Community colleges: priority enrollment.

Existing law, the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012, defines "matriculation" as a process that brings a college and a student into an agreement for the purpose of achieving the student's educational goals and completing the student's course of study. The act specifies the responsibilities of students and institutions entering into the agreement, including, among others, a student's responsibility to identify an academic and career goal, to declare a specific course of study, and to be diligent in class attendance and the completion of assigned coursework. This bill would state the intent of the Legislature that any student who receives priority registration for enrollment at an educational institution, to the extent that the institution provides specified matriculation services pursuant to the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012, shall participate in those services. Existing law requires the California State University and each community college district, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, to grant priority in that system for registration for enrollment to any member or former member of the Armed Forces of the United States and to a foster youth or former foster youth, as provided. This bill would require a community college district to grant priority registration for enrollment to students in the Community College Extended Opportunity Programs and Services program and to disabled students who are determined to be eligible for disabled student programs and services, as provided. The bill would make this provision inoperative on January 1, 2017. By imposing the above requirement on a community college district, the bill would create a state-mandated local program. 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 these statutory provisions.