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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

95

Introduced by Assembly Member Ramos

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Hadwick, Jackson, Sharp-Collins, and Zbur)

February 9, 2026

An act to add Article 1.7 (commencing with Section 66728) to Chapter 9.2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, relating to public postsecondary education.

Vote: majority   Appropriation: no   Fiscal committee: yes   Local program: no

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

The Donahoe Higher Education Act establishes the California Community Colleges under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California State University under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California under the administration of the Regents of the University of California as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. A provision of the act requires each of the 3 segments of public postsecondary education to have as a fundamental policy the maintenance of a healthy and expanded student transfer system. The act applies to the University of California only to the extent that the regents, by appropriate resolution, make it applicable.

This bill would require the Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, governing boards of community college districts that offer a baccalaureate degree, and would request the Regents of the University of California, to develop and implement transfer agreement and articulation programs to support and enhance the transfer of students attending California tribal colleges to campuses of these public postsecondary segments, as provided. The bill would require the transfer agreement and articulation programs to include specified components, including, among other things, early outreach activities. The bill would also require the California State University and the California Community Colleges, and request the University of California, to assess tools, systems, or curricula designed to facilitate student transfer for students attending California tribal colleges, as provided.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

(a) As used in this section, “public postsecondary educational institution” and “TCU” have the same meanings as defined in Section 66728 of the Education Code.

(b) The Legislature finds and declares both of the following:

(1) Effective transfer programs provide a clear path for obtaining the preparation necessary for upper division coursework and graduation at a four-year college or university.

(2) The California State University, the California Community Colleges, and the University of California have made significant progress in developing articulation agreements that specify required coursework and other academic preparation necessary for transfer students to succeed at a four-year public postsecondary educational institution.

(c) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this act to facilitate articulation and seamless transfer pathways for students attending TCUs to public postsecondary educational institutions. The goal of developing and implementing transfer agreement and articulation programs, as described in Article 1.7 (commencing with Section 66728) of Chapter 9.2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, is to ensure that students attending TCUs can earn certificates and degrees that allow them greater job-earning potential in the workforce, and to ensure the effective and efficient progression of students attending TCUs when they transfer to public postsecondary educational institutions, in order to minimize duplication of coursework.

SEC. 2.

Article 1.7 (commencing with Section 66728) is added to Chapter 9.2 of Part 40 of Division 5 of Title 3 of the Education Code, to read:

Article 1.7. Student Transfer Pathways: California Tribal Colleges and Universities

66728.

(a) As used in this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Public postsecondary educational institution” means a campus of the California State University, the California Community Colleges that offers a baccalaureate degree, or the University of California.

(2) “TCU” means tribal colleges and universities geographically located in California that are operated by an Indian tribal government, as defined in Section 7701(a)(40) of Title 26 of the United States Code. “TCU” includes, but is not limited to, California Indian Nations College, California Tribal College, and Kumeyaay Community College.

(b) (1) The Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges governing boards of community college districts that offer a baccalaureate degree shall, and the Regents of the University of California are requested to, develop and implement transfer agreement and articulation programs, including, but not limited to, general education and transfer curriculum, to support and enhance the transfer of students attending TCUs to public postsecondary educational institutions.

(2) In developing a transfer agreement or articulation program, the California State University and the California Community Colleges shall, and the University of California is requested to, work collaboratively with participating TCUs to identify opportunities to align coursework with the California General Education Transfer Curriculum, where appropriate.

(c) A program described in subdivision (b) shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following components:

(1) Enrollment and resource planning.

(2) Intersegmental faculty curricular efforts.

(3) Coordinated counseling.

(4) Financial aid and transfer services.

(5) Specific efforts to improve diversity.

(6) Early outreach activities.

(7) Concurrent enrollment as described in this section.

(8) Support centers.

(d) The Trustees of the California State University and the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges governing boards of community college districts that offer a baccalaureate degree shall, and the Regents of the University of California are requested to, develop and implement, to the extent capacity is available, concurrent enrollment programs that allow students attending TCUs to enroll in courses offered at public postsecondary educational institutions for purposes of expanding opportunities for students attending TCUs to potentially transfer to public postsecondary educational institutions.

(e) (1) In implementing this section, the California State University and the California Community Colleges shall, and the University of California is requested to, in consultation with faculty and other institutional representatives, as appropriate, assess tools, systems, or curricula designed to facilitate student transfer for purposes of building upon those that are most effective in communicating articulation for students attending TCUs.

(2) Tools, systems, or curricula described in this subdivision shall include, but not be limited to, the California Articulation Number system, Course Identification Numbering System, the Common Course Numbering Project, the Intersegmental Major Preparation Articulated Curriculum, the California General Education Transfer Curriculum, and the Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer.

(f) This section does not require the University of California, the California State University, or the California Community Colleges to articulate coursework completed at a TCU that is not institutionally accredited by an accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education.