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<ns0:Id>20250AB__066498AMD</ns0:Id>
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<ns0:ActionText>INTRODUCED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2025-02-14</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:ActionText>AMENDED_ASSEMBLY</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-05</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:ActionText>REVISED</ns0:ActionText>
<ns0:ActionDate>2026-01-14</ns0:ActionDate>
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<ns0:SessionYear>2025</ns0:SessionYear>
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<ns0:AuthorText authorType="LEAD_AUTHOR">Introduced by Assembly Member Alvarez</ns0:AuthorText>
<ns0:AuthorText authorType="COAUTHOR_ORIGINATING">(Coauthors: Assembly Members Boerner and Jeff Gonzalez)</ns0:AuthorText>
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<ns0:Legislator>
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<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Alvarez</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Name>Boerner</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Contribution>COAUTHOR</ns0:Contribution>
<ns0:House>ASSEMBLY</ns0:House>
<ns0:Name>Jeff Gonzalez</ns0:Name>
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<ns0:Title>An act to add and repeal Article 3.3 (commencing with Section 78047) of Chapter 1 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to community colleges.</ns0:Title>
<ns0:RelatingClause>community colleges</ns0:RelatingClause>
<ns0:GeneralSubject>
<ns0:Subject>Community colleges: baccalaureate degree program: Southwestern Community College District.</ns0:Subject>
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<html:p>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. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state and authorizes them to provide instruction at the campuses they operate. Existing law authorizes the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, in consultation with the California State University and the University of California, to authorize the establishment of community college district baccalaureate degree programs, as provided.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would authorize the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to authorize the Southwestern Community College District to offer no more than 4 workforce-aligned baccalaureate degree programs, as provided. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst’s Office to, on or before July 1, 2030, conduct and present to the Legislature and the Governor an interim
evaluation of any of the baccalaureate degree programs that are offered pursuant to that authorization and, on or before July 1, 2034, a final evaluation of those degree programs, as provided. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2035.</html:p>
<html:p>This bill would make legislative findings and declarations as to the necessity of a special statute for the Southwestern Community College District.</html:p>
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<ns0:Preamble>The people of the State of California do enact as follows:</ns0:Preamble>
<ns0:BillSection id="id_1EA24303-8D01-4764-AE5D-569F4C99FCC2">
<ns0:Num>SECTION 1.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The City of Chula Vista is the largest city in California with a population exceeding 200,000 that does not have a public university offering baccalaureate degree programs. This gap has created a barrier to higher education access for the 585,000 residents of South San Diego County, where the Southwestern Community College District (SWC) is the sole public postsecondary educational institution.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
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Labor market analyses conducted by the San Diego Regional Policy and Innovation Center and the University Now
Initiative have identified 147 priority occupations critical to regional economic growth. These occupations require baccalaureate degrees in fields such as business, health care, technology, and the arts, which are in high demand and largely unmet by existing public postsecondary educational institution offerings in the area.
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<html:p>
(c)
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Workforce projections for South San Diego County anticipate the creation of over 25,000 jobs by 2033, with the majority of these requiring baccalaureate degrees. Expanding access to baccalaureate degrees at SWC will directly address regional labor shortages while supporting educational equity.
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<html:p>
(d)
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The binational nature of the region, which includes substantial cross-border commuting for work and education, underscores the need for accessible, bilingual, and bicultural degree programs tailored to meet the unique demands of the California-Mexico border
area.
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<html:p>
(e)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Community colleges have demonstrated the capacity to offer high-quality baccalaureate degree programs that align with workforce demands, as evidenced by the success of the California Community Colleges Baccalaureate Degree Program.
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<ns0:Num>SEC. 2.</ns0:Num>
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Article 3.3 (commencing with Section 78047) is added to Chapter 1 of Part 48 of Division 7 of Title 3 of the
<ns0:DocName>Education Code</ns0:DocName>
, to read:
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<ns0:Num>3.3.</ns0:Num>
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<ns0:LawHeadingText>Southwestern Community College District Workforce-Aligned Baccalaureate Degree Programs</ns0:LawHeadingText>
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<ns0:Num>78047.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:</html:p>
<html:p>
(a)
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“Regional public university” means a public university located within the community college district’s service area.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
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“Underserved, college desert area” means the designated service area of a community college district that does not include a public university and where the nearest public university majors have been declared “impacted.”
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_96010C55-329D-4D21-ADD0-E175C1615D3B">
<ns0:Num>78047.5.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Notwithstanding Section 66010.4 or Article 3 (commencing with Section 78040), the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges may authorize the Southwestern Community College District to offer no more than four workforce-aligned baccalaureate degree programs.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The chancellor shall ensure that the application and review procedures and requirements described in paragraphs (1), (3), and (4) of subdivision (h) of Section 78042 are met for any program authorized pursuant to this article.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The governing board of the Southwestern Community College District shall submit proposals for baccalaureate degree programs to be authorized pursuant to this
article to the chancellor. A proposal shall include all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Data supporting the regional labor-market demand for the proposed degree program.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Data demonstrating the lack of availability of the proposed degree program at the regional public universities or the inability of a degree program offered at a regional public university to meet the demand for the degreed, skilled workforce in the region.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Evidence of collaboration that prioritizes structured partnerships between the Southwestern Community College District and regional public universities to avoid unnecessary duplication and to expand access to baccalaureate degrees. The structured partnerships may include, but not be limited to, any of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(A)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Guaranteed
transfer agreements.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(B)
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2+2 articulation agreements.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(C)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Dual enrollment pathways with high school and public university partners such as 1+1+2 models.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(D)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Credit for prior learning.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(E)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Shared use of facilities to support colocation or cross-location delivery models.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Evidence of program approval through the appropriate accreditation body, if necessary.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(c)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Full-time equivalent students enrolled in a baccalaureate program authorized pursuant to this article shall be included in the funding model developed and adopted pursuant to, and the fee provisions described in, subdivision (g) of Section
78042.
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_4EEF1B56-B2C2-463F-9805-27644F015B29">
<ns0:Num>78047.6.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>
(a)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
On or before July 1, 2030, the Legislative Analyst’s Office shall conduct and present to the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, and to the Governor, an interim evaluation of any baccalaureate degree programs offered pursuant to this article that includes all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Which programs, if any, were approved by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Which programs, if any, were denied by the chancellor.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Trends in workforce demand in the region that may require additional degree programs to be offered by the Southwestern Community College District
or other regional partners.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Completion rates, if available, for each cohort of students in the degree programs.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Information on the impact of the degree programs on underserved and underprepared students.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Information regarding other forms of collaboration between the Southwestern Community College District and public universities to address workforce demand in the region.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
On or before July 1, 2034, the Legislative Analyst’s Office shall conduct and present to the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, and to the Governor, a final evaluation of any baccalaureate degree programs offered pursuant to this article that includes all of the following:
</html:p>
<html:p>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Data regarding students participating in the degree programs, including the number of applicants, admitted students, enrolled students, and degree recipients.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The extent to which the degree programs meet identified workforce needs in the region, including regional supply and demand data that considers the capacity of the California State University, the University of California, and the independent colleges and universities in the region.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(3)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Information on the place of employment of students in the degree programs and the subsequent job placement of graduates of the degree programs.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(4)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Time-to-degree rates and completion rates for students in the degree programs.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(5)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Information regarding other areas of collaboration between the
Southwestern Community College District and regional partners and how those partnerships addressed regional workforce needs.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(6)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Information on the impact of the degree programs on underserved and underprepared students.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(7)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
Recommendations on whether and how the degree programs can or should be expanded or amended based on the results of the evaluation.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(b)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
(1)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The Southwestern Community College District shall provide the information necessary to conduct the evaluations, as determined by the Legislative Analyst’s Office, to the chancellor.
</html:p>
<html:p>
(2)
<html:span class="EnSpace"/>
The chancellor shall provide the information received pursuant to paragraph (1) to the Legislative Analyst’s Office upon request.
</html:p>
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<ns0:LawSection id="id_AEA88A1E-8D50-44E5-B273-D027C45D3372">
<ns0:Num>78048.</ns0:Num>
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<html:p>This article shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2035, and as of that date is repealed.</html:p>
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<ns0:BillSection id="id_4AEFBC62-910F-4DE7-B646-17F0FC1ADF2F">
<ns0:Num>SEC. 3.</ns0:Num>
<ns0:Content>
<html:p>The Legislature finds and declares that a special statute is necessary and that a general statute cannot be made applicable within the meaning of Section 16 of Article IV of the California Constitution because of the unique positioning of the Southwestern Community College District service area, being in an underserved, college desert area.</html:p>
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<ns0:Correction>
REVISIONS:</ns0:Correction>
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Heading—Line 2.</ns0:Correction>
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