Assembly BillFailedEducation
AB 363: Community colleges: CalWORKs Recipients Education Program: eligibility and services.
What AB 363 does, verified February 3, 2026
This bill expands the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Recipients Education Program to include students who have exceeded the 60-month limit on CalWORKs cash aid and have one or more dependents who are recipients of aid under CalWORKs. The bill adds direct aid designed to meet ongoing basic needs and services, such as subsidized childcare, to the program. It also allows employers to waive the requirement to pay at least 25% of the wage for workstudy positions if the number of workstudy positions will not decrease. Additionally, the bill deletes the limit on the provision of subsidized childcare for program participants, enabling them to receive this service for as long as they need it.
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Last action: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. (2026-02-02)Alert me
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| Feb. 02, 2026 | From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. |
| Jan. 31, 2026 | Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution. |
| May. 23, 2025 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Apr. 23, 2025 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file. |
| Apr. 09, 2025 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 5. Noes 1.) (April 8). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
Latest bill textAmended version, March 20, 2025 · 2,568 words
| Amended IN Assembly March 20, 2025 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 363
| Introduced by Assembly Member Bryan (Coauthor: Assembly Member Sharp-Collins) |
February 03, 2025 |
An act to amend Sections 79200, 79204, and 79205 79201, 79202, 79203, 79204, 79205, 79206, 79207, and 79208 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 363, as amended, Bryan. Community colleges: CalWORKs Recipients Education Program: eligibility and services.
Existing law establishes the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program, under which each county provides cash assistance and other benefits to qualified low-income families and individuals using federal, state, and county funds. Existing law establishes the CalWORKs Recipients Education Program (program) in the California Community Colleges under which community college districts are required to provide educational services and special services to recipients of aid under CalWORKs who are attending a community college, to the extent funding is provided in the annual Budget Act. Existing law authorizes those special services to include workstudy. Existing law prohibits program payments to an employer for workstudy from exceeding 75% of the wage for the workstudy positions and requires an employer to pay at least 25% of the wage for the workstudy positions. Existing law requires subsidized campus childcare to be provided to students participating in the program only if they are engaged in certain activities, through the completion of their initial education and training plan and for up to 3 months after completion or until the end of the academic year, whichever period of time is greater.
This bill would expand the definition of CalWORKs recipient for program purposes to include a person whose dependent is a recipient of aid under CalWORKs. who can participate in the program to include students who have exceeded the 60-month limit on CalWORKs cash aid and have one or more dependents who are recipients of aid under CalWORKs. The bill would add direct aid designed to meet ongoing basic needs and services, as described, as a special service for which program funds may be used. The bill would authorize program payments to an employer for workstudy to pay 100% of the wage for the workstudy positions and would delete the requirement that an employer pay at least 25% of the wage for the workstudy positions. The bill would authorize programs to waive the requirement that an employer pay at least 25% of the wage for workstudy positions if the number of workstudy positions will not decrease. The bill would delete the limit on the provision of subsidized campus childcare for program participants. By expanding program eligibility and services, the bill would impose 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.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
Section 79200 of the Education Code is amended to read:79200.
(a) There is in the California Community Colleges the CalWORKs Recipients Education Program.(b) As used in this article, “CalWORKs recipient” means a recipient of aid, or a person whose dependent is a recipient of aid, aid under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or any successor program.
(c) A program may enroll a student who has exceeded the 60-month limit on CalWORKS cash aid under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code or any successor program and has one or more dependents who are recipients of aid under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 11200) of Part 3 of Division 9 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(d) As used in this article, “program participant” means a student who meets the criteria described in subdivision (b) or (c).
SEC. 2.
Section 79201 of the Education Code is amended to read:79201.
It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this article to assist CalWORKsSEC. 3.
Section 79202 of the Education Code is amended to read:79202.
To the extent that funding is provided in the annual Budget Act, a community college shall receive funding for educational services provided to CalWORKs(a) Evidence that the curriculum will prepare students for an occupation that is in demand in the local labor market or that is in an emerging field that has documented employment potential.
(b) Participation by the county welfare department to establish that the programs being developed or redesigned will provide CalWORKs recipients program participants with the training and experience necessary to secure employment, including intensive English language proficiency.
(c) Evidence of collaboration with local partners, such as employers, private industry councils, regional occupational programs, adult education providers, and affected counties in the development and design of the curriculum.
(d) Procedures to monitor CalWORKs recipients program participants who complete the new curricula and transition into employment.
(e) A description of new courses for CalWORKs recipients program participants that are designed to aid recipients program participants with job-related advancement.
SEC. 4.
Section 79203 of the Education Code is amended to read:79203.
To the extent that funding is provided in the annual Budget Act, funds received by a community college for curriculum development or redesign for CalWORKs(a) To develop or redesign vocational curricula for CalWORKs recipients program participants so that courses may be offered as part of a short-term intensive program, including Open Entry and Open Exit programs, and including intensive English language immersion.
(b) To link CalWORKs courses to job placement through work experience and internships.
(c) To redesign basic education and ESL classes so that they may be integrated with vocational training programs.
(d) To expand the use of telecommunications in providing the new curricula to CalWORKs recipients. program participants.
SEC. 2.SEC. 5.
79204.
(a) In addition to the funding received pursuant to Section 79202, and to the extent that funding is provided in the annual Budget Act, a community college district shall receive funding for purposes of providing special services for CalWORKs(b) Special services for CalWORKs recipients program participants shall assist CalWORKs recipient students and those students transitioning off of CalWORKs in achieving long-term self-sufficiency program participants in achieving economic mobility through coordinated student services offered at a community college. Special services may include any of the services funded in accordance with subdivision (e).
(c) Services funded pursuant to this section shall be provided only to both of the following:
(1) Current CalWORKs recipients program participants until their initial educational objectives are met.
(2) Former CalWORKs recipients program participants for a period of not more than two years, subject to the conditions of Section 79208.
(d) Funds received for purposes of this section shall be used to supplement, and not supplant, existing funds and services provided for CalWORKs recipients program participants attending a community college.
(e) The chancellor shall develop an equitable method for allocating these funds to all community college districts based on the relative number of CalWORKs recipients program participants in attendance in each district and shall allocate funds for all of the following purposes:
(1) Job placement.
(2) Coordination with county welfare offices and other local agencies, including, but not limited to, local workforce investment boards.
(3) Child care Childcare and workstudy.
(4) Instruction.
(5) Postemployment skills training and related skills training.
(6) Campus-based case management, limited to on-campus assistance and services not provided by county caseworkers that do not supplant other counseling and academic support services funded through existing California Community Colleges categorical programs.
(7) Direct aid designed to meet ongoing basic needs services and resources, as described in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 66023.5.
SEC. 3.SEC. 6.
79205.
(a) Funds allocated pursuant to Section 79204 for purposes of subsidized(b)Subsidized campus child care shall be provided to CalWORKs recipients only if they are engaged in welfare-to-work activities pursuant to Section 11320.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, through the completion of their initial education and training plan and for up to three months thereafter or until the end of the academic year, whichever period of time is greater.
(c)Funds allocated pursuant to Section 79204 for workstudy shall be used for payments to those employers that currently participate in campus-based workstudy programs or are providing work experiences that are directly related to and in furtherance of student educational programs and work participation requirements. Those payments may pay 100 percent of the wage for the workstudy positions. These funds may be expended on behalf of a CalWORKs recipient only if the recipient’s total hours of education, employment, and workstudy meet the recipient’s obligations as specified in Section 11322.8 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.
(b) Funds allocated pursuant to Section 79204 for workstudy shall be used for payments to those employers that currently participate in campus-based workstudy programs or are providing work experiences that are directly related to and in furtherance of student educational programs and work participation requirements. Those payments shall not exceed 75 percent of the wage for the workstudy positions, and, except as provided in subdivision (c), the employers shall pay at least 25 percent of the wage for the workstudy positions.
(c) Programs may waive the 25-percent employer contribution required by subdivision (b) if the number of workstudy positions will not decrease.
SEC. 7.
Section 79206 of the Education Code is amended to read:79206.
(a) Funds allocated pursuant to Section 79204 may be used to provide additional sections of credit or noncredit classes for CalWORKs(b) The determination described in subdivision (a) shall be based on fall enrollment information and community college districts shall submit applications to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges by December 1 of each year.
(c) If the chancellor approves the use of funds for direct instructional workload pursuant to subdivision (a), the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall submit a report to the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee by February 15 of each year that includes at least all of the following information:
(1) The enrollment of new CalWORKs recipient students. program participants.
(2) An explanation of why additional classes were needed to accommodate the needs of CalWORKs recipient students. program participants.
(3) An expenditure plan for the balance of these funds.
SEC. 8.
Section 79207 of the Education Code is amended to read:79207.
(a) As a condition of continued receipt of the funds allocated pursuant to Section 79204, by the fourth week following the end of the semester or quarter term commencing in January of each year, community college districts and colleges shall submit to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges a report, in the format specified by the chancellor, in consultation with the State Department of Social Services, that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following information:(1) How the moneys received for the funded components of special services, as specified in subdivision (e) of Section 79204, were spent.
(2) The number of hours of child care childcare services provided.
(3) The average monthly enrollment of CalWORKs recipient program participant dependents served in child care. childcare.
(4) The number of workstudy hours provided.
(5) The hourly salaries and type of jobs in which CalWORKs recipients program participants were placed.
(6) The number of students receiving case management.
(7) The student participation rates, and other outcome data.
(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that, to the extent practicable, reporting from colleges utilize use data gathered for federal reporting requirements at the state and local level.
(c) The Chancellor of the California Community Colleges shall compile the information received pursuant to subdivision (a) for annual reports to the Legislature, Governor, the Legislative Analyst, Analyst’s Office, the Department of Finance, and the State Department of Social Services, notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, by February 15 of each year.
(d) A report to the Legislature pursuant to subdivision (c) shall be submitted pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code.
SEC. 9.
Section 79208 of the Education Code is amended to read:79208.
(a) First priority for expenditures of any funds allocated in Section 79204 shall be for the support of current CalWORKs(b) If the needs of current CalWORKs recipients program participants are insufficient to fully utilize use all of the funding allocated pursuant to Section 79204 in a cost-effective way, the chancellor, in consultation with the State Department of Social Services, may allocate a portion of the funds allocated pursuant to Section 79204 for the purpose of providing postemployment services to former CalWORKs recipients. program participants.
(c) Prior to Before an allocation of funds for postemployment services pursuant to subdivision (b), the chancellor shall secure the approval of the Department of Finance for the allocations, complete a cumulative report on the outcomes, activities, and cost-effectiveness of the program of funding specified in Section 79204 no later than February 15 of each year, and provide the rationale and justification for the proposed allocation of funds for postemployment services by community college districts for former CalWORKs recipients. program participants.
(d) Funds allocated pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be used only for former CalWORKs recipients program participants who have been off of cash assistance for not longer than two years to assist them in upgrading skills, job retention, and advancement, by means of one or more of the following:
(1) Direct instruction that cannot be funded by other means.
(2) Child care Childcare to support attendance in classes consistent with this article for periods commensurate with a student’s need for postemployment training within the two-year period.
(3) Job development and placement services.
(4) Career counseling and assessment activities that cannot be funded through other programs.
SEC. 4.SEC. 10.
Text of AB 363 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions