Amended  IN  Assembly  June 26, 2017
Amended  IN  Senate  March 20, 2017

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Senate Bill No. 346

Introduced by Senator Glazer
(Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Chiu)(Coauthors: Senators Anderson, Berryhill, Dodd, Galgiani, Hill, Portantino, and Wilk)(Coauthors: Assembly Members Travis Allen, Berman, Calderon, Dababneh, Low, Mayes, and Waldron)

February 14, 2017

An act to amend Sections 53310, 53311, and 53313 of, and to repeal Section 53312 of, the Education Code, relating to school curriculum, and declaring the urgency thereof, to take effect immediately. An act to amend Section 67434 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


SB 346, as amended, Glazer. Computer science strategic implementation plan. Public postsecondary education: the California Promise.
Existing law establishes the California Promise, which requires specified minimum numbers of campuses of the California State University to establish a California Promise program by which the campus would enter into a pledge with a student who satisfies specified criteria to support the student in earning a baccalaureate degree within 4 academic years, or if the student is a community college transfer student who earned an associate degree for transfer, within 2 academic years, of the academic year of the student’s first year of enrollment, as specified.
This bill would establish the Student Success and On-time Completion Fund in the State Treasury, and would authorize the trustees, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to use moneys in the fund to incentivize participation in a campus’ California Promise program in one or more specified ways, including the use of grants and tuition freezes, as specified.
Commencing July 1, 2018, this bill would, if a California Promise student cannot complete a baccalaureate degree program within 4 academic years of the academic year of the student’s first year of enrollment, or a participating transfer student cannot complete a baccalaureate degree program within 2 academic years of the student’s first year of enrollment to the campus, as applicable, because a required course for the degree program is not offered or is full at the campus, prohibit systemwide tuition and fees, as applicable, otherwise required to register and enroll in the course, from being charged to the California Promise student once the course becomes available, or in a substitute course that fulfills the graduation requirement.

(1)Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to convene, on or before September 1, 2017, a computer science strategic implementation advisory panel to develop recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan. Existing law requires the advisory panel to consist of various members, as provided. Existing law requires, on or before July 1, 2018, the advisory panel to submit recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan to the State Department of Education, the State Board of Education, and the Legislature, as provided.

This bill would instead require the Superintendent to convene the advisory panel on or before September 1, 2018, and would require the Governor, unless otherwise specified, to select its membership. The bill would require the advisory panel to submit recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan to the Superintendent, the state board, and the Legislature, as provided, on or before July 1, 2019.

(2)Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to appoint a statewide computer science liaison within the State Department of Education to serve the computer science strategic implementation advisory panel, as provided.

This bill would repeal that provision.

(3)Existing law requires the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education to consider the computer science strategic implementation advisory panel’s recommendations, and requires the department to develop, and the state board to adopt, a computer science strategic implementation plan on or before January 1, 2019.

This bill would instead require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to receive the advisory panel’s recommendations, and would require the Superintendent to develop, and the state board to consider adopting, a computer science strategic implementation plan on or before January 1, 2020.

(4)This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

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

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 67434 of the Education Code is amended to read:

67434.
 (a) The trustees shall develop and implement a California Promise program that complies with this part.
(b) Commencing with the 2017–18 academic year, a minimum of eight campuses shall have established a California Promise program by which the campus enters into a pledge with a qualifying student who is enrolled at the campus and who is not a transfer student to support the student in earning a baccalaureate degree within four academic years of the academic year of the student’s first year of enrollment.
(c) Commencing with the 2017–18 academic year, a minimum of 15 campuses shall have established a California Promise program by which the campus enters into a pledge with a qualifying transfer student to support the student in earning a baccalaureate degree program within two academic years of the student’s first year of enrollment to the campus, as applicable.
(d) Commencing with the 2018–19 academic year, a minimum of 20 campuses shall have established a California Promise program by which the campus enters into a pledge with a qualifying transfer student to support the student in earning a baccalaureate degree within two academic years of the student’s first year of enrollment to the campus, as applicable.

(e)To

(e) To be a qualifying entering student or transfer student at the California State University, the a student must shall comply with both of the following:
(1) Be a California resident for purposes of in-state tuition eligibility.
(2) Commit to completing at least 30 semester units or the quarter equivalent per academic year. Units completed by the student during a summer term may count towards the previous or following academic year as determined by the trustees.
(f) Each College California Promise program shall be reviewed by a graduation initiative advisory committee of the campus or a committee with similar functions designated by the president of the campus.
(g) (1) A campus shall guarantee participation in the program to, at a minimum, any student who is any of the following:
(A) A low-income student. For purposes of this section, “low-income student” shall have the same meaning as specified in Section 89295.
(B) A student who has graduated from a high school located in a community that is underrepresented in college attendance.
(C) A student who is a first-generation college student.
(D) A transfer student.
(2) It is the intent of the Legislature that the California Promise program at each campus accommodate as many students into the program as feasible and in consideration of available funding.
(h) Support provided by a California State University campus to a student who participates in the California Promise program shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, both of the following:
(1) (A) Priority registration in coursework.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, a student shall not receive priority registration in coursework under the program if he or she qualifies for priority registration under another policy or program, as determined by the campus or the Office of the Chancellor of the California State University.
(C) A graduation initiative advisory committee of the campus, or a committee with similar functions designated by the president of the campus, shall consider pre-existing preexisting priority registration policies when implementing this section.
(2) Academic advisement that includes monitoring the student’s academic progress.
(i) (1) The trustees shall develop application criteria, administrative guidelines, and additional requirements, including how campuses will measure student success, for purposes of implementing and administering the California Promise program.
(2) As a condition of continued participation in a California Promise program, a student may be required to demonstrate both of the following:
(A) Completion of at least 30 semester units, or the quarter equivalent, in each prior academic year.
(B) Attainment of a grade point average in excess of a standard established by the campus.
(3) In implementing this part, the trustees shall take into consideration the report on graduation rates required pursuant to Item 6610-001-0001 of Section 2.00 of the Budget Act of 2016.
(j) (1) The Student Success and On-time Completion Fund is established in the State Treasury.
(2) Moneys in the fund may be used by the trustees, upon appropriation by the Legislature, to incentivize participation in a campus’ California Promise program in one or more of the following ways:
(A) Provide a Summer Term Grant to a qualified student who participates in the California Promise program to cover the cost to take up to six units or two courses, whichever is greater, during a summer term during their academic career. A student may take one course in two summer sessions, or two courses in one summer term.
(B) Provide an On-Track Progress Grant of up to two thousand dollars ($2,000) to a qualified student who participates in the California Promise program at the completion of each academic year. The purpose of the grant award is to provide those students with additional financial aid to offset their total cost of education, including the costs of housing, textbooks, and transportation.
(C) Provide a tuition freeze to a qualified student who participates in the California Promise program in accordance with the following:
(i) A California State University student who participates in a California Promise program shall not be charged in systemwide tuition for an academic year at the campus an amount that exceeds the tuition charged to the student for the academic year of the student’s first year of enrollment.
(ii) A community college transfer student, who successfully received his or her associate degree within two academic years at a California community college, and who participates in a California Promise program at the California State University campus he or she transfers to, shall not be charged in systemwide tuition for an academic year at the campus an amount that exceeds the tuition charged to California State University students at the time the student began his or her two-year associate degree program.
(iii) A community college transfer student not described in clause (ii), who participates in a California Promise program at the California State University campus he or she transfers to, shall not be charged in systemwide tuition for an academic year at the campus an amount that exceeds the tuition charged to the student for the academic year of the student’s first year of enrollment.
(3) The trustees may select any combination of the three financial incentives as identified in subparagraphs (A), (B), and (C) of paragraph (2) for each campus with a California Promise program, at their discretion.
(k) Commencing July 1, 2018, a California Promise student who cannot complete a baccalaureate degree program within four academic years of the academic year of the student’s first year of enrollment, or a participating transfer student who cannot complete a baccalaureate degree program within two academic years of the student’s first year of enrollment to the campus, as applicable, because a required course for the degree program is not offered or is full at the campus, shall not be charged systemwide tuition or fees, as applicable, otherwise required to register and enroll in the course, once the course becomes available, or in a substitute course that fulfills the graduation requirement.

(j)

(l) (1) The trustees shall submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature by July 1, 2021, that includes all of the following:
(A) The number of students participating in the program in total, by campus, and disaggregated based on the following:
(i) Whether the student entered as a first-time freshman or a transfer student.
(ii) Whether the student is a first-generation college student.
(iii) Whether the student is a recipient of financial aid under the Federal Pell Grant Program (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1070a) or the Cal Grant Program established in Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 69430) of Part 42.
(iv) According to the student’s ethnicity.
(B) The total number of students who graduated in four academic years for students who entered as first-time freshmen, and two academic years, for students who entered as transfer students, in total, by campus, and disaggregated based on the characteristics identified in clauses (i) to (iv), inclusive, or subparagraph (A).
(2) The report required by paragraph (1) shall include a summary description of significant differences in the implementation of the California Promise program at each campus.

(k)

(m) The trustees shall submit recommendations to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature by March 15, 2017, regarding potential financial incentives that could benefit students who participate in the California Promise program.

(l)

(n) A student who successfully completes his or her associate degree for transfer at a community college shall be guaranteed participation in the California Promise program at the California State University transfer campus, if established.

(m)

(o) The trustees shall make every effort to close the achievement gap and encourage broad participation in a California Promise program that reflects the demographic populations served by the campus.

SECTION 1.Section 53310 of the Education Code is amended to read:
53310.

(a)On or before September 1, 2018, the Superintendent shall convene a computer science strategic implementation advisory panel to develop recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan. The advisory panel shall hold public meetings, post the location and time of the meetings, and post agendas online. Members of the advisory panel shall possess expertise in computer science.

(b)Unless otherwise specified in this subdivision, the Governor shall select the membership of the advisory panel. The advisory panel may consist of, but is not necessarily limited to, the following members:

(1)The Superintendent or his or her designee, who shall serve as cochair of the advisory panel.

(2)A representative of the president of the state board or his or her designee, who shall serve as cochair of the advisory panel.

(3)A representative designated by the Senate Committee on Rules.

(4)A representative designated by the Speaker of the Assembly.

(5)(A)Six K–12 teacher representatives.

(B)It is the intent of the Legislature that these representatives include two elementary school teachers, two middle school teachers, and two high school teachers who are all currently teaching.

(C)It is further the intent of the Legislature that these representatives include at least one teacher from a large urban school district and one from a rural school district.

(6)A representative representing the Commission on Teacher Credentialing.

(7)A credentialed teacher representing the Computer Science Teachers Association.

(8)A representative of the private sector technology industry.

(9)A faculty member from the University of California.

(10)A faculty member from the California State University.

(11)A faculty member from the California Community Colleges.

(12)A faculty member from a private postsecondary educational institution.

(13)A credentialed teacher from the Instructional Quality Commission.

(14)A representative from an equity-focused organization knowledgeable of computer science/STEM education programs.

(15)A representative from a parent organization.

(16)A representative representing school administrators and superintendents.

(17)A pupil enrolled in a public school.

(18)A representative from a county office of education.

(c)Representatives from the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges may be consulted by the advisory panel to provide input on the computer science strategic implementation plan.

SEC. 2.Section 53311 of the Education Code is amended to read:
53311.

(a)On or before July 1, 2019, the computer science strategic implementation advisory panel shall submit recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan to the Superintendent, the state board, and the Legislature that includes, at a minimum, recommendations on all of the following:

(1)Broadening the pool of teachers to teach computer science. These recommendations may provide, among other things, for the following:

(A)Providing training and professional development for education in computer science pursuant to Section 60605.4.

(B)Creating a teacher certification pathway in computer science.

(C)Expanding scholarship eligibility and loan forgiveness programs for computer science teachers in low-income and underserved school districts and rural and urban school districts.

(2)Defining computer science education principles that meet the needs of pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

(3)Ensuring that all pupils have access to quality computer science courses. These recommendations may provide, among other things, for the following:

(A)Scaling up computer science education coursework so that all high schools offer at least one computer science course.

(B)Providing access to computer science in both college and career pathways.

(C)Ensuring school districts have adequate broadband connectivity and infrastructure and access to hardware and software. This may include, but is not limited to, the development of grant programs that prioritize high-need school districts.

(D)Removing local policy and regulatory barriers that local educational agencies face when implementing computer science education.

(E)Increasing the participation of pupils traditionally underrepresented in computer science education.

(b)The recommendations shall be submitted to the Legislature in conformance with Section 9795 of the Government Code.

(c)Upon completion of the recommendations for a computer science strategic implementation plan, the computer science strategic implementation advisory panel established pursuant to Section 53310 shall cease to exist.

SEC. 3.Section 53312 of the Education Code is repealed.
SEC. 4.Section 53313 of the Education Code is amended to read:
53313.

The Superintendent shall receive the recommendations submitted by the computer science strategic implementation advisory panel pursuant to Section 53311. The Superintendent shall develop, and the state board shall consider adopting, a computer science strategic implementation plan on or before January 1, 2020. The Superintendent shall submit a plan adopted by the state board to the Legislature in conformance with Section 9795 of the Government Code on or before January 1, 2020.

SEC. 5.

This act is an urgency statute necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety within the meaning of Article IV of the California Constitution and shall go into immediate effect. The facts constituting the necessity are:

In order to address the concerns about the appointments to, and staffing of, the computer science strategic implementation advisory panel, which is to be established pursuant to Section 53310 of the Education Code, raised by the Governor in his September 27, 2016, signing message for Assembly Bill 2329 at the earliest possible time, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately.