Bill Text: CA AB2057 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Associate Degree for Transfer.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-09-27 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 696, Statutes of 2024. [AB2057 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB2057-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  April 18, 2024

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 19, 2024

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2057

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Introduced by Assembly Member Berman

February 01, 2024

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An act to amend and repeal Section 66749.8 of, and to add Section 66749.81 to, the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2057, as amended, Berman. Associate Degree for Transfer.

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 postsecondary education in this state. The California Community Colleges system provides instruction to students at 116 campuses operated by community college districts throughout the state and, among other things, provides its students with a transfer pathway, facilitated by mechanisms such as the associate degree for transfer (ADT), allowing students to apply academic credit earned at a community college toward receipt of a baccalaureate degree at a 4-year postsecondary educational institution. The Donahoe Higher Education Act requires a student who earns an ADT to be deemed eligible for transfer into a California State University baccalaureate program when the student meets certain requirements.

Existing law establishes, until July 1, 2025, the Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee for specified purposes, including to serve as the primary entity charged with the oversight of the ADT. Existing law requires the committee, on or before December 31, 2023, to provide the Legislature with recommendations on certain issues impeding the scaling of the ADT and streamlining transfer across segments for students.

This bill would extend the operation of the committee indefinitely. The bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation based on recommendations from the committee.

This bill bill, among other things, would require California to adopt and monitor certain goals that are designed to prioritize closing equity gaps by race and ethnicity in transfer outcomes, as specified. The bill, among other things, would require transfer model curriculum (TMC) drafts to be in place for the high-unit science, technology, engineering, and mathematics pathways of biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, environmental science, mathematics, and physics for purposes of meeting admissions eligibility to the California State University and University of California segments, and other four-year institutions participating in the ADT, as provided. Within 18 months of the approval of a new TMC, or the approval of revisions to an existing TMC, the bill would require the California Community Colleges to create an ADT for each adopted TMC. For a student who earns an ADT created under the parameters of a TMC, the bill would require a determination of similarity to ensure that students who earn the ADT are guaranteed admission in that similar major at one of the California State University campuses offering that major, as specified.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) The 1960 Master Plan for Higher Education promised an accessible, affordable, and high-quality higher education for all California students who qualify. The transfer pathway, from community college to a four-year postsecondary educational institution, is an integral component of the master plan’s commitment to access and affordability.

(2) The associate degree for transfer (ADT) was established in 2010 to create a streamlined transfer pathway for California Community Colleges (CCC) students to the California State University (CSU) or University of California (UC) systems by aligning coursework necessary to transfer to a CSU or a UC with the coursework needed to earn an associate degree with the goal of ensuring CCC students earn an associate degree while on their path to transfer, streamlining the transfer requirements across the CCC system, reducing time and excess credit units for the benefit of the student and the state, and guaranteeing a student junior standing at the CSU so they can expect to achieve a bachelor’s degree in two years.

(3) The structural framework of the ADT established to simplify the transfer pathway is a 60-unit threshold for the lower division coursework, plus a 60-unit maximum threshold for the upper division coursework. With this, every student who selects the ADT pathway and completes 60 transferable credits in the CCC system will be awarded an ADT. In addition to earning a degree, the student would complete the requirements for transfer and earn guaranteed admission with junior standing to a corresponding degree program at the CSU or other participating institution.

(4) The Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee was established by Chapter 566 of the Statutes of 2021 (Assembly Bill No. 928 in 2021) of the 2021–22 Regular Session) to serve as the primary entity charged with the oversight of the ADT for the sole purpose of strengthening the pathway for students and to ensure it becomes the primary transfer pathway in California between campuses of the CCC and the UC, the CSU, and participating independent institutions of higher education, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66010 of the Education Code, so that more students can avail themselves of the transfer pathway’s benefits.

(5) The Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee is comprised of 16 members who are representative of a cross-section of stakeholders, including student, institutional, and faculty representatives from the CCC, CSU, and UC systems, along with representatives from the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities, members of educational equity and social justice organizations, and members with expertise in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and with expertise in higher education research that includes scholarship on student transfer issues in California.

(6) In December 2023, the Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee submitted their final report of recommendations to the Governor and Legislature, which included recommendations on setting goals for increasing transfer rates and proposing a unit threshold for STEM degree pathways. These recommendations emerged from many months of discussions and deliberations, were rooted in guiding premises, and bolstered by research and analysis. The Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee offered these recommendations emboldened by the strong belief that the State of California must dramatically improve equity in transfer student outcomes to sustain a productive workforce in California, improve the well-being of the state’s residents, and provide fair opportunity for social and economic mobility.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation based on recommendations from the Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee.

SEC. 2.

 Section 66749.8 of the Education Code, as added by Section 2 of Chapter 566 of the Statutes of 2021, is amended to read:

66749.8.

 (a) (1) This section shall be known, and may be cited, as the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act of 2021.

(2) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(A) “ADT” means associate degree for transfer.

(B) “Committee” means the Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee established in subdivision (b).

(C) “Four-year postsecondary educational institution” means a campus of the University of California or California State University or an independent institution of higher education defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66010.

(D) “STEM” means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

(b) The Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee is hereby established for the following purposes:

(1) To serve as the primary entity charged with the oversight of the associate degree for transfer for the sole purpose of strengthening the pathway for students and to ensure it becomes the primary transfer pathway in California between campuses of the California Community Colleges and the University of California, the California State University, and participating independent institutions of higher education defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66010, so that more students can avail themselves of the pathway’s benefits. The oversight shall include, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(A) Ensuring a reduction in the number of excess units accumulated by California Community College students before transferring to four-year postsecondary educational institutions.

(B) Eliminating repetition of courses at four-year postsecondary educational institutions taken by California Community College students who successfully transfer into four-year postsecondary educational institutions.

(C) Increasing the number of California Community College students who transfer into a four-year postsecondary educational institution through an ADT pathway.

(2) To enhance coordination and communication between four-year postsecondary educational institutions and the California Community Colleges by providing a venue by which they can regularly meet and address issues that are impeding the purpose described in paragraph (1).

(3) To provide the Legislature and the Governor with recommendations to support the purpose described in paragraph (1).

(c) Meetings of the committee are subject to the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act established under Article 9 (commencing with Section 11120) of Chapter 1 of Part 1 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

(d) (1) The committee shall be convened by a third-party planning facilitator. The third-party planning facilitator shall perform all of the following duties:

(A) Provide facilitation and staff support to the committee.

(B) Develop written reports of the committee’s recommendations and progress pursuant to subdivisions (g) and (h).

(C) Facilitate advisory groups as needed to support the committee’s goals.

(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), the Office of Planning and Research may enter into an exclusive or nonexclusive contract with a third-party planning facilitator on a bid or negotiated basis. A contract entered into or amended pursuant to this paragraph shall be exempt from Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 14825) of Part 5.5 of Division 3 of Title 2 of the Government Code, Section 19130 of the Government Code, Part 2 (commencing with Section 10100) of Division 2 of the Public Contract Code, and from the review or approval of any division of the Department of General Services.

(3) The Office of Planning and Research shall report to the Department of Finance and relevant subcommittees of the Legislature on a contract awarded pursuant to paragraph (2) within 30 days of awarding the contract. The report shall include information on funding amounts provided to the contractor.

(e) (1) The membership of the committee shall reflect its intersegmental function by including a cross-section of the stakeholders who will be needed to fulfill the committee’s responsibilities.

(2) (A) Each of the following entities shall designate, on or before March 1, 2022, one representative to serve on the committee:

(i) The Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.

(ii) The Office of the Chancellor of the California State University.

(iii) The Office of the President of the University of California.

(iv) The Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities.

(v) The State Department of Education.

(vi) The Student Senate for the California Community Colleges.

(vii) The California State Student Association.

(viii) The University of California Student Association.

(ix) The Academic Senate for the California Community Colleges.

(x) The Academic Senate of the California State University.

(xi) The Academic Senate of the University of California.

(B) Designating entities described in subparagraph (A) shall fill vacancies when their representative member positions on the committee are vacant.

(3) (A) On or before March 1, 2022, five members of the committee shall be appointed as follows:

(i) The Senate Committee on Rules shall appoint one member from the workforce sector with expertise in the fields of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

(ii) The Speaker of the Assembly shall appoint one member with a background in higher education research that includes scholarship on student transfer issues in the state.

(iii) The Lieutenant Governor shall appoint one member from an educational equity and social justice organization.

(iv) The Governor shall appoint one member from an educational equity and social justice organization.

(v) The Governor shall appoint one member who is a California community college student.

(B) Appointing entities described in subparagraph (A) shall fill vacancies when their appointed member positions on the committee are vacant.

(C) Members appointed pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall serve at the pleasure of their respective appointing entities.

(4) The first chair of the committee shall be the representative from the Office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and shall serve a two-year term. Following the first chair’s two-year term, the committee shall elect a chair from its members to serve a two-year term. A member shall not serve consecutive terms as chair of the committee and the position of chair shall rotate among the members of the committee.

(f) To support the goals of the committee described in subdivision (g) and obtain additional input from other interested stakeholders, the third-party planning facilitator identified pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) may engage with the expertise of faculty through existing intersegmental oversight bodies and workgroups, including, but not limited to, the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates, the Intersegmental Curriculum Workgroup, the Intersegmental Coordinating Committee, and the California Intersegmental Articulation Council. The committee shall also use the members designated pursuant to clauses (ix) to (xi), inclusive, of subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) as liaisons to their respective curriculum workgroups to ensure better coordination and alignment.

(g) On or before December 31, 2023, the committee shall provide the Legislature with recommendations on all of the following issues impeding the scaling of the ADT and streamlining transfer across segments for students:

(1) Identifying annual goals for increasing transfer rates in California and closing racial equity gaps in transfer outcomes to be adopted by the state. Specifically, these goals shall include all of the following:

(A) Annual goals for improving transfer attainment needed to meet the state’s workforce demands.

(B) Goals for closing gaps in transfer outcomes by race.

(C) Goals for closing regional opportunity gaps to access ADT pathways.

(D) Annual goals to meet the statewide degree attainment goal of 70 percent.

(2) Proposing a new unit threshold for STEM degree pathways that meet the requirements for admission to the California State University and the University of California. The recommendations made pursuant to this paragraph shall comply with both of the following requirements:

(A) The recommendations shall include sufficient evidence supporting a higher unit threshold for each STEM degree pathway, including an analysis of colleges that have succeeded in adopting similar pathways within the 60-unit framework for lower division units taken at the California Community Colleges.

(B) A recommendation for a differing unit threshold within a STEM degree pathway shall not recommend a change of more than six units.

(3) Reengaging ADT earners who do not transfer or apply for transfer into a four-year postsecondary educational institution.

(h) On or before December 31, 2024, the committee shall achieve all of the following:

(1) Establish timelines and reporting deadlines for the existing regular review of declaring or matching transfer model curricula similar to the California State University majors for admissions purposes. In doing this, the committee shall develop a plan to establish reporting and accountability requirements to ensure that transfer model curricula are aligned with the ADT.

(2) Develop a plan for the periodic analysis and creation of additional transfer model curricula for the ADT to respond to evolving workforce demands, including STEM degree pathways, and degree pathways that will aid in the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, such as nursing and cybersecurity. The plan shall establish venues for professional collaboration in consultation with academic senates and appropriate discipline faculty on degree production, major alignment, and workforce- or industry-specific relevance.

(3) (A) Develop a comprehensive communications plan and guidance on student-centered outreach to inform students about the ADT pathway and to ensure prompt and accurate information is communicated across four-year postsecondary educational institutions, the California Community Colleges, and elementary and secondary education.

(B) The plan developed under subparagraph (A) shall include, but not be limited to, guidance to community college counselors and articulation officers on their role in communicating the value of the ADT pathway, guidance to high school counselors on incorporating the ADT pathway into their menu of college options, and templates that can be customized for outreach in local contexts. The communications plan shall also address how updates about the ADT pathways, including new majors and new participating four-year postsecondary educational institutions, will be communicated to four-year postsecondary educational institutions, the California Community Colleges, and high schools.

(C) The plan developed under subparagraph (A) shall address how updates about the ADT pathway will be regularly communicated to four-year postsecondary educational institutions, the California Community Colleges, and high schools so that counselors, advisers, and student support staff engaged in educating students about their college options, participating four-year postsecondary educational institutions, and degree options, have the most current information about the ADT pathway, and are aware of updates to the program such as new majors or new participating four-year postsecondary educational institutions.

(4) Provide feedback for the regular review and identification of updates needed to the ADT internet website maintained by the California Community Colleges to ensure current information and updates are communicated to students, families, and student support staff engaged in educating students about their college options, participating four-year postsecondary educational institutions, and degree options.

(i) (1) On or before May 31, 2023, the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges shall establish a singular lower division general education pathway that meets the academic requirements necessary for transfer admission to both the California State University and University of California. If the Intersegmental Committee of the Academic Senates of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges is unable to come to agreement on or before May 31, 2023, the respective administrative bodies of those segments shall establish a singular lower division general education pathway that meets the academic requirements necessary for transfer admission to the California State University and the University of California by December 31, 2023.

(2) Commencing with the fall term of the 2025–26 academic year, the singular lower division general education pathway established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be the only lower division general education pathway used to determine academic eligibility and sufficient academic preparation for transfer admission to the California State University and the University of California.

(3) The singular lower division general education pathway established pursuant to paragraph (1) shall not lengthen the time-to-degree and shall not include more units than is required under the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum on July 31, 2021.

(j) (1) On or before August 1, 2024, where ADTs for major pathways exist, the California Community Colleges shall place students on the ADT pathway if students declare a goal of transfer on their mandatory education plans pursuant to the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012 (Article 1 (commencing with Section 78210) of Chapter 2 of Part 48 of Division 7) and such a pathway exists for their intended major, to maximize the probability that students will transfer into a four-year postsecondary educational institution and earn a degree in their chosen field of study in a timely manner, and to minimize the accrual of excess units.

(2) A student may opt out of the ADT pathway for a local associate degree or if the student plans to apply to transfer to a University of California campus or an independent institution of higher education defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66010. Each community college shall use their existing processes for student education plans pursuant to the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012 (Article 1 (commencing with Section 78210) of Chapter 2 of Part 48 of Division 7) and enrollments to implement the opt-out feature where an ADT exists.

(3) This section shall not be construed to prohibit a student from being on the ADT pathway and also applying to transfer to a University of California campus or an independent institution of higher education defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66010.

(4) If an ADT pathway does not exist in the student’s chosen major, then there is no ADT pathway on which to place the student. This subdivision does not apply to students seeking to complete a community college baccalaureate degree program or a career technical education program that does not have an ADT pathway.

(k) Funding appropriated in the Budget Act of 2021 or subsequent budget acts to support the continued implementation of a guided pathways program pursuant to the California Community College Guided Pathways Grant Program established pursuant to Part 54.81 (commencing with Section 88920) of Division 7 may be used by community colleges to implement this section. It is the intent of the Legislature that community colleges also prioritize additional funding received in the 2021–22 fiscal year or a subsequent fiscal year to assist students’ success through transfer programs to the extent the activities performed pursuant to this section are not prohibited by the legislative appropriations.

SEC. 3.

 Section 66749.8 of the Education Code, as added by Section 3 of Chapter 566 of the Statutes of 2021, is repealed.

SEC. 4.

 Section 66749.81 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66749.81.

 (a) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “ADT” means associate degree for transfer.

(2) “STEM” means science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

(3) “TMC” means transfer model curriculum, or transfer model curricula, as appropriate.

(b) California shall adopt and monitor all of the following goals, which are designed to prioritize closing equity gaps by race and ethnicity in transfer outcomes:

(1) By January 1, 2030, close equity gaps by race and ethnicity in the outcomes of students who begin in the California Community Colleges and seek to transfer to any four-year institution within six years.

(2) By January 1, 2030, close equity gaps by race and ethnicity in the outcomes of students who begin in the California Community Colleges and seek to apply, be admitted, to enroll, and to graduate from the University of California and the California State University segments.

(c) (1) The 60-unit lower division maximum requirement shall be retained for an associate degree for transfer, with the exception of paragraph (2):

(2) For high-unit STEM major pathways, pathways identified as high-unit STEM pathways by the Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee established pursuant to Section 66749.8, ADT pathways may be established that contain up to, but no more than, 66 units of lower division coursework, and require the submission of clear evidence and rationale for the higher units during the TMC approval process.

(d) On or before January 1, 2025, TMC drafts shall be in place for the high-unit STEM pathways of biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, environmental science, mathematics, and physics for the purposes of meeting admissions eligibility to both the California State University and the University of California segments, and other four-year institutions that choose to participate in the ADT, such as members of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities and Historically Black Colleges and Universities currently engaged with the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges. Where a single TMC to both the University of California and the California State University is not possible, clear evidence and rationale explaining why separate TMCs are needed shall be required.

(e) (1) Within 18 months of the approval of a new TMC, or the approval of revisions to an existing TMC, the California Community Colleges shall create an ADT for each TMC adopted pursuant to subdivision (c). (d).

(2) Within 12 months of the development approval of an ADT pursuant to paragraph (1), each California State University campus shall determine similarity of the ADT pathway to a baccalaureate degree in a similar major to the TMC. University of California and Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities campuses are encouraged to identify those TMCs that fulfill major preparation requirements for transfer admission.

(3) For the purposes of determining similarity pursuant to paragraph (2), after a TMC template is created or revised for a major, each California State University campus shall determine if there is a baccalaureate degree in a similar major to the TMC. This determination of similarity shall ensure that students who earn the ADT, that is created under the parameters of that TMC, are guaranteed admission in that similar major at one of the California State University campuses offering that major and shall be required to complete no more than 60 units after transfer to earn the baccalaureate degree that is deemed similar to the major of the ADT if the student stays on that ADT pathway.

(f) Transparency concerning the membership and composition of the faculty discipline review groups and other intersegmental curriculum groups is required. required as follows:

(1) For each faculty discipline review group, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges shall regularly report to the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and the Academic Senate of the California State University shall regularly report to the office of the Chancellor of the California State University, all of the following:

(A) The total number of faculty members serving on each faculty discipline review group, including all of the following:

(i) The number of faculty members who work as instructional faculty for a California Community College.

(ii) The number of faculty members who work as instructional faculty for a California State University campus.

(iii) The number of faculty members who work as instructional faculty for a University of California campus.

(iv) The number of faculty members who work as instructional faculty for an independent institution of higher education, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 66010.

(B) The names of each faculty member serving on a faculty discipline review group.

(C) The postsecondary educational institution where each faculty member serving on a faculty discipline review group works as an instructional faculty member.

(D) The academic disciplines in which each faculty member serving on a faculty discipline review group provides classroom instruction at a postsecondary educational institution.

(2) The office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and the office of the Chancellor of the California State University shall regularly update their internet websites to reflect the membership and composition of the segment’s faculty members serving on faculty discipline review groups pursuant to paragraph (1).