Bill Text: CA AB1749 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act: University of California.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Engrossed) 2023-09-01 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB1749 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB1749-Amended.html

Amended  IN  Assembly  May 18, 2023
Amended  IN  Assembly  April 03, 2023
Amended  IN  Assembly  March 16, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1749


Introduced by Assembly Member Members McCarty and Berman
(Coauthor: Assembly Member Mike Fong)

February 17, 2023


An act to amend amend, repeal, and add Sections 66746, 66747, 66748, 66748.5, and 66749 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1749, as amended, McCarty. Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act: University of California.
Existing law, the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act, requires a student who earns an associate degree for transfer to be deemed eligible for transfer into a California State University baccalaureate degree program if they meet certain requirements. The act also requires the California State University to guarantee admission with junior status to a community college student who meets those requirements, and provides that admission to the California State University under these provisions does not guarantee admission for specific majors or campuses. A student admitted to the California State University pursuant to the act is entitled to receive priority over all other community college transfer students, excluding community college students who have entered into a transfer agreement between a community college and the California State University before the fall term of the 2012–13 academic year.
Existing law requires the California Community Colleges and the California State University, in consultation with specified parties, to develop a student-centered communication and marketing strategy in order to increase the visibility of the associate degree for transfer pathway for all students in California.
Existing law also requires the Legislative Analyst’s Office to review and report to specified legislative committees and subcommittees, within a prescribed time period, on specified outcomes and recommendations related to the act.
Provisions of the Donahoe Higher Education Act apply to the University of California only to the extent that the Regents of the University of California act, by resolution, to make them applicable.
This bill would, commencing with the 2025–26 academic year, expand the above provisions of the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act to additionally require that a student who earns an associate degree for transfer be deemed eligible for transfer into a University of California baccalaureate degree program if they meet certain requirements. The bill would require the University of California to guarantee admission with junior status to a community college student, as specified, and would provide that a student admitted to the University of California pursuant to this act is entitled to receive priority over all other community college transfer students, excluding community college students who have entered into a transfer agreement between a community college and the University of California before the fall term of the 2025–26 academic year.
This bill would require the University of California, in addition to the California Community Colleges and the California State University, to develop a student-centered communication and marketing strategy, as specified. To the extent that this provision would impose new duties for community college districts, it would constitute a state-mandated local program.
The bill would require the Legislative Analyst’s Office to review and report to specified legislative committees and subcommittees, within a prescribed time period, with respect to the inclusion of the University of California in the act.
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, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: YES  

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


SECTION 1.

 Section 66746 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66746.
 (a) Commencing with the fall term of the 2011–12 academic year, a student who earns an associate degree for transfer granted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be deemed eligible for transfer into a California State University baccalaureate program when the student meets both of the following requirements:
(1) Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the California State University, including both of the following:
(A) The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements.
(B) A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district and meeting the requirements of an approved transfer model curriculum.
(2) Obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0.
(b) (1) (A) As a condition of receipt of state apportionment funds, a community college district shall develop and grant associate degrees for transfer that meet the requirements of subdivision (a). A community college district shall not impose any requirements in addition to the requirements of this section, including any local college or district requirements, for a student to be eligible for the associate degree for transfer and subsequent admission to the California State University pursuant to Section 66747.
(B)  Before the commencement of the 2015–16 academic year, a community college shall create an associate degree for transfer in the major and area of emphasis offered by that college for any approved transfer model curriculum finalized before the commencement of the 2013–14 academic year.
(C) A community college shall create an associate degree for transfer in every major and area of emphasis offered by that college for any approved transfer model curriculum approved subsequent to the commencement of the 2013–14 academic year within 18 months of the approval of the transfer model curriculum.
(D) Before the commencement of the 2015–16 academic year, there shall be the development of at least two transfer model curricula in areas of emphasis and, before the commencement of the 2016–17 academic year, there shall be the development of at least two additional transfer model curricula in areas of emphasis.
(2) The condition of receipt of state apportionment funding contained in paragraph (1) shall become inoperative if, by December 31, 2010, each of the state’s 72 community college districts has submitted to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, for transmission to the Director of Finance, a signed certification waiving, as a local agency request within the meaning of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution, any claim of reimbursement related to the implementation of this article.
(c) A community college district is encouraged to consider the local articulation agreements and other work between the respective faculties from the affected community college and California State University campuses in implementing the requirements of this section.
(d) Community colleges are encouraged to facilitate the acceptance of credits earned at other community colleges toward the associate degree for transfer pursuant to this section.
(e) This section shall not preclude enrollment in nontransferable student success courses in preparation for obtaining the associate degree. Pretransfer noncollegiate level coursework and nontransferable student success courses shall not be counted as part of the transferable units required pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).
(f) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2025, and, as of January 1, 2026, is repealed.

SECTION 1.Section 66746 of the Education Code is amended to read:

SEC. 2.

 Section 66746 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66746.
 (a) Commencing with the fall term of the 2025–26 academic year, a student who earns an associate degree for transfer granted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be deemed eligible for transfer into a University of California or California State University baccalaureate program when the student meets both of the following requirements:
(1) Completion of 60 semester units or 90 quarter units that are eligible for transfer to the University of California or the California State University, including both of the following:
(A) The Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or the California State University General Education-Breadth Requirements. singular lower division general education pathway established pursuant to Section 66749.8.
(B) A minimum of 18 semester units or 27 quarter units in a major or area of emphasis, as determined by the community college district and meeting the requirements of an approved transfer model curriculum.
(2) (A) For the California State University, obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 2.0.
(B) For the University of California, obtainment of a minimum grade point average of 3.0.
(b) (1) (A) As a condition of receipt of state apportionment funds, a community college district shall develop and grant associate degrees for transfer that meet the requirements of subdivision (a). A community college district shall not impose any requirements in addition to the requirements of this section, including any local college or district requirements, for a student to be eligible for the associate degree for transfer and subsequent admission to the University of California or the California State University pursuant to Section 66747.
(B)  Before the commencement of the 2015–16 academic year, a community college shall create an associate degree for transfer in the major and area of emphasis offered by that college for any approved transfer model curriculum finalized before the commencement of the 2013–14 academic year.
(C) A community college shall create an associate degree for transfer in every major and area of emphasis offered by that college for any approved transfer model curriculum approved subsequent to the commencement of the 2013–14 academic year within 18 months of the approval of the transfer model curriculum.
(D) Before the commencement of the 2015–16 academic year, there shall be the development of at least two transfer model curricula in areas of emphasis and, before the commencement of the 2016–17 academic year, there shall be the development of at least two additional transfer model curricula in areas of emphasis.
(2) The condition of receipt of state apportionment funding contained in paragraph (1) shall become inoperative if, by December 31, 2010, each of the state’s 72 community college districts has submitted to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, for transmission to the Director of Finance, a signed certification waiving, as a local agency request within the meaning of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution, any claim of reimbursement related to the implementation of this article.
(c) A community college district is encouraged to consider the local articulation agreements and other work between the respective faculties from the affected community college and University of California or California State University campuses in implementing the requirements of this section.
(d) Community colleges are encouraged to facilitate the acceptance of credits earned at other community colleges toward the associate degree for transfer pursuant to this section.
(e) This section shall not preclude enrollment in nontransferable student success courses in preparation for obtaining the associate degree. Pretransfer noncollegiate level coursework and nontransferable student success courses shall not be counted as part of the transferable units required pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a).
(f) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2025.

SEC. 3.

 Section 66747 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66747.
 (a) (1) Notwithstanding Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 66201), the California State University shall guarantee admission with junior status to any community college student who meets all of the requirements of Section 66746, with admission to a program or major and concentration, as applicable, that meets either of the following:
(A) Is similar to the student’s community college transfer model curriculum-aligned associate degree for transfer, as determined by the California State University campus to which the student is admitted.
(B) May be completed with 60 semester units of study beyond the community college transfer model curriculum-aligned associate degree for transfer, with completion ability determined by the California State University campus to which the student is admitted.
(2) Admission to the California State University, as provided under this article, does not guarantee admission for a specific major or campus.
(3) Notwithstanding Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 66201), the California State University shall grant a student priority admission to his or her the student’s local California State University campus and to a program or major and concentration that is similar to the student’s community college transfer model curriculum-aligned associate degree for transfer, as determined by the California State University campus to which the student is admitted.
(4) A California State University campus shall accept transfer model curriculum-aligned associate degrees for transfer in every major and concentration offered by that California State University campus that meets the requirements of paragraph (1). A California State University campus shall additionally make every effort to accept transfer model curriculum-aligned associate degrees for transfer in each of the California State University concentrations.
(5) As used in this section, a “concentration” is an area of specialization within a major degree program.
(b) A student admitted under this article shall receive priority over all other community college transfer students, in accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 66202, excluding community college students who have entered into a transfer agreement between a community college and the California State University prior to before the fall term of the 2012–13 academic year. A student admitted pursuant to this article shall have met the requirements of an approved transfer agreement consistent with subdivision (a) of Section 66202.
(c) The California State University shall develop an admissions redirection process for students admitted under this article who apply for admission to the California State University, but are not accepted into the California State University campuses specifically applied to. This process shall be aligned with the guaranteed admission into the California State University system under subdivision (a).
(d) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2025, and, as of January 1, 2026, is repealed.

SEC. 2.Section 66747 of the Education Code is amended to read:

SEC. 4.

 Section 66747 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66747.
 (a) (1) Notwithstanding Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 66201), the University of California and the California State University shall guarantee admission with junior status to any community college student who meets all of the requirements of Section 66746, with admission to a program or major and concentration, as applicable, that meets either of the following:
(A) Is similar to the student’s community college transfer model curriculum-aligned associate degree for transfer, as determined by the University of California or California State University campus to which the student is admitted.
(B) May be completed with 60 semester units of study beyond the community college transfer model curriculum-aligned associate degree for transfer, with completion ability determined by the University of California or California State University campus to which the student is admitted.
(2) Admission to the University of California or California State University, as provided under this article, does not guarantee admission for a specific major or campus.
(3) Notwithstanding Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 66201), the University of California or California State University shall grant a student priority admission to the student’s local University of California or California State University campus and to a program or major and concentration that is similar to the student’s community college transfer model curriculum-aligned associate degree for transfer, as determined by the University of California or California State University campus to which the student is admitted.
(4) A University of California or California State University campus shall accept transfer model curriculum-aligned associate degrees for transfer in every major and concentration offered by that University of California or California State University campus that meets the requirements of paragraph (1). A University of California or California State University campus shall additionally make every effort to accept transfer model curriculum-aligned associate degrees for transfer in each of the University of California or California State University concentrations.
(5) As used in this section, a “concentration” is an area of specialization within a major degree program.
(b) A student admitted under this article shall receive priority over all other community college transfer students, in accordance with subdivision (b) of Section 66202, excluding community college students who have entered into a transfer agreement between a community college and the University of California or California State University before the fall term of the 2025–26 academic year. A student admitted pursuant to this article shall have met the requirements of an approved transfer agreement consistent with subdivision (a) of Section 66202.
(c) The University of California and the California State University shall develop an admissions redirection process for students admitted under this article who apply for admission to the University of California or California State University, but are not accepted into the University of California or California State University campuses specifically applied to. This process shall be aligned with the guaranteed admission into the University of California or California State University system under subdivision (a).
(d) This section shall become operative July 1, 2025.

SEC. 5.

 Section 66748 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66748.
 (a) The California State University may require a student transferring pursuant to this article to take additional courses at the California State University so long as the student is not required to take any more than 60 additional semester units or 90 quarter units at the California State University for majors requiring 120 semester units or 180 quarter units. Specified high unit majors shall be exempt from this subdivision upon agreement by the Chancellors of the California State University and the California Community Colleges and their respective academic senates.
(b) Community college transfer units shall not be applicable to upper division requirements at the California State University, unless agreed upon by the local Academic Senates of the California State University and the California Community Colleges and the transferred units do not exceed the required 60 semester units or 90 quarter units required pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 66746.
(c) The California State University shall not require students transferring pursuant to this article to repeat courses that are similar to those taken at the community college that counted toward the associate degree for transfer granted pursuant to Section 66746.
(d) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2025, and, as of January 1, 2026, is repealed.

SEC. 3.Section 66748 of the Education Code is amended to read:

SEC. 6.

 Section 66748 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66748.
 (a) The University of California and the California State University may require a student transferring pursuant to this article to take additional courses at the University of California or the California State University so long as the student is not required to take any more than 60 additional semester units or 90 quarter units at the University of California or the California State University for majors requiring 120 semester units or 180 quarter units. Specified high unit majors shall be exempt from this subdivision upon agreement by the Chancellor of the California State University, the President of the University of California, and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and their respective academic senates.
(b) Community college transfer units shall not be applicable to upper division requirements at the University of California or the California State University, unless agreed upon by the local Academic Senates of the University of California, the California State University, and the California Community Colleges and the transferred units do not exceed the required 60 semester units or 90 quarter units required pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 66746.
(c) The University of California and the California State University shall not require students transferring pursuant to this article to repeat courses that are similar to those taken at the community college that counted toward the associate degree for transfer granted pursuant to Section 66746.
(d) This section shall become operative July 1, 2025.

SEC. 7.

 Section 66748.5 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66748.5.
 The California Community Colleges and the California State University, in consultation with students, faculty, student service administrators, the State Department of Education, the California Education Round Table, and other key stakeholders, shall develop a student-centered communication and marketing strategy in order to increase the visibility of the associate degree for transfer pathway for all students in California that includes, but is not necessarily limited to, all of the following:
(a) Outreach to high schools in accordance with existing high school outreach programs and activities performed by the colleges and universities.
(b) Information on the pathway prominently displayed in all community college counseling offices and transfer centers.
(c) Associate degree for transfer pathway information provided to all first-year community college students developing an education plan to aid them in making informed educational choices.
(d) Targeted outreach to first-year students through campus orientations and student support services programs offered by the campus that may include, but are not necessarily limited to, Federal TRIO Programs, First-Generation Experience, MESA, and Puente.
(e) Information on the pathway prominently displayed in community college course catalogs.
(f) Information on the pathway prominently displayed on the Internet Web sites internet websites of each community college, each campus of the California State University, and on the CaliforniaColleges.edu Internet Web site. internet website.
(g) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2025, and, as of January 1, 2026, is repealed.

SEC. 4.Section 66748.5 of the Education Code is amended to read:

SEC. 8.

 Section 66748.5 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66748.5.
 The California Community Colleges, the University of California, and the California State University, in consultation with students, faculty, student service administrators, the State Department of Education, the California Education Round Table, and other key stakeholders, shall develop a student-centered communication and marketing strategy in order to increase the visibility of the associate degree for transfer pathway for all students in California that includes, but is not necessarily limited to, all of the following:
(a) Outreach to high schools in accordance with existing high school outreach programs and activities performed by the colleges and universities.
(b) Information on the pathway prominently displayed in all community college counseling offices and transfer centers.
(c) Associate degree for transfer pathway information provided to all first-year community college students developing an education plan to aid them in making informed educational choices.
(d) Targeted outreach to first-year students through campus orientations and student support services programs offered by the campus that may include, but are not necessarily limited to, Federal TRIO Programs, First-Generation Experience, MESA, and Puente.
(e) Information on the pathway prominently displayed in community college course catalogs.
(f) Information on the pathway prominently displayed on the internet websites of each community college, each campus of the California State University, and on the CaliforniaColleges.edu internet website.
(g) This section shall become operative July 1, 2025.

SEC. 9.

 Section 66749 of the Education Code is amended to read:

66749.
 (a) The Legislative Analyst’s Office shall review and report to the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, the Senate Committee on Education, and the respective education finance budget subcommittees of the Assembly and the Senate in the spring of 2012, an update on the implementation of this article.
(b) The Legislative Analyst’s Office shall also review and report to the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, the Senate Committee on Education, and the respective education finance budget subcommittees of the Assembly and the Senate, within four years of implementation of this article, on both of the following:
(1) The outcomes of implementation of this article, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) The number and percentage of community college students who transferred to the California State University and earned an associate degree for transfer pursuant to this article.
(B) The average amount of time and units it takes a community college student earning an associate degree for transfer pursuant to this article to transfer to and graduate from the California State University, as compared to the average amount of time and units it took community college transfer students prior to enactment of this article, and compared to students using other transfer processes available.
(C) Student progression and completion rates.
(D) Other relevant indicators of student success.
(E) The degree to which the requirements for an associate degree for transfer take into account existing articulation agreements and the degree to which community colleges facilitate the acceptance of credits between community college districts, as outlined in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 66746.
(F) It is the intent of the Legislature that student outcome data provided under this subdivision include the degree to which the California State University was able to accommodate students admitted under this article to a campus of their choice and a major that is similar to their community college major.
(2) Recommendations for statutory changes necessary to facilitate the goal of a clear and transparent transfer process, including whether this article should be made applicable to students transferring from community colleges to the University of California.
(c) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2025, and, as of January 1, 2026, is repealed.

SEC. 5.Section 66749 of the Education Code is amended to read:

SEC. 10.

 Section 66749 is added to the Education Code, to read:

66749.
 (a) The Legislative Analyst’s Office shall review and report to the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, the Senate Committee on Education, and the respective education finance budget subcommittees of the Assembly and the Senate in the spring of 2026, an update on the implementation of this article after the inclusion of the University of California.
(b) The Legislative Analyst’s Office shall also review and report to the Assembly Committee on Higher Education, the Senate Committee on Education, and the respective education finance budget subcommittees of the Assembly and the Senate, within four years of the application of this article to the University of California, on both of the following:
(1) The outcomes of implementation of this article, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) The number and percentage of community college students who transferred to the University of California and the California State University and earned an associate degree for transfer pursuant to this article.
(B) The average amount of time and units it takes a community college student earning an associate degree for transfer pursuant to this article to transfer to and graduate from the University of California or the California State University, as compared to the average amount of time and units it took community college transfer students prior to enactment of this article, and compared to students using other transfer processes available.
(C) Student progression and completion rates.
(D) Other relevant indicators of student success.
(E) The degree to which the requirements for an associate degree for transfer take into account existing articulation agreements and the degree to which community colleges facilitate the acceptance of credits between community college districts, as outlined in subdivisions (c) and (d) of Section 66746.
(F) It is the intent of the Legislature that student outcome data provided under this subdivision include the degree to which the University of California or the California State University was able to accommodate students admitted under this article to a campus of their choice and a major that is similar to their community college major.
(2) Recommendations for statutory changes necessary to facilitate the goal of a clear and transparent transfer process.
(c) This section shall become operative July 1, 2025.

SEC. 6.SEC. 11.

 If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
feedback