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AB-1432 The California Online Community College. (2021-2022)

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Date Published: 02/19/2021 09:00 PM
AB1432:v99#DOCUMENT


CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1432

Introduced by Assembly Member Low

February 19, 2021

An act to add Section 75013 to, and to repeal Part 46.5 (commencing with Section 75000) of Division 7 of Title 3 of, the Education Code, relating to community colleges.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1432, as introduced, Low. The California Online Community College.
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. The board of governors appoints the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges as the chief executive officer of the segment.
Existing law establishes the California Online Community College, under the administration of the board of governors, for purposes of creating an organized system of accessible, flexible, and high-quality online content, courses, and programs focused on providing industry-valued credentials compatible with the vocational and educational needs of Californians who are not currently accessing higher education.
This bill would make the California Online Community College Act inoperative at the end of 2022–23 academic year.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   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) The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) finds that all three of the programs that the California Online Community College, established pursuant to Part 46.5 (commencing with Section 75000) of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, offers are already offered at the accredited California community colleges. Thus, the California Online Community College’s programs are duplicative in context, in violation of paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of Section 75001 of the Education Code.
(b) The ASCCC also finds, in accordance with a memorandum by the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges on January 10, 2020, that the method of delivery that the California Online Community College has employed is duplicative of the California Community Colleges’ existing methods of delivery, contradicting guidance from the Legislature in paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of Section 75001 of the Education Code.
(c) While there are subtle differences between the California Online Community College’s method of delivery and the method of delivery at the other California community colleges, these differences do not fundamentally or significantly change the instruction or programs offered, and the fact remains that the California Online Community College’s programs are already being offered at the other California community colleges.
(d) In 2020, both the Assembly and the Senate recommended defunding and closing the California Online Community College to Governor Gavin Newsom. Only the recommendation to defund and reallocate some of the California Online Community College’s budget was implemented.
(e) The California Online Community College received one-time funds of $77,000,000, and ongoing support of $15,000,000 per year, yet it has only enrolled a handful of students, is not accredited, and has yet to hire any full-time faculty.
(f) The California Community Colleges remains underfunded, yet it serves over 2,000,000 students, thus making the need and priority for funding overwhelmingly greater for the California Community Colleges’ system than for the California Online Community College. The money allocated to the California Online Community College could be better used for similar classes and services at California’s accredited community colleges.

SEC. 2.

 Section 75013 is added to the Education Code, to read:

75013.
 This part shall become inoperative at the end of the 2022–23 academic year, and, as of January 1, 2024, is repealed.