the Council to improve collaboration between industry and higher education was to “integrate work-based learning opportunities across the segments and throughout all disciplines to better prepare learners for their desired careers and to make educational programs more relevant to the students”. The genesis of the LAEP was this recommendation to fulfill the State’s obligation to foster integration between industry and higher education for purposes of producing a highly skilled workforce.

The LAEP was established, in the 2021-2022 Budget Act, with an investment of $500 million over two years. The purpose of the LAEP was to promote learning-aligned, long-term career development for UC, CSU, and CCC students. The LAEP was California’s answer to the federal work-study, to ensure California students were given learning opportunities to expand their work resume, and to promote educational opportunities outside the brick-and-mortar lecture halls. As of March 2023, nine UCs, all 23 campuses of the CSU, and 115 CCCs participate in the LAEP program.

Education Code Sections 69950-69969 contain the language for the LAEP. The language includes parameters on the type of students who qualify for LAEP and the role of businesses and institutions in providing work placement positions for students to participate in work-study. LAEP is overseen by the CSAC and is designed for students who have a financial need and are identified as underrepresented students within Higher Education. The LAEP was not only to provide work opportunities for students, but to maximize the work-study placement of underrepresented students by limiting the program entirely to them. In the qualifying parameters adopted by CSAC, in order to participate a student must:

• Be from an underrepresented background. CSAC identifies the following students as qualifying under this description:
  • First-generation students, low-income students, current or former foster youth, homeless students or those at risk for becoming homeless, students with dependent children, formerly incarcerated students, undocumented students, students meeting the requirements of AB 540 (Firebaugh), Chapter 814, Statute of 2001, and students who are veterans;
• Demonstrate satisfactory academic progress;
• Demonstrate financial need and have room in their financial aid package for additional funding;
• Be enrolled at least half-time as determined by the institution;
• Be eligible to work in the United States; and,
• Be a resident of the State.

Of the $500 million in state funds provided for the LAEP all the funds have been dispersed to the participating colleges and were allocated based on the share of the student population at each institution who received a federal Pell Grant. Participating institutions have until June 30, 2031, to use the funds. In an FAQ published by CSAC, the UC received 12% of the LAEP funds, or about $61 million, the CSU received 32% of the funds, or roughly $159.9 million, and the CCC received 56% of the funds, or roughly $276.9 million.

The LAEP funds are to be used to provide up to 90% of students’ compensation for positions of employment at public education institutions or nonprofit corporations, up to 100% of the students’ compensation for positions at the UC, CSU, or CCC, and up to 50% of compensation for positions at for-profit employers. Employers who agree to participate in the LAEP program and provide a work-study position for students must:

• Place a student in an educationally beneficial position related to the student’s area of study;
• Be able to either employ the student after graduation or connect the student with employment opportunities after graduation;
• Be able to pay the student a salary comparable to other positions with comparable duties; and,
• Ensure the placement of the student in the work-study position will not displace other workers.

Contained within the Education Code is a limitation for CCC, CSU, and UCs to only provide LAEP opportunities to students at research centers and institutions on campus. CSAC defines “research” as not limited to scientific research and can take place outside of an academic discipline; however, it is limited in that the student must be directly involved in the research that is undertaken by the research center or institution.

Data regarding the number of participating employers and the number of students who have participated is unknown. At the time of this analysis, the initial report on LAEP has not been published by CSAC. However, on February 28, 2023, EdSource published an article on LAEP and highlighted programs at Ohlone College. According to the article, “one of the early programs is the Junior Leadership Academy at Ohlone College. Cohorts of 20 students receive coaching in a 15-week career readiness class for credit, while working on a project for a local employer that involves research connected to their field. This includes business students working for a consulting firm and engineering students at an engineering firm.” Furthermore, Committee Staff understands from CSAC during a legislative update, that 11 institutions have already launched programs; including Riverside City College which hired 10 students, City College of San Francisco which has placed a student at the UC San Francisco in the healthcare field, and CSU, Maritime who in the process of hiring their first assistant in Oceanography.

Changes to the LAEP program. One of the premises of the LAEP was to provide students with opportunities for work experience in their field of study and to avoid traditional work-study positions, such as clerical office work or working in the campus cafeteria. The Governor achieved this in two ways: 1) by requiring the job placement to be aligned with the student’s field of study or future career and, 2) by limiting campus employment opportunities to research-based jobs. However, not all careers have research or data collection as a skill-set requirement; just as, not every job on campus available to students is misaligned with their field of study and future career goals. For example, California Community Colleges have supervised tutoring jobs available to students. If a student elected to be a supervised tutor, and was on a career path to being a teacher, would this job not align with the Governor’s goals for LAEP? One of the unintended consequences of limiting jobs on campus to research positions is the small number of positions available to students. Therefore, the majority of students are required to leave campus for job placements. While this fulfills the Council’s idea of fostering integration between the workforce and higher education, it also places an undue burden on students to find transportation to and from their place of employment. If a student is place-bound and unable to find public transportation, they may be utilizing the funds provided by the program intended for basic needs or financial aid on transportation that could have been avoided if the position was available on campus. AB 746 (Sanchez) seeks to eliminate this unintended consequence by enabling CCCs, CSUs, and UCs to employ students on campus in jobs related to their career fields.

One of the requirements for students to be eligible to participate in LAEP is for them to be underrepresented students as defined by CSAC. Not all students who attend a public higher education institution and have a financial need, identify as either: a first-generation student, low-income student, current or former foster youth, homeless student or those at risk for becoming homeless, a student with dependent children, a formerly incarcerated students, an undocumented students, a student meeting the requirements of AB 540 (Firebaugh), and a student who are veterans. If the goal of the LAEP is to provide students with hands-on career learning opportunities and to expand work-study beyond the campus, then the LAEP should have the same conditions as other financial aid programs in the State in that it is open to all with financial need and to instead prioritizes the placement in jobs to students who identify as underrepresented in higher education. Committee staff are aware that some campuses that have received LAEP funds are having difficulty expending them due to the inability to find students who qualify based on the limited definition of underrepresented students. AB 746 (Sanchez) seeks to open LAEP to all students who have a financial need but maintains the Governor’s ideal of prioritizing the funds for underrepresented students in higher education.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

None on file.

Opposition

California Teacher Association

Analysis Prepared by: Ellen Cesaretti-Monroy / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960