(1) Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools operated by local educational agencies throughout the state. Existing law also establishes a system of public postsecondary education in this state that includes 3 segments: the California Community Colleges, the California State University, and the University of California.

This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to establish a pilot program with the goal of creating a model of articulation and coordination among K–12 schools, community colleges, and campuses of the California State University that will allow students to earn a baccalaureate degree for a total cost as close as possible to $12,000. The bill would establish a Baccalaureate Degree Pilot Program that would include campuses of the California State University, community college districts, and county offices of education in up to 7 areas of the state, but would only include institutions that explicitly request inclusion in the program. The bill would require the public postsecondary educational institutions and local educational agencies participating in the pilot program to coordinate their efforts to expedite the progress of participating students from high school to community college to California State University. Because the bill would impose new duties on community college districts and county offices of education, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.

The bill would authorize participating high school students to earn an unlimited number of Advanced Placement course credits, and provide these students with priority enrollment at participating community colleges. The bill would impose grade point average and time requirements on participating students at the community college stage of the pilot program. The bill would require a participating California State University campus to accept a minimum of 60 semester units earned by a participating student at a high school or community college. The bill would require a participating student to receive priority enrollment status at a participating California State University, and would require the participating student to enroll at that California State University either in the summer term or the fall semester immediately succeeding the pupil’s completion of the required community college coursework. This bill would limit bachelor’s degrees awarded at the participating California State University to a participating student to baccalaureate degrees in one or more of specified fields of study. The bill would prohibit the mandatory systemwide fees and tuition and mandatory campus-based fees charged to a participating student from being increased during the first 2 academic years of his or her attendance at a California State University campus under the pilot program. The bill would authorize the institutions participating in the pilot program, in consultation with the appropriate private entities, to develop summer internships for participating students relating to their fields of study for academic credit.

(2) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.