BILL NUMBER: SB 1143INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Liu FEBRUARY 18, 2010 An act relating to community college funding. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1143, as introduced, Liu. Community college funding. Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in this state. This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a framework for allocating state funds to community colleges in a manner that provides incentives for community colleges to assist students in completing coursework in which they enroll and coursework that is required to earn a certificate or degree. The bill would also express legislative findings and declarations relating to the rate of degree completion among community college students in this state. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) The low rate of degree completion among community college students is threatening California's economic future. (b) In order to reach the education levels of the most competitive economies, the number of students earning college degrees in California each year must increase by more than 50 percent. (c) Over 70 percent of public undergraduate enrollment in California is in the community colleges. (d) Only 24 percent of degree-seeking students complete a certificate or associate degree or transfer to a four-year college or university within six years. (e) Under current law, community colleges receive most of their annual funds based on student enrollment in the third week of each semester. (f) This method of allocating funds creates an incentive for community colleges to enroll students, but no fiscal incentive for those colleges to help students complete their courses and earn degrees. Currently, only about 60 percent of community college courses are successfully completed. (g) Many of today's community college students require extensive academic and student support services to remain enrolled and succeed. Community colleges lack the resources and the incentives to invest in this level of student support. SEC. 2. It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation to establish a framework for allocating state funds to community colleges in a manner that provides incentives for community colleges to assist students in completing coursework in which they enroll and coursework that is required to earn a certificate or degree.