California Senate Bill SB850 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 850AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 1, 2014 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 10, 2014 INTRODUCED BY Senator Block (Principal coauthor: Senator Hill) (Coauthors: Senators Anderson, Beall, Correa,  Hueso,  Lara, Roth, Torres, Vidak, and Wyland) (Coauthor: Assembly Member Chvez) JANUARY 9, 2014 An act to add Article 3 (commencing with Section 78040) to Chapter 1 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 850, as amended, Block. Public postsecondary education: community college districts: baccalaureate degree 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 requires the board of governors to appoint a chief executive officer, to be known as the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. Existing law establishes community college districts, administered by governing boards, throughout the state, and authorizes these districts to provide instruction to students at the community college campuses maintained by the districts. Existing law requires community colleges to offer instruction through, but not beyond, the 2nd year of college and authorizes community colleges to grant associate degrees in arts and science. This bill  would   would, commencing January 1, 2015,  authorize the board of governors, in consultation with the California State University and the University of California, to establish a  statewide  baccalaureate degree pilot program at not more than  20   15  community college districts, to be determined by the chancellor and approved by the board of governors, which would authorize each participating  campus within the  district to offer one type of baccalaureate  degree,   degree at one campus within the district,  as specified. The bill would require a  district  baccalaureate degree pilot program to  expire 8 years after the establishment of the program.   commence by the beginning of the 2017-18 academic year, and would require a student participating in a baccalaureate degree pilot program to complete his or degree by the end of the 2022-23 academic year.  The bill would require  a  participating community college  district   districts  to meet specified requirements, including, but not limited to, offering baccalaureate degrees  not offered by the California State University or the University of California, and  in subject areas with unmet workforce needs, as  specified, and submitting a report to the chancellor at least one year prior to the expiration of the baccalaureate degree pilot program or one year after the first graduating class, whichever occurs first, that would evaluate specified factors.   specified.  This bill would also require the governing board of a participating community college district to submit certain information for review by the chancellor and approval by the board of governors, including the  proposed governance system of   administrative plan for  the baccalaureate degree pilot  program, and would authorize the governing board of a community college district to enter into agreements with local businesses and agencies to provide educational services to students participating in a baccalaureate degree pilot program.   program. The bill would provide that the Department of Finance and the Legislative   Analyst's Office shall jointly conduct a statewide evaluation of the statewide baccalaureate degree pilot program implemented under this article, as specified, and to report the results of the evaluation, in writing, to the Legislature and the Governor on or before July 1, 2021.  The bill would provide that the board of governors shall develop  ,  and adopt by regulation  ,  a funding model for the support of the  statewide  baccalaureate degree pilot  programs,   program  as specified.  This bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2023, and would repeal the provisions on January 1, 2024.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. 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) California needs to produce one million more baccalaureate degrees than the state currently produces to remain economically competitive in the coming decades. (b) The 21st century workplace increasingly demands a higher level of education in applied fields. (c) There is demand for education beyond the associate degree level in specific academic disciplines that is not currently being met by California's four-year public institutions. (d) Community colleges can help fill the gaps in our higher education system by granting baccalaureate degrees in a limited number of specific areas in order to meet a growing demand for a skilled workforce. (e) These baccalaureate programs will be limited and will not in any way detract from the community colleges' traditional mission to advance California's economic growth and global competitiveness through education, training, and services that contribute to continuous workforce improvement, nor will these programs unnecessarily duplicate similar programs offered by nearby public four-year institutions. (f) Community colleges can provide a quality baccalaureate education to their students, enabling place-bound local students and military veterans the opportunity to earn the baccalaureate degree needed for new job opportunities and promotion. (g) Twenty-one other states, from Florida to Hawaii, already allow their community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees. California is one of the most innovative states in the nation, and the California Community Colleges will use that same innovative spirit to produce more professionals in health, biotechnology, public safety, and other needed fields. SEC. 2. Article 3 (commencing with Section 78040) is added to Chapter 1 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read: Article 3. Baccalaureate Degree Pilot Program 78040. For purposes of this article, "district" means any community college district identified by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges as participating in the  statewide  baccalaureate degree pilot program. Each  participating  district may establish  one baccalaureate degree pilot  programs   program  pursuant to Section 78041. 78041. Notwithstanding Section 66010.4,  and commencing January 1, 2015,  the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, in consultation with the California State University and the University of California, may authorize the establishment of  district  baccalaureate degree pilot programs that meet all of the eligibility requirements set forth in Section 78042. A  district pilot program established pursuant to this  section shall expire eight years after the establishment of the program.   article shall commence no later than the 2017-18 academic year. A student participating in a baccalaureate pilot program shall complete his or her degree by the end of the 2022-23 academic year.  For purposes of this section, a pilot program  is established   commences  when the first class of students begins the program. The  statewide  baccalaureate degree pilot program shall consist of a maximum of  twenty   fifteen  districts, to be determined by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and authorized by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. 78042. (a) A district shall seek approval to offer  a  baccalaureate degree  programs   program  through the appropriate accreditation body. (b) When seeking authorization from the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, a district shall maintain the primary mission of the California Community Colleges specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 66010.4. The district, as part of the baccalaureate degree pilot program, shall have the additional mission to provide high-quality undergraduate education at an affordable price for students and the state. (c) A district shall not offer more than one type of baccalaureate  degree per campus,   degree,  as determined by the governing board of the district and approved by the Governing Board of the California Community Colleges, and subject to the following limitations: (1) A district shall identify and document unmet workforce needs in the subject  areas   area  of the baccalaureate  degrees  degree  to be offered and offer a baccalaureate degree at a campus in a subject area with unmet workforce needs in the local community or region of the district. (2) A baccalaureate degree pilot program shall not  duplicate similar programs offered by public postsecondary educational institutions, unless approved by the Chancellor of the California State University.   offer a baccalaureate degree already offered by the California State University or the University of California.  (3) A district shall have the expertise, resources, and student interest to offer a quality baccalaureate degree in the chosen field of study.  (4) A district shall not offer a baccalaureate degree at more than one campus within the district.   (5) A district shall notify a student who applies to the district' s baccalaureate degree pilot program that the student is required to complete his or her baccalaureate degree by the end of the 2022-23 academic year, as specified in Section 78041.  (d) A district shall maintain separate records for students who are enrolled in courses classified in the upper division and lower division of a baccalaureate program. A student shall be reported as a community college student for enrollment in a lower division course and as a baccalaureate degree program student for enrollment in an upper division course. (e) A governing board of a district seeking authorization to offer a baccalaureate degree pilot program shall submit all of the following for review by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and approval by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges: (1) The  proposed governance system   administrative plan  for the baccalaureate degree pilot program. (2) The baccalaureate degree pilot program's curriculum, faculty, and facilities. (3) The  level of matriculation for students enrolled in a   enrollment projections for the  baccalaureate degree  pilot  program. (f) (1) The Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges shall develop  ,  and adopt by regulation  ,  a funding model for the support of the statewide  baccalaureate degree pilot  programs   program  that is based on a calculation of the number of full-time equivalent students enrolled in the  district  pilot programs. (2) Funding for each full-time equivalent student shall be at an agreed upon marginal cost calculation that shall not exceed the California State Universities marginal cost calculation. (3) Each student in the   a  baccalaureate degree pilot  programs   program  authorized by this article shall not be charged fees higher than the mandatory systemwide fees charged for baccalaureate degree programs at the California State University. (4) Fees for upper division coursework in  the   a  baccalaureate degree pilot programs   program  shall be set and approved by the Legislature in a manner consistent with the setting of fees for lower division coursework at the California community colleges.  Fees for lower division coursework in a baccalaureate degree pilot program shall not exceed the fees for other lower division coursework offered by the California Community Colleges.   (g) The governing board of a district may enter into agreements with local businesses and agencies to provide educational services to students participating in a baccalaureate degree pilot program.   (h) A district that received authorization to offer a baccalaureate degree pilot program shall submit a report to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges at least one year prior to the expiration of the baccalaureate degree pilot program pursuant to Section 78041 or one year after the first graduating class of the baccalaureate degree pilot program, whichever occurs first. The report shall examine the success of the baccalaureate degree pilot program by evaluating all of the following factors:   (1) The percentage of students who complete a baccalaureate degree, calculated by dividing the number of students who graduate from the baccalaureate degree pilot program by the number of students who enrolled in the program.   (2) The extent to which the baccalaureate degree pilot program is self-supporting, such that the student fees charged pursuant to subdivision (f) cover the costs of the program.   (3) Whether there is a problem with finding and paying instructors for the baccalaureate degree pilot program.   (4) Whether there was a decline in enrollment at California State University or University of California campuses in the regions served by the district as a direct result of the baccalaureate degree pilot program.   (5) The number of students who received jobs in the area in the field of study of their baccalaureate degree.   (g) (1) The Department of Finance and the Legislative Analyst's Office shall jointly conduct a statewide evaluation of the statewide baccalaureate degree pilot program implemented under this article. The results of the evaluation shall be reported, in writing, to the Legislature and the Governor on or before July 1, 2021. The evaluation required by this section shall consider all of the following:   (A) The number of new district baccalaureate degree pilot programs implemented, including information identifying the number of new programs, applicants, admissions, enrollments, and degree recipients.   (B) The extent to which the baccalaureate degree pilot programs established under this article are fulfilling identified needs for new baccalaureate degree programs, including statewide supply and demand data that considers capacity at the California State University, the University of California, and in California's independent colleges and universities.   (C) Information on the place of employment of students and the subsequent job placement of graduates.   (D) Baccalaureate degree program costs and the funding sources that were used to finance these programs, including a calculation of cost per degree awarded.   (E) The costs of the baccalaureate degree programs to students, the amount of financial aid offered, and student debt levels of graduates of the programs.   (F) Time-to-degree rates and completion rates for the baccalaureate degree pilot programs.   (G) The extent to which the programs established under this article are in compliance with the requirements of this article.   (2) A district shall submit the information necessary to conduct the evaluation require by paragraph (1), as determined by the evaluators, to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, who shall provide the information to the evaluators upon request.   (3) A report to be submitted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.   78043. This article shall become inoperative on July 1, 2023, and as January 1, 2024, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute that is enacted before January 1, 2024 deletes or extends that date.