Bill Text: CA AB2086 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Chaptered
Bill Title: Cal Grant Program: qualifying institutions: publication
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-09-24 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 248, Statutes of 2010. [AB2086 Detail]
Download: California-2009-AB2086-Chaptered.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 2086 CHAPTERED
BILL TEXT
CHAPTER 248
FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE SEPTEMBER 24, 2010
APPROVED BY GOVERNOR SEPTEMBER 23, 2010
PASSED THE SENATE AUGUST 23, 2010
PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 24, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 17, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE AUGUST 10, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 1, 2010
AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 16, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 6, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 22, 2010
AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 7, 2010
INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Coto
FEBRUARY 18, 2010
An act to amend Sections 10600 and 69432.7 of, and to add Section
44225.8 to, the Education Code, relating to postsecondary education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2086, Coto. Cal Grant Program: qualifying institutions:
publication of license examination passage rates.
(1) Existing law establishes in the State Department of Education
the California Education Information System, consisting of the
California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System and the
California Longitudinal Teacher Integrated Data Education System. The
function of the California Education Information System is to
establish, conduct, and, by continuous concern, keep up to date, a
basic, integrated, statewide information system for education.
This bill would add to the provisions relating to the California
Education Information System an expression of the intent of the
Legislature that, as the California Education Information System is
implemented over time, access to public information already available
on various measures of the quality of teacher preparation programs
be available in electronic format and be accessible to the extent
practicable through downloadable pages and reports accessible to the
public in a consolidated manner. This bill would also require all
teacher preparation programs to provide information to prospective
candidates regarding the license examination passage rates of
completers of its program for the most recent available year, if that
data is available electronically through the Internet Web site of
the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
(2) Existing law, the Ortiz-Pacheco-Poochigian-Vasconcellos Cal
Grant Program, establishes the Cal Grant A and B entitlement awards,
the California Community College Transfer Cal Grant Entitlement
awards, the Competitive Cal Grant A and B awards, the Cal Grant C
awards, and the Cal Grant T awards under the administration of the
Student Aid Commission, and establishes eligibility requirements for
awards under these programs for participating students attending
qualifying institutions.
For purposes of the Cal Grant Program, existing law defines
"qualifying institution" as a California private or independent
postsecondary educational institution that participates in specified
federal student aid programs, a nonprofit institution that is
headquartered and operating in California that meets specified
criteria, or a California public postsecondary educational
institution.
This bill would redefine "qualifying institution" for purposes of
the Cal Grant Program to mean an institution that is within any of
those 3 categories and that complies with a requirement to provide
information on where to access California license examination passage
rates for graduates of specified undergraduate programs if that data
is electronically available through the Internet Web site of a
California licensing or regulatory agency.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 10600 of the Education Code is amended to read:
10600. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this
chapter to make complete, current, and reliable information relating
to education available to the Legislature and to all public
educational agencies in California at maximum efficiency and economy
through statewide compatibility in the development and application of
information systems and electronic data-processing techniques
insofar as they relate to data required in reports to the department.
(b) It is the further intent of the Legislature to recognize the
importance, and enhance the stature, of the education profession
throughout the state.
(c) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(1) According to recent studies, there is a shortage of qualified
teachers, particularly in the areas of special education, English
language acquisition and development, mathematics, and science,
throughout California.
(2) In order for California to remain competitive in the global
economy, the Legislature recognizes the necessity of continuing to
support the recruitment of individuals to the teaching profession and
effective teacher preparation and professional development programs.
The Legislature also recognizes the importance of quality
instruction to the academic achievement of pupils and of providing
each pupil in the public schools with instruction by a highly
qualified teacher.
(3) State and local policymakers, local educational agencies,
teachers, parents, and pupils all need reliable information regarding
participation in the teacher workforce, teacher movement between
schools and school districts, the departure of teachers from the
workforce before retirement, the appropriateness of teacher
assignments, and the effectiveness of teacher credentialing,
preparation, induction, recruitment, and support, and would benefit
from the availability of more extensive information regarding the
teaching profession.
(4) Data regarding the teacher workforce is currently collected
and maintained by numerous state and local educational agencies. In
order for the Legislature to fulfill its intent in enacting this
chapter, it is necessary to integrate the data collected by those
existing data systems to provide an understanding of the teacher
workforce in the state and the effectiveness of teacher preparation
programs. For purposes of integrating data regarding the teacher
workforce in the state, Item 6110-001-0890 of Section 2.00 of the
Budget Act of 2005 (Chapter 38 of the Statutes of 2005) appropriated
funds for the department to contract for a teacher data system
feasibility study to determine the feasibility of converting existing
data systems into an integrated, comprehensive, longitudinally
linked teacher information system that can yield high-quality program
evaluations.
(5) It is important that policymakers and teacher candidates have
access to information on the quality of teacher preparation programs.
It is also the intent of the Legislature that the quality indicators
include the extent to which teachers are prepared to work
effectively with all pupils, including, but not necessarily limited
to, English language learners, special education pupils, and
socioeconomically disadvantaged pupils.
(6) It is the intent of the Legislature that, as the California
Education Information System is implemented over time, access to
public information already available on various measures of the
quality of teacher preparation programs be available in electronic
format and be accessible to the extent practicable through
downloadable pages and reports accessible to the public in a
consolidated manner.
(d) It is the intent of the Legislature that the vital goals
described in this section be accomplished through the establishment
of a comprehensive state education data information system in the
department that includes information regarding the teacher workforce.
SEC. 2. Section 44225.8 is added to the Education Code, to read:
44225.8. (a) All teacher preparation programs, regardless of
program sponsor, including, but not limited to, local educational
agencies or other programs that are not accredited by the Western
Association of Schools and Colleges, shall provide information to
prospective candidates regarding the license examination passage
rates of completers of its program for the most recent available
year, if that data is available electronically through the Internet
Web site of the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.
(b) For purposes of subdivision (a), "provide" includes placement
of an Internet Web site address labeled as an access point for data
on the passage rates of program completers on the Internet Web site
of the program where enrollment information for the program is also
located, on an Internet Web site that provides centralized admissions
information for postsecondary educational systems or programs with
multiple campuses, or on an application for enrollment or other
program information distributed to prospective candidates.
(c) The commission shall provide all teacher preparation programs
with the appropriate electronic link to comply with the provisions of
subdivision (a). To the extent feasible, the link may also include
access to additional data from the commission and from the California
Longitudinal Teacher Integrated Data Education System regarding the
types of programs offered and data on program effectiveness.
SEC. 3. Section 69432.7 of the Education Code is amended to read:
69432.7. As used in this chapter, the following terms have the
following meanings:
(a) An "academic year" is July 1 to June 30, inclusive. The
starting date of a session shall determine the academic year in which
it is included.
(b) "Access costs" means living expenses and expenses for
transportation, supplies, and books.
(c) "Award year" means one academic year, or the equivalent, of
attendance at a qualifying institution.
(d) "College grade point average" and "community college grade
point average" mean a grade point average calculated on the basis of
all college work completed, except for nontransferable units and
courses not counted in the computation for admission to a California
public institution of higher education that grants a baccalaureate
degree.
(e) "Commission" means the Student Aid Commission.
(f) "Enrollment status" means part- or full-time status.
(1) "Part time," for purposes of Cal Grant eligibility, means 6 to
11 semester units, inclusive, or the equivalent.
(2) "Full time," for purposes of Cal Grant eligibility, means 12
or more semester units or the equivalent.
(g) "Expected family contribution," with respect to an applicant,
shall be determined using the federal methodology pursuant to
subdivision (a) of Section 69506 (as established by Title IV of the
federal Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1070
et seq.)) and applicable rules and regulations adopted by the
commission.
(h) "High school grade point average" means a grade point average
calculated on a 4.0 scale, using all academic coursework, for the
sophomore year, the summer following the sophomore year, the junior
year, and the summer following the junior year, excluding physical
education, reserve officer training corps (ROTC), and remedial
courses, and computed pursuant to regulations of the commission.
However, for high school graduates who apply after their senior year,
"high school grade point average" includes senior year coursework.
(i) "Instructional program of not less than one academic year"
means a program of study that results in the award of an associate or
baccalaureate degree or certificate requiring at least 24 semester
units or the equivalent, or that results in eligibility for transfer
from a community college to a baccalaureate degree program.
(j) "Instructional program of not less than two academic years"
means a program of study that results in the award of an associate or
baccalaureate degree requiring at least 48 semester units or the
equivalent, or that results in eligibility for transfer from a
community college to a baccalaureate degree program.
(k) "Maximum household income and asset levels" means the
applicable household income and household asset levels for
participants in the Cal Grant Program, as defined and adopted in
regulations by the commission for the 2001-02 academic year, which
shall be set pursuant to the following income and asset ceiling
amounts:
CAL GRANT PROGRAM INCOME CEILINGS
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
| Cal Grant |
| A, |
| C, and T Cal Grant B |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
|Dependent and Independent students with |
|dependents* |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
|Family Size |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
| Six or more $74,100 $40,700 |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
| Five $68,700 $37,700 |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
| Four $64,100 $33,700 |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
| Three $59,000 $30,300 |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
| Two $57,600 $26,900 |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
|Independent |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
| Single, no $23,500 $23,500 |
|dependents |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
| Married $26,900 $26,900 |
+--------------------+--------------+--------------+
*Applies to independent students with dependents other than a
spouse.
CAL GRANT PROGRAM ASSET CEILINGS
+----------------------+-------------+-------------+
| Cal Grant |
| A, |
| C, and T Cal Grant B |
+----------------------+-------------+-------------+
|Dependent** $49,600 $49,600 |
+----------------------+-------------+-------------+
|Independent $23,600 $23,600 |
+----------------------+-------------+-------------+
**Applies to independent students with dependents other than a
spouse.
The commission shall annually adjust the maximum household income
and asset levels based on the percentage change in the cost of living
within the meaning of paragraph (1) of subdivision (e) of Section 8
of Article XIII B of the California Constitution. An applicant who
qualifies to be considered under the simplified needs test
established by federal law for student assistance shall be presumed
to meet the asset level test under this section. Prior to disbursing
any Cal Grant funds, a qualifying institution shall be obligated,
under the terms of its institutional participation agreement with the
commission, to resolve any conflicts that may exist in the data the
institution possesses relating to that individual.
( l ) (1) "Qualifying institution" means an institution
that complies with paragraph (2) and is any of the following:
(A) A California private or independent postsecondary educational
institution that participates in the Pell Grant Program and in at
least two of the following federal campus-based student aid programs:
(i) Federal Work-Study.
(ii) Perkins Loan Program.
(iii) Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant Program.
(B) A nonprofit institution headquartered and operating in
California that certifies to the commission that 10 percent of the
institution's operating budget, as demonstrated in an audited
financial statement, is expended for the purposes of institutionally
funded student financial aid in the form of grants, that demonstrates
to the commission that it has the administrative capacity to
administer the funds, that is accredited by the Western Association
of Schools and Colleges, and that meets any other state-required
criteria adopted by regulation by the commission in consultation with
the Department of Finance. A regionally accredited institution that
was deemed qualified by the commission to participate in the Cal
Grant Program for the 2000-01 academic year shall retain its
eligibility as long as it maintains its existing accreditation
status.
(C) A California public postsecondary educational institution.
(2) (A) The institution shall provide information on where to
access California license examination passage rates for the most
recent available year from graduates of its undergraduate programs
leading to employment for which passage of a California licensing
examination is required, if that data is electronically available
through the Internet Web site of a California licensing or regulatory
agency. For purposes of this paragraph, "provide" may exclusively
include placement of an Internet Web site address labeled as an
access point for the data on the passage rates of recent program
graduates on the Internet Web site where enrollment information is
also located, on an Internet Web site that provides centralized
admissions information for postsecondary educational systems with
multiple campuses, or on applications for enrollment or other program
information distributed to prospective students.
(B) The institution shall be responsible for certifying to the
commission compliance with the requirements of subparagraph (A).
(m) "Satisfactory academic progress" means those criteria required
by applicable federal standards published in Title 34 of the Code of
Federal Regulations. The commission may adopt regulations defining
"satisfactory academic progress" in a manner that is consistent with
those federal standards.
