BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 906 Page 1 SENATE THIRD READING SB 906 (Beall) As Amended August 18, 2016 Majority vote SENATE VOTE: 38-0 -------------------------------------------------------------------- |Committee |Votes|Ayes |Noes | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |----------------+-----+-----------------------+---------------------| |Higher |13-0 |Medina, Baker, Bloom, | | |Education | |Chávez, Irwin, | | | | |Jones-Sawyer, Levine, | | | | |Linder, Low, Olsen, | | | | |Santiago, Weber, | | | | |Williams | | | | | | | |----------------+-----+-----------------------+---------------------| |Human Services |7-0 |Bonilla, Grove, | | | | |Arambula, Lopez, | | | | |Maienschein, | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |Mark Stone, Thurmond | | | | | | | |----------------+-----+-----------------------+---------------------| |Appropriations |20-0 |Gonzalez, Bigelow, | | SB 906 Page 2 | | |Bloom, Bonilla, Bonta, | | | | |Calderon, Chang, Daly, | | | | |Eggman, Gallagher, | | | | |Eduardo Garcia, | | | | |Holden, Jones, | | | | |Obernolte, Quirk, | | | | |Santiago, Wagner, | | | | |Weber, Wood, Chau | | | | | | | | | | | | -------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: Conforms the definition of "foster youth or former foster youth," for the purposes of priority registration at the University of California (UC), the California State University (CSU), and the California Community Colleges (CCC), to existing state higher education program definitions; deletes the sunset on the extension of priority registration to foster youth or former foster youth; and, deletes the sunset on the extension of priority registration to Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) students and Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS) students at the CCC; and, double-joints this measure to AB 801 (Bloom). EXISTING LAW: 1)Requires, if the postsecondary institution administers a priority enrollment system for registration, that the CSU and each CCC district, and requests that the UC, grant priority enrollment, to any current or former foster youth, and repeals these provisions on January 1, 2017 (Education Code (EC) Section 66025.9). 2)Requires each CCC district that administers a priority enrollment system for registration to grant priority registration for enrollment to students in the EOPS program and to disabled students, as specified, and repeals these provisions on January 1, 2017 (EC Section 66025.91) SB 906 Page 3 3)Establishes the CCC EOPS to extend opportunities for community college education to all who may profit regardless of economic, social and educational status, and to encourage local community colleges to identify students affected by economic, language, and social disadvantages and encourage their enrollment and achievement of their educational objectives and goals. Requires the CCC Board of Governors (BOG) to adopt regulations with the objective that the EOPS programs include qualified counseling staff, facilitation of transfer, and enrollment in courses necessary to develop successful study skills, as specified. Authorizes local community college governing boards to provide services that may include loans or grants for living costs, student fees, and transportation costs and also scholarships, work-experience and job placement programs (EC Sections 69640 to 69656). FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, pursuant to Senate Rule 28.8, negligible state costs. COMMENTS: Background on DSPS and EOPS. Disabled Student Programs and Services provide support services, specialized instruction and accommodations to students with a disability, allowing them to fully participate and benefit from an equitable college experience. The overall mission of DSPS is to provide exemplary instruction, support services and access to students with disabilities. DSPS will support students with disabilities in educationally related activities consistent with the mission and vision of the institution and in compliance with federal and state laws. Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, a state funded program, was created to enable low income, educationally disadvantaged students "affected by language, social, and economic handicaps" to achieve a college education (SB 164 SB 906 Page 4 (Alquist), Chapter 1579, Statutes of 1969). EOPS works to help students succeed by providing educational opportunities, encouragement, and support services. Students are eligible for EOPS if all of the following requirements are met: 1)Student is a California resident; 2)Student qualifies for the CCC BOG Tuition Fee Waiver (A or B) through the Financial Aid Office; 3)Student is enrolled full-time (12 or more units); 4)Student has completed less than 60 degree applicable college units; and, 5)Student is educationally disadvantaged as determined by EOPS. Foster Youth. According to the Foundation for California Community Colleges, each year, approximately 4,000 of California's foster youth turn 18 and become independent, many without the necessary skills to support themselves. Special programs are needed in order to support foster students' academic and emotional needs; helping to set them up for success in college and beyond. According to a 2013 study by the Center for Social Services and Research that measured the academic achievement of foster youth, students with disabilities, and low-income students, the research found that said groups, "fared significantly worse than the general population in a range of areas, including, the percentage who initially enter community college and persist one year." Additionally, the Center found that by age 26, each of SB 906 Page 5 these student populations is much less likely to hold a post-secondary education degree. For foster youth, 6% will hold a degree, 10% of low-income students will hold a degree, and 29% of students with a disability will hold a degree. To note, approximately half of the population that is not low-income, disabled, or in foster care, hold a degree. Current law allows for these student populations to receive college priority registration; however, this priority will end on January 1, 2017. This measure calls for the removal of the sunset. Need for this measure. According to the author, the eligibility for priority registration for foster youth applies to those students who were in foster care on or after their 18th birthday and under age 23. The author contends that this measure "removes the sunset date for the three categories of students to allow colleges to continue the priority registration process and also changes the eligibility criteria for foster youth to align with other existing programs." To note, currently, foster youth are eligible for priority registration if they were in foster care on or after their 18th birthday and under age 23. Under this measure, foster youth would be eligible for priority registration if they were in foster care on or after their 16th birthday, and were under age 26. The author argues that, "By removing the sunset, colleges will be able to continue to grant priority registration for foster youth, low-income, and disabled students, so it enables them to register for courses before the larger student population. Priority registration would allow them to secure required courses, shorten the time to degree completion and reduce financial aid utilization. In regards to changing the SB 906 Page 6 definition of foster youth, these youth are already at a disadvantage and have encountered many challenges throughout their lives. These students can't afford to have another barrier placed upon them. Many foster youth have shown success based on the offering of priority registration and additional support services." How many? CCC. The annual 2014-15 systemwide enrolled count of EOPS students was 75,776; 121,410 DSPS students, and 15,227 foster youth out of approximately 2.3 million CCC students. CSU. The annual 2014-15 systemwide number of enrolled foster youth is not available. According to the CSU Chancellor's Office, foster youth data is not collected at the systemwide level. Additionally, the data is all self-identified at the campus level. UC. According to the UC Office of the President, foster youth self-identify on the UC admissions application. The Fall 2015 systemwide number of enrolled foster youth was 1,587. Related legislation. AB 2506 (Thurmond) of the current legislative session, which is awaiting a hearing in the Senate Education Committee, would, among others, address the low rates of college persistence and completion among foster youth in the state, by requiring the California Student Aid Commission to provide a Chafee Educational and Training Voucher to qualified students attending qualifying institutions. AB 595 (Gomez), Chapter 704, Statutes of 2013, required a community college district that administers a priority enrollment system to grant priority registration for enrollment to students in the EOPS programs and to disabled students, as defined; and also established the Legislature's intent that any SB 906 Page 7 student who receives priority registration for enrollment shall comply with the requirements of the Student Success Initiative. AB 2133 (Blumenfield), Chapter 400, Statutes of 2012, required a veteran to use his/her four years of priority enrollment at the UC, CSU, and CCC within 15 years of leaving active duty; and, required that veterans receiving priority enrollment comply with the requirements of the Student Success Act of 2012. AB 194 (Beall), Chapter 458, Statutes of 2011, until July 1, 2017, required a community college district to grant priority enrollment for registration to any current or former foster youth, if the institution already administers a priority enrollment system, and repeals these provisions on January 1, 2017. SB 813 (Committee on Veteran Affairs), Chapter 375, Statutes of 2011, extended the time frame for eligibility for priority enrollment for veterans at the UC, CSU, and CCC from two years to four years. SB 272 (Runner), Chapter 356, Statutes of 2007, extended priority enrollment at the UC, CSU and CCC for a veteran who is a resident of California and who has received an honorable discharge, a general discharge, or an other than honorable discharge for any academic term attended at one of these institutions within two years of leaving state or federal active duty, if the institution already administered a priority enrollment system. Analysis Prepared by: Jeanice Warden / HIGHER ED. / (916) 319-3960 SB 906 Page 8 FN: 0004303