Community colleges: academic credit for military training and experience.

(1) 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 under the administration of local governing boards, and authorizes them to provide instruction to students at community college campuses. This bill would authorize community college district governing boards to grant academic credit to students who are honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States, as defined, or who are current members of a reserve component of the Armed Forces of the United States, for their military training and experience that is determined by the district to meet prescribed guidelines. (2) This bill would appropriate an unspecified amount from the General Fund to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges for allocation to community college districts that grant academic credit to honorably discharged veterans and reservists pursuant to the bill, in augmentation of their regular apportionments. The bill would specify that the amounts of these allocations would reflect an unspecified amount per semester unit approved pursuant to the bill, as specified. (3) The funds appropriated by this bill would be applied toward the minimum funding requirements for school districts and community college districts imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.