Community colleges: ethnic studies.

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. The segment comprises 73 community college districts and a total of 116 campuses throughout the state. This bill would, commencing with the 2022–23 academic year, require each community college district to offer courses in ethnic studies at each of its campuses. The bill would require that the units earned by students for successful completion of these courses would be eligible for transfer and, if applicable, would meet the ethnic studies general education graduation requirements at the California State University. The bill would also, commencing with the 2024–25 academic year, require each community college district to require the completion of at least one course in ethnic studies of at least 3 units as a requirement for a student to obtain an associate degree. The bill would require the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to develop and adopt appropriate regulations for the implementation of these provisions, and to develop and implement a plan to streamline the course and curriculum approval process, including an expedited state approval process and a process that enables ethnic studies courses to be portable among community college districts. This bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to conduct a study on the number of ethnic studies courses the California State University accepted from the community college districts to satisfy the ethnic studies graduation requirements established in existing law. The bill would require the California State University to provide specified information to the Legislative Analyst's Office on or before January 1, 2023, and would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to submit a report to the education and fiscal policy committees of the Legislature with findings and recommendations on or before April 30, 2023. Because this bill would impose new duties on community college districts, it would constitute 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 the statutory provisions noted above.