Existing law establishes the Government Operations Agency, which consists of several state entities, including, but not limited to, the State Personnel Board, the Department of General Services, and the Office of Administrative Law.

This bill, subject to an appropriation, would establish in the Government Operations Agency the California Education Interagency Council, composed of specified state officers for purposes of evaluating workforce and economic changes in the state, integrating and aligning education and employment systems, maximizing funding impact, supporting adult skill development, coordinating regional education and workforce needs, and serving as a forum for discussions of intersegmental and cross-sector policy issues, as specified. The bill would require the council, among other duties, to adopt a strategic plan, and work plans, report to the Governor and the Legislature on the outcome outcomes of its work and recommendations to advance transitional kindergarten to postsecondary education, inclusive, intersegmental student pathway efforts aligned to careers, establish a faculty and employer advisory committee, and provide advice and recommend tools designed to support students across their educational careers, as specified. The bill, subject to an appropriation, would establish the Office of the California Education Interagency Council in the Government Operations Agency as a neutral administrative body tasked with supporting the California Education Interagency Council, as specified.

Existing law establishes 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, the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, independent institutions of higher education, and private postsecondary educational institutions as the segments of postsecondary education in this state.

Existing law establishes the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) as the statewide postsecondary education coordinating and planning agency, and provides for its functions and responsibilities. Existing law also provides for the composition of CPECs membership. The annual state Budget Acts from the 201112 fiscal year to the 202324 fiscal year, inclusive, have provided no funding for CPEC.

This bill would establish the Coordinating Commission for Education in California as a state career and higher education coordination body composed of workforce, education segment, and employer representatives that establishes joint and regional plans and makes recommendations on state and federal funding related to statewide educational attainment and career education goals.

Date of Hearing: May 14, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 95

Author:(Fong) – As Amended Ver:April 23, 2025

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

SUMMARY:

This bill establishes the California Education Interagency Council within the Government Operations Agency (GovOps) for the purpose of aligning educational attainment with California workforce goals and needs and integrating efforts across elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education by providing a forum for discussion of issues and proposals with impacts across educational and workforce sectors.

Specifically, this bill requires the council to hold its first meeting on or before December 31, 2025, and requires it adopt a strategic plan, on or before November 30, 2026, to guide achievement of its goals, and requires reporting and consultation with specified members of the Legislature to develop a work plan every two years for the purpose of submitting a report to the Legislature on the outcomes of the council’s work from the previous two years. The bill also creates the Office of the California Interagency Council to serve as the council’s administrative body and requires membership on the council from the following individuals or their designee:

1. The President of the State Board of Education (SBE).
2. The Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI).
3. The President of the University of California (UCOP)
4. The Chancellor of the California State University (CSU).
5. The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCCCO).
6. The Chief of the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.
7. The Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development.
8. The Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development.
9. The Director of Finance.

FISCAL EFFECT:

1. Ongoing General Fund costs of $5 million to establish the council within GovOps and provide funding to support 16 new staff to achieve the council’s goals and objectives.

While this bills contains minor differences to the 2025-26 Governor’s budget proposal (discussed below), GovOps indicates the costs associated with this bill mirror that of the budget change proposal submitted to establish the council.

1. Minor and absorbable General Fund costs to the California Department of Education (CDE).
2. Ongoing General Fund costs of $150,000 to the UCOP for an additional staff person to staff the council and execute recommendations.
3. Minor ongoing General Fund administrative costs to the CSU Chancellor’s Office.
4. Minor ongoing General Fund administrative costs to the CCCCO.

COMMENTS:

1. Purpose. According to the author:

California is the only state without a coordinating body, which has resulted in the fragmented structure of individual programs. AB 95 establishes the California Education Interagency Council that will bring together K-12, higher education, and labor/workforce agencies to help improve cross-sector collaboration, drive data-informed policy, and build transparent pathways that meet the needs of students, workers, and employers across the state. The bill aims to eliminate duplicative efforts and ensure public investments yield equitable and effective outcomes for all Californians.

1. Background. Previous Collaboration Efforts. Prior to 2011, the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) includes representatives from the higher education segments, the SBE, the Governor, the Legislature, and public, independent, and private postsecondary institutions. However, the CPEC’s budget and responsibilities diminished overtime and in the Budget Act of 2011, Governor Brown vetoed its funding, citing the agency’s ineffectiveness in higher education oversight. In his veto message, the Governor acknowledged the well-established need for coordinating and guiding state higher education policy and requested that stakeholders explore alternative ways these functions could be fulfilled. The CPEC transferred its federal Teacher Quality Improvement grant program to the California Department of Education (CDE) and extensive data resources to the CCC Chancellor's Office. Currently no coordinating entity for higher education in California exists.

Master Plan for Career Education. In April of 2025, the Governor’s Office published California’s Master Plan for Career Education, a work that began with the Governor’s 2023 Executive Order. The report noted the following:

In the 1960s, California’s Master Plan for Higher Education created a strong foundation for learning by delineating roles across various postsecondary education segments, including the [CCC], [CSU], and [UC] systems. This plan was predicated on a labor market that predominantly featured jobs requiring minimal formal education. Yet, as the 21st century unfolds, California’s economy and workforce have transformed. Schools, colleges, and workforce training providers need to create new strategies that allow systems to evolve and be more responsive to rapidly changing workforce needs, particularly with the advent of artificial intelligence and the recognition that learners should have the ability to upskill throughout their careers.

The master plan contained six major courses of action, the first of which is to create a state planning and coordinating body, and recommended that this new statewide planning and coordinating body bring together the state’s education segments, workforce training providers, and employers. The coordinating body should evaluate changing economic needs and demand for skills, develop sector-based and cross-sector strategies, create statewide goals, align federal and state plans, coordinate efforts to maximize funding, coordinate implementation of specific federal and state programs, co-design programs to address workforce opportunities, and connect with regions.

Governor’s Budget Proposal. The Governor’s Budget proposes $5 million ongoing General Fund to GovOps to operate a council consisting of leaders of the state’s college systems and workforce agencies. Under the proposal, the council would receive 16 positions to support the council’s broad scope: assessing workforce needs, aligning efforts across state bodies, fostering collaboration between state bodies, working with regional education and workforce entities, and creating a forum to discuss other cross-sector issues. The proposed trailer bill language would require the council to meet at least twice per year and report findings to the Governor and Legislature.

This bill is substantially similar to the interagency council proposed in the Governor’s budget but adds the Director of Finance to the council membership and also requires the council release a work plan produced in consultation with the chair of the Assembly Committee on Education, the chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, the chair of the Senate Committee on Education, the Governor, and other interest holders. The work plan may include the establishment of workgroups, committees, or task forces necessary to effectively meet the goals and objectives provided in the most recently adopted strategic plan. The work plan will describe the timelines, deliverables, and interest holders that will be consulted as part of the work identified in the work plan.

Analysis Prepared by: Aaron Heredia / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: April 29, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Mike Fong, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 95 (

Author:Fong) – As Amended Ver:April 23, 2025

SUBJECT: California Education Interagency Council

SUMMARY: Establishes, in the Government Operations Agency (GovOps), the California Education Interagency Council (CEIC), composed of specified state officers for purposes of evaluating workforce and economic changes in the state, integrating and aligning education and employment systems, maximizing funding impact, supporting adult skill development, coordinating regional education and workforce needs, and serving as a forum for discussions of intersegmental and cross-sector policy issues, as specified. Specifically, this bill:

1. Makes the following definitions, for the purposes of the measure:
   1. “Council” means the CEIC, as specified; and,
   2. “Managing entity” means the Office of the CEIC, as specified.
2. Establishes the CEIC in GovOps for the purpose of accomplishing all of the following goals:
   1. Proactively evaluating and addressing the changing nature of work and the economy, and supporting the advancement of state educational attainment, equity, and workforce goals;
   2. Integrating and aligning efforts across elementary and secondary education, postsecondary education, employers, and the statewide workforce system, and maximizing the impact of federal and state funding investments to ensure effective student pathways to quality work and well-paying careers and to contribute to economic growth;
   3. Increasing collaboration across postsecondary education and the workforce development systems statewide, and with employers to ensure flexibility and support for meeting the skill-building and upskilling needs of adults;
   4. Working in regions throughout the state to ensure that education supply and statewide workforce demand are aligned; and,
   5. Being a forum for communication to discuss the impacts of proposed intersegmental and cross-sector issues, including, but not limited to, changes to elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education graduation requirements, including California State University (CSU) and University of California (UC) admissions changes.
3. Specifies that CEIC’s membership will include all of the following members, or a designee of the member who reports directly to the member:
   1. The President of the State Board of Education;
   2. The Superintendent of Public Instruction;
   3. The President of the UC;
   4. The Chancellor of the CSU;
   5. The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges (CCC);
   6. The Chief of the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education (BPPE);
   7. The Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development;
   8. The Director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development; and,
   9. The Director of Finance.
4. Requires CEIC’s meetings be subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act, as specified.
5. Specifies that the ECIC’s members will serve without compensation but will receive reimbursement for necessary expenses.
6. Requires the Governor to designate one member to serve as the CEIC’s chairperson.
7. Establishes the Office of the CEIC in the GovOps, specifying that:
   1. The Office of the CEIC will also be known as the “managing entity,” and will serve as a neutral administrative body to carry out the purpose and intent of this proposal; and,
   2. The managing entity will be overseen by an executive officer. The executive officer will be appointed by the Governor. The executive officer will be exempt from civil service, as specified.
8. Specifies that, regarding meetings of the CEIC:
   1. The CEIC’s first meeting will be held on or before December 31, 2025;
   2. Subsequent meetings of the CEIC will be held at least once every six months after the first meeting;
   3. Within one year of its first meeting, the CEIC will enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Office of Cradle-to-Career Data in order to access Cradle-to-Career Data System data and reports;
   4. On or before November 30, 2026, and every six years thereafter, the CEIC will adopt a strategic plan to guide the CEIC and its staff in achieving the CEIC’s goals outlined, as specified;
   5. On or before November 30, 2026, or no later than 60 days after the first strategic plan is adopted as specified, the CEIC will biennially release a work plan after consultation with the chair of the Assembly Committee on Education, the chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, the chair of the Senate Committee on Education, the Governor, and other interest holders. The work plan may include the establishment of workgroups, committees, or task forces necessary to effectively meet the goals and objectives provided in the most recently adopted strategic plan. The work plan will describe the timelines, deliverables, and interest holders that will be consulted as part of the work identified in the work plan.
      1. Specifies the intent of the Legislature and the Governor that any work emanating from the strategic or work plans, as part of the consultation process described in e) above, will include relevant interested holders, including, but not limited to, students, parents, teachers, faculty, staff, associations, employers, labor organizations, experts, and other public entities that have relevant content jurisdiction or expertise.
   6. Subsequent to the release of the first work plan, and biennially thereafter, the CEIC will submit a report to the Legislature and the Governor on the outcomes of the previous two years of work, as specified, and any recommendations to advance transitional kindergarten to postsecondary education, inclusive, intersegmental student pathway efforts aligned to careers;
   7. Within two years of its first meeting, the CEIC will establish a faculty and employer advisory committee to discuss emerging skills issues related to changing skills needs and student learning; and,
   8. Within two years of its first meeting, the CEIC will develop a mechanism for increasing engagement with industry and employers to support experiential learning. The CEIC will evaluate options, including, but not limited to, paid internship opportunities, fellowships, service learning, and apprenticeships for high school and postsecondary education, as appropriate.
9. The CEIC, with support from the managing entity, will perform all of the following duties:
   1. Evaluate a variety of data sources to inform the Legislature and the Governor of the supply of, and projected demand for, jobs in major occupational or career areas and in-demand skills and sectors at least every two years. Each evaluation must include economic forecasting and analysis to ensure educators can plan for emerging skills needs in areas critical to California’s economy. The information from this evaluation will be included in the biennial report to the Legislature and the Governor as detailed in 8) above.
   2. Review available data to biennially identify both statewide and regional progress towards achieving goals and addressing gaps in demand for both of the following:
      1. Postsecondary education admission, enrollment, success, and awards of degrees, credentials, and certificates;
      2. Employment, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status, and any additional categories of students as determined by the CEIC;
      3. The findings from the annual review will be included in the biennial report ot the Legislature and Governor as detailed in 8) above.
   3. Make recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor in the report as specified, as necessary, regarding intersegmental, cross-sector, and interagency initiatives and programs, such as efficiencies in instructional delivery, course alignment, financial aid, or other public benefit programs supporting students, transfer pathways, degree and certificate completion, adult education, including upskilling and reskilling for adults, two- and four-year graduation rates, affordability, and workforce coordination. The recommendations may include transitional kindergarten to postsecondary education, inclusive, recommendations;
   4. Develop and distribute written materials and reports to help educators and others encourage students to pursue education and training opportunities leading to professions in in-demand industries;
   5. Support collaborative work to create, refine, or update student pathways from high school to postsecondary education, including, but not limited to, dual enrollment, associate degree for transfer, and credit mobility;
   6. Serve as a forum for discussing and providing advice on the impact of proposed changes to graduation or admissions requirements on California’s education systems;
   7. Serve as a forum for discussing strategic planning around mandated federal plans and related state programs, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
      1. The federal Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act, as specified;
      2. The federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, as specified;
      3. The Strong Workforce Program;
      4. Regional K-16 Education Collaboratives; and,
      5. The Golden State Pathways Program.
   8. Coordinate learning opportunities across the elementary and secondary education and postsecondary education systems to ensure students can easily navigate across systems, and increase flexible structures so that students can enter and navigate postsecondary education and workforce training opportunities more easily, including providing support for traditional students and adult workers looking to upskill or reskill for short periods of time; and,
      1. Include, in actions undertaken pursuant to h) above, efforts to expand opportunities for online education, credit for prior learning, and access to competency-based education, to integrate technology and to include ongoing efforts to understand skill development opportunities and frameworks; and,
      2. Provide advice and recommend tools designed to support students across their educational careers. These tools may include, but are not limited to, the Career Passport, the California College Guidance Initiative, and eTranscript California.
10. Requires the managing entity to support the CIEC. This support will include, but is not limited to, all of the following:
    1. Supporting and staffing CEIC meetings workgroups, committees, or task forces established in furtherance of the CEIC’s goals, as specified;
    2. Supporting the CEIC’s development and updates of its strategic plan and work plans adopted, as specified;
    3. Supporting the CEIC’s development of policies required to implement this chapter; and,
    4. Gathering necessary research, providing analysis, and developing recommendations for the CEIC under the CEIC’s direction.
11. Authorizes the managing entity to hire staff or enter into contracts for experts or technical and professional services to support the CEIC’s exercise of its duties, as specified.
12. Specifies that the CEIC will act solely in an advisory capacity while exercising its duties. Neither the state nor any party is required to implement any findings or recommendations of the CEIC unless future legislation explicitly authorizes or requires their implementation.
13. Makes the implementation of these provisions contingent upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act to the GovOps for that purpose.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Establishes the GovOps, which consists of several state entities, including, but not limited to, the State Personnel Board, the Department of General Services, and the Office of Administrative Law. (Government Code Section 12803.2)
2. Differentiates the missions and functions of public and independent institutions of higher education. Under these provisions:
   1. The primary mission of the CSU is to offer undergraduate and graduate instruction through the master’s degree in the liberal arts and sciences and professional education including teacher education. The CSU is authorized to establish two-year programs only when mutually agreed upon by the Trustees and the CCC Board of Governors (BOG). The CSU is also authorized to jointly award the doctoral degree with the UC and with one or more independent institutions of higher education.
   2. The UC is authorized to provide undergraduate and graduate instruction and has exclusive jurisdiction in public higher education over graduate instruction in the professions of law, medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine. The UC is also the primary state-supported academic agency for research.
   3. The independent institutions of higher education are required to provide undergraduate and graduate instruction and research in accordance with their respective missions.
   4. The mission and function of the CCC is the offering of academic and vocational instruction at the lower division level, and the CCC are authorized to grant the Associate in Arts and the Associate in Science degrees. The community colleges are also required to offer learning supports to close learning gaps, English as a Second Language instruction, and adult noncredit instruction, and support services which help students succeed at the postsecondary level. (Education Code (EDC) Section 66010.4)
3. Establishes the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) composed of 17 members representing the higher education segments, the State Board of Education, and nine representatives appointed by the Governor, Senate Rules Committee, and Assembly Speaker to coordinate public, independent, and private postsecondary education in California (Education Code Section 66900, et seq.).

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS: Purpose. According to the author, “California values workforce development and career technical education to ensure that students and adults are equipped to meet changing labor needs, and has an annual allocation of a billion dollars for various K-12, higher education and workforce development programs. However, these programs work independently and not based on an overall plan that is data driven. California is the only state without a coordinating body, which has resulted in the fragmented structure of individual programs. AB 95 establishes the California Education Interagency Council that will bring together K-12, higher education, and labor/workforce agencies to help improve cross-sector collaboration, drive data-informed policy, and build transparent pathways that meet the needs of students, workers, and employers across the state. The bill aims to eliminate duplicative efforts and ensure public investments yield equitable and effective outcomes for all Californians.”

Background on CPEC. As specified in the “Existing Law” section of this analysis, CPEC was established to coordinate postsecondary education in California and to provide independent policy analyses and recommendations to the Legislature and the Governor on postsecondary education issues. However, CPEC's budget and responsibilities were reduced over time, casting doubt on its effectiveness and triggering calls for its restructuring. In the 2011-12 Budget Act, Governor Brown vetoed funding for CPEC citing the agency’s ineffectiveness in higher education oversight. In his veto message, the Governor acknowledged the well-established need for coordinating and guiding state higher education policy and requested that stakeholders explore alternative ways these functions could be fulfilled.

In fall 2011 CPEC shut down, transferring its federal Teacher Quality Improvement grant program to the California Department of Education (CDE) and extensive data resources to the CCC Chancellor's Office. Currently no coordinating entity for higher education in California exists.

Post-CPEC. Statewide higher education goals and objectives have been considered by the Legislature for over a decade; in recent years, despite the absence of CPEC, some progress has been made on this front. The 2013-14 Budget Act education trailer bill (AB 94, Chapter 50) required UC and CSU to report annually on specified performance measures, in order to inform budget and policy decisions and promote effective and efficient use of resources. SB 195 (Liu, Chapter 367, Statutes of 2013), established general statewide goals for higher education, and legislative intent to identify specific metrics for measuring progress toward statewide goals.

The 2014-15 Budget Act (SB 852, Chapter 25) required UC and CSU to approve three-year "sustainability plans" that use funding projections to establish projections of enrollment and the university's goals for the performance measures that are required to be adopted pursuant to AB 94; this requirement was continued in the 2015-16 and 2016-17 Budget Acts. The CCCs were required, pursuant to the 2014-15 Budget higher education trailer bill (SB 860, Chapter 34), to adopt goals and targets for student performance by June 30, 2015, and to establish and report on Student Equity Plans designed to ensure equal educational opportunities and to promote student success for all students.

More recently, the UC and CSU entered into multi-year formal Compacts with the Governor’s Office, and the CCC and the Governor’s Office multi-year roadmap between the Administration and the CCC system outlines mutually prioritized goals, expectations, and accompanying outcome measures. Each of these agreements include reporting requirements and set goals across a variety areas through the 2026-27 fiscal and academic years.

Need for a statewide higher education coordinating body? According to the March 2019, California Competes report, The Case for a Statewide Higher Education Coordinating Entity, California is one of two states without a central organizing body to guide the unique challenges the postsecondary institutions of higher education face. The report finds that in the absence of coordination, each of the state’s public higher education segments (the CCC, CSU, and UC) function in siloes. Further, the report finds that the lack of a statewide coordinating body for higher education has resulted in no authority for statewide goal-setting, no comprehensive strategic planning, no longitudinal education data system, and inadequate mechanisms to assist students’ progress as they matriculate through and between systems. Additionally, the report contends that, without a coordinating entity:

1. California will continue to lag in degree production;
2. Planning for the future will continue to be clumsy and inadequate;
3. Higher education data systems will remain fragmented and incomplete; and,
4. Students will continue to slip through the cracks.

Finally, the report finds that California needs an independent, statewide coordinating entity to uphold a public agenda for higher education that links the needs of the state’s economy to experiences and outcomes of California’s students.

According to the March 2019, Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) report, Coordinating California’s Higher Education System, receiving postsecondary education continues to become increasingly important to California’s economy and quality of life. The PPIC report suggests that in order to help state leaders determine how to best design a more effective coordinating body (to note, PPIC contends a coordinating body is definitely needed in this state), it is important to understand the struggles CPEC faced. The report finds that effective coordination must reflect the reality of higher education in the state – the governance challenges, campus and segment incentives, and other factors that influence institutional decisions. Further, the report finds that, several factors reduced CPEC’s ability to effectively coordinate the state’s higher education system, in part:

1. A lack of clear state goals for higher education;
2. A lack of a clear mission in CPEC’s statutory charter; and,
3. It was designed for consensus, not leadership.

Further, the report finds that an effective coordinating body needs to be a part of state government, subject to all state rules and procedures regarding transparency and accountability. Finally, the report finds that the best approach to a new higher education coordinating body is to have such a body that operates independently and advises both the Governor and the Legislature; this would strengthen the Legislature’s capacity to address important higher education issues and having an independent entity could provide the Legislature an objective view on current issues and assist in developing solutions to resolving the issues.

Recent efforts. AB 130 (Low, 2019), was vetoed by Governor Newsom. In his veto message, Governor Newsom wrote that “I have long been concerned that our state's higher education systems operate in silos to the detriment of our state's long-term educational and economic health. California must set statewide goals in the areas of access, affordability and success in higher education. To that end, I launched the Governor's Council for Post-Secondary Education to encourage collaboration between systems and to make recommendations to the administration in an advisory capacity. The Council is charged with examining issues relating to future capacity, enrollment, planning, community college transfers, and general education and coordination at the state and regional levels.”

Committee Staff notes that, since Governor Newsom’s veto, the Governor’s Council for Post-Secondary Education has been rebranded as the Governor’s Council for Career Education. This change more closely aligns with the Governor’s 2023 Master Plan for Career Education Executive Order, which directed state agencies to align and integrate the implementation of programs supported by billions of dollars in recent state funding to prepare students and workers for high-paying careers.

Master Plan for Career Education. In April of 2025, the Governor’s Office published California’s Master Plan for Career Education, a work that began with the Governor’s 2023 Executive Order. The report noted that “in the 1960s, California’s Master Plan for Higher Education created a strong foundation for learning by delineating roles across various postsecondary education segments, including the [CCC], [CSU], and [UC] systems. This plan was predicated on a labor market that predominantly featured jobs requiring minimal formal education. Yet, as the 21st century unfolds, California’s economy and workforce have transformed. Schools, colleges, and workforce training providers need to create new strategies that allow systems to evolve and be more responsive to rapidly changing workforce needs, particularly with the advent of artificial intelligence and the recognition that learners should have the ability to upskill throughout their careers.”

The Master Plan for Career Education contained six major courses of action, which are:

1. Create a State Planning and Coordinating Body;
2. Strengthen Regional Coordination;
3. Support Skills-Based Hiring Through a Career Passport;
4. Develop Career Pathways for High School and College Students;
5. Strengthen Workforce Training for Young People and Adults; and,
6. Increase Access to and Affordability of Education and Workforce Training.

The Master Plan for Career Education recommended that this new statewide planning and coordinating body that brings together the state’s education segments, workforce training providers, and employers. The coordinating body should evaluate changing economic needs and demand for skills, develop sector-based and cross-sector strategies, create statewide goals, align federal and state plans, coordinate efforts to maximize funding, coordinate implementation of specific federal and state programs, co-design programs to address workforce opportunities, and connect with regions.

Governor’s 25-26 Budget. The Governor’s Budget proposes $5 million ongoing General Fund to GovOps to operate a council consisting of leaders of the state’s college systems and workforce agencies. Under the proposal, the council would receive 16 positions to support the council’s broad scope: assessing workforce needs, aligning efforts across state bodies, fostering collaboration between state bodies, working with regional education and workforce entities, and creating a forum to discuss other cross-sector issues. The proposed trailer bill language would require the council to meet at least twice per year and report findings to the Governor and Legislature.

Committee comments. AB 95 (Fong) is similar to the interagency council proposed in the Governor’s budget. Recent amendments to AB 95 would add the Director of Finance to the CEIC, and would also require the CEIC to biennially release a work plan after consultation with the chair of the Assembly Committee on Education, the chair of the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, the chair of the Senate Committee on Education, the Governor, and other interest holders. The work plan may include the establishment of workgroups, committees, or task forces necessary to effectively meet the goals and objectives provided in the most recently adopted strategic plan. The work plan will describe the timelines, deliverables, and interest holders that will be consulted as part of the work identified in the work plan.

The CEIC would be located in GovOps, a state agency responsible for coordinating state operations, including procurement, information technology, and human resources. The agency oversees and supports 13 departments, boards, and offices, including the Department of General Services, the California Department of Technology, and the California Department of Human Resources, amongst others. GovOps also plays a coordinating role across all state agencies to accelerate government innovation and best practices.

Currently, the state has two entities with responsibilities that include statewide coordination and planning - the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB), and the Intersegmental Coordinating Committee (ICC). The mission of the CWDB, which currently includes labor market assessment and planning activities, would be included in activities for the CEIC. The Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development is proposed to be a member of the CEIC.

The ICC was created in 1987 by the California Education Round Table, leaders of California’s public and private education systems and agencies, to serve as a forum for cross-sector education issues, an activity outlined for the CEIC. Several members of the California Education Round Table would also be members of the CEIC: the Chancellor of CCC, the Chancellor of CSU, the President of the UC, and the State SPI.

Committee staff notes that the President of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU) is a member of the California Educations Round Table, but would not be a member of the CEIC.

The Committee may wish to consider ways that the CEIC will synergize and coordinate the efforts of CWDB and the ICC without unintentionally duplicating efforts.

Current language of the bill specifies that the CEIC will act solely in an advisory capacity while exercising its duties, and that neither the state nor any party is required to implement any findings or recommendations of the CEIC unless future legislation explicitly authorizes or requires their implementation.

Committee staff notes that the membership of the CEIC would be made up of the leaders of many of the relevant agencies that would be empowered to carry out the work of the CEIC.

The author may wish to consider if the lack of direct formal authority to mandate the implementation of CEIC recommendations will pose a challenge for future coordination efforts.

Arguments in support. California Competes, wrote in support of AB 95 (Fong), noting that “each year, our state invests billions in higher education and workforce programs, yet these efforts remain siloed - resulting in fragmented student services, inefficient use of resources, and complex systems that are especially burdensome for low-income Californians, adult learners, student parents, and job seekers. AB 95 is a critical step toward addressing this fragmentation. The bill would create a dedicated office and council composed of state education and workforce leaders tasked with developing statewide plans, evaluating data, and providing oversight. Through regular reporting, accountability mechanisms, and strategic funding, the Council will ensure public investments yield equitable, effective outcomes.”

California Competes further stated that “this proposal reflects longstanding calls for greater interagency collaboration and builds on the vision of California’s Master Plan for Career Education. It offers the infrastructure needed to drive transparent, data-informed decisions that connect students and workers with high-quality education and employment opportunities.”

The California State Student Association (CSSA) also registered their support, writing that “Since the defunding of [CPEC] in 2011, California has lacked a centralized coordinating body for postsecondary education. AB 95 addresses this long-standing gap by establishing a cross-sector council composed of leaders from K-12 education, public and private postsecondary institutions, workforce agencies, and employers…through enhanced coordination, the Council can also support the development of more flexible learning options—including online, competency-based, and credit-for-prior-learning models—especially important for CSU students who often balance academics with work and caregiving responsibilities.”

CSSA also noted that “AB 95 also creates the Office of the California Education Interagency Council to support the council’s operations and ensure the effective implementation of its strategic plan. By supporting data-driven collaboration and innovation across systems, the Council will play a vital role in increasing access to quality education and high-paying careers, especially for historically underserved students. For CSU students in particular, this bill represents a meaningful step toward a more integrated, student-centered higher education system that helps learners achieve economic mobility and long-term career success.”

Pending and prior legislation. SB 638 (Padilla, 2025) would create the California Education and Workforce Development Coordinating Entity within GovOps for the purposes of providing programs and services related to career technical education and career pathways, as provided. SB 638 (Padilla) is pending a hearing in the Senate Committee on Education on April 30, 2025.

SB 790 (Cabaldon, 2025) bill would eliminate CPEC from the EDC and instead would require the Governor to designate a state agency, department, or office as the principal state operating and coordinating entity for postsecondary education with duties including implementation, coordination, and evaluation of the Master Plan for Career Education, coordination and evaluation of postsecondary implementation of intersegmental state policies and initiatives, and implementation of an interstate reciprocity agreement for distance education if the Governor enters into such agreement, as provided. SB 790 (Cabaldon) is pending a hearing in the Senate Committee on Education on April 30, 2025

AB 1142 (Fong) of 2023, would have established the Coordinating Commission for Postsecondary Education in California (CCPEC) as the independent statewide postsecondary education oversight, coordination, and planning agency. AB 1142 (Fong) was amended to instead extend by five years the authorization for a community college district (CCD) governing board to allow the use of any civic center or other district property by the community and organizations without charge or with charge not to exceed the specified direct costs or fair market rent value depending on the activity as prescribed.

AB 130 (Low) of 2019, established the Higher Education Performance, Accountability and Coordination Commission as the state's independent postsecondary education coordination and agency, was vetoed by Governor Newsom.

SB 3 (Allen) of 2019, established the Office of Higher Education Coordination, Accountability and Performance as California’s independent coordination, oversight and planning entity for postsecondary education. It was held on suspense in Assembly Appropriations.

AB 1936 (Low) of 2018, which was held on Suspense in Assembly Appropriations, is similar in nature to AB 130.

AB 217 (Low) of 2017, which was held on Suspense in Assembly Appropriations, was virtually identical to AB 130.

AB 1038 (Bonta) of 2017, which was held on Suspense in Assembly Appropriations, in part, established a Blue Ribbon Commission on Public Postsecondary Education to provide research and recommendations regarding California higher education.

AB 1837 (Low) 2016, which was held on Suspense in Senate Appropriations, was virtually identical to AB 130.

AB 2434 (Bonta) of 2016, which was held on Suspense in Assembly Appropriations, was substantially similar to AB 1038.

SB 42 (Liu) of 2015, which was substantially similar to this measure, was vetoed, with Governor Brown stating, in part, "While there is much work to be done to improve higher education, I am not convinced we need a new office and an advisory board, especially of the kind this bill proposes, to get the job done."

AB 1348 (John A. Pérez) of 2014, which was held on Suspense in Senate Appropriations, established the California Higher Education Authority, its governing board, and its responsibilities.

AB 2190 (John A. Pérez) of 2012, which was held on Suspense in Assembly Appropriations, established a new state oversight and coordinating body for higher education.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

Aspire Public Schools

Calbright College

California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy

California State Student Association

Campaign for College Opportunity

Cft- a Union of Educators & Classified Professionals, Aft, Afl-cio

Coalition of California Welfare Rights Organizations

Edtrust-west

Grace Institute - End Child Poverty in CA

Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU)

John Burton Advocates for Youth

The California Alliance for Student Parent Success

Unite-la, INC.

Opposition

None on file

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