California Assembly Bill AB2534 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2534AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 20, 2012 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 29, 2012 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Block FEBRUARY 24, 2012 An act to  amend Section 94950 of the Education Code, relating to private postsecondary education   add and repeal Section 78016.7 of the Education Code, relating to the Califor   nia Community Colleges  . LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2534, as amended, Block.  Private postsecondary education: California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009.   The California Community Colleges: veterans career technical education pilot program.   Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts, administered by a governing board, throughout the state, and authorizes these districts to provide instruction to students at the community college campuses maintained by the districts.   This bill would require the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to establish a voluntary pilot program, until January 1, 2021, for purposes of authorizing a community college district to establish and maintain a career technical education program that factors experiential learning for veterans for career technical education course credit, certificates, and associate degrees. The bill would require the chancellor to consider specified information to select no more than 3 to 5 applicant campuses to participate in the pilot program. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to provide a report to the Legislature that evaluates the pilot program, as specified, by June 30, 2020.   Existing law, the California Private Postsecondary Education Act of 2009, provides for the regulation of private postsecondary educational institutions by the Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education in the Department of Consumer Affairs. Existing law repeals that act on January 1, 2015.   This bill would instead repeal that act on January 1, 2016, thus extending the existence of the act by one year.   Under existing law, the act specifies conduct by regulated institutions that, if undertaken, is a crime.   Because this bill would extend the application of those criminal provision, it would impose a state-mandated local program.   The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.   This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.  Vote: majority. Appropriation:  yes   no  . Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program:  yes   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 California Community Colleges, with their mission to serve all Californians, have opened their doors to military veterans returning from a decade of combat service across the world.   (b) The California Community Colleges, in serving this veteran population, should identify, explore, and develop best practices for statewide policy on credit for experiential learning for military veterans through a pilot program.   (c) Where possible, community colleges participating in this pilot program should recognize the federal training and education received by veterans and identify course options to expedite the attainment of degree and certificate goals by military veterans.  SEC. 2.   Section 78016.7 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   78016.7. (a) The Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall establish a voluntary pilot program for purposes of authorizing a community college district to establish and maintain a career technical education program that factors experiential learning for veterans for career technical education course credit, certificates, and associate degrees. (b) The governing board of a community college district may apply for a campus within its district to be selected to participate in the pilot program, and the chancellor shall select no more than three to five of those campuses to participate in the pilot program. In selecting campuses for the pilot program, the chancellor shall consider all of the following: (1) The geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic diversity of students attending the campus. (2) The percentage of veterans on a campus and a campus' existing veteran services and programs. (3) The community college district's program and planning capacity. (4) The potential for support from funding partners in industry, the military, labor, or other private funding sources to reduce the cost of attendance for students participating in the pilot program. (c) The pilot program shall use existing resources, including, but not limited to, the American Council on Education recommendations, to determine the value of a veteran's prior professional military training, education, and experience. (d) Career technical education course credit and certificates for the pilot program may include credit earned as a result of prior military service. (e) The governing board of a community college district may approve credit courses that are not part of an approved educational program for a campus that participates in the pilot program, in accordance with Section 70901, for the duration of the pilot program. (f) On or before June 30, 2020, the Legislative Analyst's Office shall provide a report to the Legislature that evaluates the pilot program established by this section, drawing upon campus reports; campus visits; interviews with faculty, students, and administrators; and other sources the Legislative Analyst's Office deems relevant. The report shall include all of the following: (1) The geographic, socioeconomic, and demographic diversity of students participating in the pilot program. (2) Summary statistics on enrollment, financing sources, completion rates, and credit granted for prior learning experience for the pilot program. (3) An assessment of the pilot program's effect on student veterans' success in reaching their educational goals. (4) Recommendations regarding the extension, expansion, or modification of the pilot program. (g) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2021, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2021, deletes or extends that date.   SECTION 1.   Section 94950 of the Education Code is amended to read: 94950. This chapter shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2016, and as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2016, deletes or extends that date.   SEC. 2.   No reimbursement is required by this act pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution because the only costs that may be incurred by a local agency or school district will be incurred because this act creates a new crime or infraction, eliminates a crime or infraction, or changes the penalty for a crime or infraction, within the meaning of Section 17556 of the Government Code, or changes the definition of a crime within the meaning of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution.