SACRAMENTO, CA – Assemblymember Mary Hayashi (D-Hayward), Chair of the Assembly Select Committee on Community Colleges, announced today that Assembly Bill (AB) 1754 will be heard on Tuesday, March 4th in the Assembly Committee on Higher Education.  The bill was introduced as a means to prevent future grade security breaches at California’s Community Colleges.

Currently, there are no system wide protocols in place to prevent other community colleges from facing similar incidents that have been reported within the Contra Costa Community College District over the past three to five years.  AB 1754 will require the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to review the grade changing policies of at least 6 community colleges from across the state, and to determine the best practices with respect to these policies.  AB 1754 would also stipulate that the chancellor report the findings and conclusions to the Governor and to the Assembly Select Committee on Community Colleges no later than June 1, 2010.

“The integrity of the largest community college system in the world is at stake here,” stated Assemblymember Mary Hayashi.  “We must treat the security of each individual grade with as much consideration as the curriculum it represents.   Our community colleges lead the nation in workforce development and our employers deserve the right to rely on a student’s reported achievement as an indication of their skill mastery.”
 
By reviewing the security protocols at a minimum of six community college statewide, the Chancellor’s office will have an opportunity to compile and put forth a report of best practices that can be implemented at all colleges statewide.