California Assembly Bill AB2822 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 2822AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 2, 2016 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 31, 2016 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 17, 2016 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Chiu (Coauthors: Assembly Members Medina, Santiago, Weber, and Williams) FEBRUARY 19, 2016 An act to  amend Section 78212 of   add Section 72670.7 to  the Education Code, relating to student financial aid. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 2822, as amended, Chiu. Student financial aid:  Student Success and Support Program:   community college auxiliary organizations:  emergency student financial assistance. 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, known as the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012, defines "matriculation" as a process that brings a college and a student who enrolls for credit into an agreement for the purpose of realizing the student's educational objectives. The act specifies the matriculation services that community colleges are required to provide.   law a   uthorizes the board of governors to establish auxiliary organizations, as defined, for the purpose of providing supportive services and specialized programs   for the general benefit of the mission of the California Community Colleges.  This bill would authorize the use of  Student Success and Support Program   auxiliary organization  funds for the provision of emergency student financial assistance, as defined, to eligible students, as defined, to overcome unforeseen financial challenges, as specified, that would directly impact a student's ability to persist in his or her course of  study, if emergency student financial assistance is included in an institution' s plan for interventions to students. The bill would authorize no more than 3% of the total funding that a community college district or campus receives for the Student Success and Support Program to be used for the provision of emergency student financial assistance.   study. The bill would authorize auxiliary organizations to solicit and accept private funding, as specified, for the purposes of this bill.  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) Given the need to improve community college student outcomes, the Legislature required the California Community Colleges to develop plans to improve student success through the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012 (Article 1 (commencing with Section 78210) of Chapter 2 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code).   (b)   (a)  Research indicates that students' ability to pay for nontuition costs plays a major role in determining the outcomes of their academic careers and impacts student success. Unexpected financial emergencies can play a major role when community college students drop out of school.  (c)   (b)  Emergency aid is an effective strategy to retain students and ultimately improve graduation rates and overall student success. Emergency aid provides the flexibility needed to respond to a student's unexpected financial emergency that may arise during the academic year. Emergency aid is a critical tool for student retention and persistence that is most effective as a part of a broader set of student success efforts.  (d)   (c)  It is in the interest of the state to reduce the attrition rates of full-time students. Nationally, billions of dollars are lost when full-time students do not return in what would be their second year of college. California has lost more than one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) in state and federal funding due to first-year attrition. Emergency aid is an efficient investment that addresses student attrition while only providing small dollar grants when a student is in crisis. With this type of well-timed aid, students are more likely to complete the academic term and re-enroll for the next term.  (e)   (d)  A well-educated citizenry provides tremendous benefits to the state as higher educational attainment is connected with higher earnings, which produce more tax revenue and lower the cost of social services.  SEC. 2.   Section 78212 of the Education Code is amended to read: 78212. (a) (1) For purposes of this article, "matriculation" means a process that brings a college and a student into an agreement for the purpose of achieving the student's educational goals and completing the student's course of study. The agreement involves the responsibilities of both parties to attain those objectives through the college's established programs, policies, and requirements including those established by the board of governors pursuant to Section 78215. (2) The institution's responsibility under the agreement includes the provision of student services to provide a strong foundation and support for their academic success and ability to achieve their educational goals. The program of services funded through the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012, which shall be known and may be cited as the Student Success and Support Program, shall include, but are not necessarily limited to, all of the following: (A) Orientation services designed to provide to students, on a timely basis, information concerning campus procedures, academic expectations, financial assistance, and any other matters the college or district finds appropriate. (B) Assessment before course registration, as defined in Section 78213. (C) Counseling and other education planning services, which shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, all of the following: (i) Counseling and advising. (ii) Assistance to students in the exploration of educational and career interests and aptitudes and identification of educational objectives, including, but not necessarily limited to, preparation for transfer, associate degrees, and career technical education certificates and licenses. (iii) The provision of information, guided by sound counseling principles and practices, using a broad array of delivery mechanisms, including technology-based strategies to serve a continuum of student needs and abilities, that will enable students to make informed choices. (iv) Development of an education plan leading to a course of study and guidance on course selection that is informed by, and related to, a student's academic and career goals. (D) Referral to specialized support services as needed and available, including, but not necessarily limited to, federal, state, and local financial assistance; health services; career services; veteran support services; foster youth services; extended opportunity programs and services provided pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 69640) of Chapter 2 of Part 42 of Division 5; campus child care services provided pursuant to Article 6 (commencing with Section 66060) of Chapter 2 of Part 40 of Division 5; programs that teach basic skills education and English as a second language; and disabled student services provided pursuant to Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 67300) of Part 40 of Division 5. (E) Evaluation of each student's progress and referral to appropriate interventions for students who are enrolled in basic skills courses, who have not declared an educational goal as required, or who are on academic probation, as defined by standards adopted by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges and community college districts. (3) The student's responsibilities under the agreement include, but are not necessarily limited to, the identification of an academic and career goal upon application, the declaration of a specific course of study after a specified time period or unit accumulation, as defined by the board of governors, diligence in class attendance and completion of assigned coursework, and the completion of courses and maintenance of academic progress toward an educational goal and course of study identified in the student's education plan. To ensure that students are not unfairly impacted by the requirements of this chapter, the board of governors shall establish a reasonable implementation period that is phased in as resources are available to provide nonexempt students with the core services pursuant to this section. (b) Funding for the Student Success and Support Program shall be targeted to fully implement orientation, assessment, counseling and advising, and other education planning services needed to assist a student in making an informed decision about his or her educational goal and course of study and in the development of an education plan. (c) (1) Funding for the Student Success and Support Program may be used for provision of emergency student financial assistance to help eligible students to overcome unforeseen financial challenges that would directly impact the student's ability to persist in his or her course of study. These challenges include, but are not necessarily limited to, the immediate need for shelter or food. Each community college district and campus is encouraged to consider the unique characteristics of its student body in developing specific guidelines for further defining what constitutes an unforeseen financial challenge for its students. (2) In order for emergency student financial assistance to be an allowable use of Student Success and Support Program funds, emergency student financial assistance shall be included in the institution's plan for interventions to students. (3) For purposes of this subdivision, the following terms are defined as follows: (A) "Eligible student" means a student who has experienced an unforeseen financial challenge, who currently meets satisfactory academic progress of the institution he or she attends, and who is at risk of not persisting in his or her course of study due to the unforeseen financial challenge. (B) "Emergency student financial assistance" means financial support in the form of financial assistance to support a student to help overcome unforeseen financial challenges so that the student can continue his or her course of study. (4) No more than 3 percent of the total funding that a community college district or campus receives for the Student Success and Support Program may be used for the provision of emergency student financial assistance.   SEC. 2.   Section 72670.7 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   72670.7. (a) An auxiliary organization established pursuant to Section 72670.5 shall provide guidelines and resources for community college districts or campuses that seek to establish student emergency aid programs among the supportive services and specialized programs it provides. (b) Any funds that the auxiliary organization may receive may be used for the provision of emergency student financial assistance to help eligible students to overcome unforeseen financial challenges that would directly impact the student's ability to persist in his or her course of study. These challenges include, but are not necessarily limited to, the immediate need for shelter or food. The auxiliary organization shall encourage each community college district and campus to which it provides supportive services or specialized programs under this section to consider the unique characteristics of its student body in developing specific guidelines for further defining what constitutes an unforeseen financial challenge for its students. (c) For purposes of this section, the following terms are defined as follows: (1) "Eligible student" means a student who has experienced an unforeseen financial challenge, who currently meets satisfactory academic progress of the institution he or she attends, and who is at risk of not persisting in his or her course of study due to the unforeseen financial challenge. (2) "Emergency student financial assistance" means financial support in the form of financial assistance to support a student to help overcome unforeseen financial challenges so that the student can continue his or her course of study. (d) It is the intent of the Legislature that priority for emergency assistance funding be given to community college districts or campuses based on their enrollment of student populations that are in the most need. (e) The auxiliary organization may solicit and accept private funding for the purposes of this section. These private funding sources may include, but are not necessarily limited to, foundations, corporate funding, crowdfunding, donation drives, or any other sources of private investment that may be available.