Postsecondary education: online education task force.

The Donahoe Higher Education Act sets forth, among other things, the missions and functions of California's public and independent segments of higher education, and their respective institutions of higher education. Provisions of the act establish the California Postsecondary Education Commission for, among other purposes, the collection of data pertinent to the planning and coordination of the higher education system. Existing law establishes the California Distance Learning Policy, which sets forth the guiding goal and principles for the utilization of technology in California postsecondary education. This bill would establish the California Postsecondary Online Education Task Force, to consist of 15 members to be selected, as specified, on or before March 31, 2014. This bill would require the task force to evaluate and collect data on specified topics, and to submit a report on or before January 1, 2016, and every 2 years thereafter, to the Legislature with information obtained in its examination of those topics and recommendations of innovative online education methods.