California Education Master Plan Dialogue

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Topic Brief Panelists Focus Point Discussions Related Discussions Recommended Library Items Summary

Topic Brief
This day covers four additional bills: Adult Education -- SB 823, School Facilities -- AB 1550, Private Colleges and Universities -- SB 542, and Funding/Quality Education -- SB 712.

Adult Education -- SB 823
This bill would establish priorities for adult education, would convene a task force to assess the effectiveness of California's adult education system and to serve as a resource to the adult education committee that's being established by the legislature. The bill also calls for minimum qualifications to be established that would enable an instructor to teach similar adult education courses in either a public school district or community college district.

School Facilities -- AB 1550
This bill calls for the development of comprehensive standards for all facilities, implements a system for monitoring districts' adherence to those standards, and creates a statewide inventory of school facilities (including their condition) so that policy-makers can be aware of the overall needs of the state. The bill similarly calls for developing annual statewide planning of college and university facilities needs.

Private Colleges and Universities -- SB 542
This bill refines the governance of postsecondary education by expanding the duties of the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC). This bill makes CPEC responsible for approving and regulating private postsecondary institutions for eligibility to operate and to award degrees in California, and for facilitating the transferability of coursework among public, private, and independent colleges and universities. Additionally, the bill authorizes CPEC to enter into agreements with federal government agencies to educate veterans in the California public education system.

Funding/Quality Education -- SB 712
Existing law calls for the California Quality Education Commission to determine what comprises a high quality education and how much money it would cost for each K-12 school district to provide that quality education to its students. SB 712 would direct the commission to then account for the necessary adjustments that reflect unique characteristics of each district and the students it serves. This bill also sets forth the standard model for evaluation, plus criteria for defining student and district characteristics to qualify for additional funding to meet individual needs that will ensure that every student receives a high-quality education.

Panelists
• Dede Alpert, Senator
• Jackie Goldberg, Assembly Member
• Ken Hall, Chairman of the Board, School Services of California, Inc.
• Betty Karnette, Senator
• Bill Pickens, President/CEO, Foundation for Educational Achievement, Chancellor of the College System

Focus Point Discussions
SB 823 - Adult Education The Master Plan for Education reaffirms the importance of Adult Education in its vision for California's education system. It also notes inconsistencies in delivery and achievement measures used by high school and unified school district providers and community college providers that works against a cohesive and collaborative approach to serving adult learners. SB 823 would establish funding priorities for adult education and charge a task force to assess the appropriateness of these priorities, the criteria that should be used to evaluate the effectiveness of California's adult education system and to recommend strategies to address the inconsistencies in the adult education delivery system. Your comments and suggestions in response to the following questions will help guide the work of this task force. * What criteria should be used for evaluating how well California's adult education system is meeting students education goals? To what extent should these criteria be identical for instruction provided through K-12 districts and instruction provided through community colleges? * How can instructional qualifications be modified to permit adult education instructors and community college noncredit instructors to teach comparable courses in both high school and community college settings? * What else, besides basic education, instruction in English as a second language, and vocational training, if anything, should be a funding priority for Adult Education?		Go to this Discussion

AB 1550 - School Facilities This bill implements Master plan recommendations that call for the development of comprehensive standards for all education facilities, implementation of a system for monitoring districts' adherence to those standards, and creation of a statewide inventory of school facilities (including their condition) so that policy-makers can be aware of the overall needs of the state. The bill similarly calls for developing annual statewide planning of college and university facilities needs. Because adequate facilities are an essential component of quality teaching and learning opportunities, legislators supportive of the goals of AB 1550 would benefit greatly from your reactions to the following questions. * How can the construction and maintenance of safe and supportive school facilities be more consistent and responsive to student needs? * Aside from the criteria listed in the bill, what other aspects of school facilities would provide a positive teaching and learning environment?		Go to this Discussion

SB 542 - Private Colleges And Universities This bill modifies the governance of postsecondary education by expanding the duties of the California Postsecondary Education Commission (CPEC) to make CPEC responsible for approving and regulating private postsecondary institutions for eligibility to operate and to award degrees in California, and for facilitating the transferability of coursework among public, private, and independent colleges and universities. Currently, private colleges and universities not accredited in California's region are regulated by the Department of Consumer Affairs. Students who complete coursework in these institutions cannot readily transfer their units to a public or independent college or university in California. We are interested in your reactions to the following question. * What actions can California take to ensure that courses completed by students at private colleges and universities, such as the University of Phoenix, will transfer to public, private, and independent colleges and universities so that students will not lose credits when moving from one institution to another?		Go to this Discussion

SB 712 - Funding/Quality Education Existing law (AB 2217, Statutes of 2002) calls for the California Quality Education Commission to determine what comprises a high quality education and how much money it would cost for each public school district to provide that quality education to its students. SB 712 would direct the commission to then account for the necessary adjustments to this base funding that enables districts to address higher than average costs associated with unique characteristics of the district and the students it serves. This commission is scheduled to begin its work this summer. Your reactions and suggestions in response to the following questions could help inform the work of the commission. * What are the essential components of an education that should be funded at every district? * SB 712 recognizes that students living in poverty, learning English as a second language, and having special education needs require additional learning support and/or opportunities to receive an equitable education. What are the types of (or specific) school-based opportunities and resources that will help schools serving large numbers of students with such circumstances accommodate the needs of their students?		Go to this Discussion

Related Discussions
• Welcome to Today's Dialogue - Charles Ratliff

5/23/03 8:05 AM
• Greetings from Senator Betty Karnette - Betty Karnette

5/23/03 11:20 AM
• Teachers and Credentials - Debra Brown 5/23/03 11:43 AM
• SB 712- THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT KIDS NEEDS FOR HANDS ON CLASSES - Dennis Skelton 5/23/03 1:31 PM
• Select Committee on Adult Education - Luis Esparza 5/23/03 1:31 PM
• Uses and misuses of data - Erwin Morton 5/23/03 1:54 PM
• Support for SB 823 - Leonard Rivera 5/23/03 2:42 PM
• Greetings from Assemblymember Goldberg - Jackie Goldberg

5/23/03 2:45 PM
• SB823 Adult Education - Doris Longmead 5/23/03 2:48 PM
• Continuum of Services SB 823 - Jose Ortega 5/23/03 4:59 PM
• In Favor of Content Standards - Jose Ortega 5/23/03 5:35 PM
• Synergies of adult education and K-12 system - Michael Novick 5/23/03 9:14 PM
• Adult Ed Task Force and Select Committee on Adult Ed - Ernest Kettenring 5/23/03 10:35 PM
• Adult Education - Win-Win - Alice Gibson 5/23/03 10:45 PM
• Thank You for your Participation - Charles Ratliff

5/24/03 11:22 AM

Recommended Library Items
Adult Education, SB 823 -- Fact Sheet Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education, California State Senate, May 2003. This fact sheet provides an overview of the provisions in SB 823. (HTML)

Adult Education, SB 823 -- Text SB 823 clarifies expectations and standards for evaluating programs providing pre-collegiate educational services to adults in California.

Private Postsecondary Education, SB 542 -- Fact Sheet Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education, California State Senate, 2003. This fact sheet provides an overview of the provisions in SB 542. (HTML)

Private Postsecondary Education, SB 542 -- Text SB 542 ensures that students choosing to enroll in private postsecondary education institutions can transfer to other colleges or universities with minimal or no loss of credit.

Quality Education Commission, SB 712 -- Fact Sheet Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education, California State Senate, 2003. This fact sheet provides an overview of the provisions in SB 823. (HTML)

Quality Education Commission, SB 712 -- Text SB 712 provides direction to the Quality Education Commission to consolidate categorical funds into three broad areas to fund a quality education for all students.

Safe Schools -- AB 1550, Fact Sheet Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education, California State Senate, 2003. This fact sheet provides an overview of provisions in AB 1550. (HTML)

Safe Schools, AB 1550 -- Text AB 1550 enhances the state's capacity to ensure that all students attend schools and campuses that are safe, sanitary, and conducive to teaching and learning.

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