AB 1217 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Public postsecondary education: admissions standards and criteria.

Summary
Existing law establishes 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 2 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to assist all school districts to ensure that all public high school pupils have access to a core curriculum that meets the admission requirements of the University of California and the California State University. Existing law requests the University of California to assist school districts in developing, submitting, and maintaining courses certified by the University of California as meeting admission requirement criteria, as provided. This bill would request the University of California to align the admission requirement criteria used in the review and certification of high school courses with the content standards, frameworks, and model curriculum adopted by the State Board of Education for the applicable subject area, as provided. Existing law states legislative intent for the University of California and California State University governing boards, in determining the standards and criteria for undergraduate and graduate admissions, to develop processes that strive to be fair and easily understandable, consider using criteria allowing eligible students with uncontrollable course deficiencies to enroll, and consult broadly with California's diverse communities, as provided. This bill would state legislative intent for those governing boards, in determining the standards and criteria for undergraduate admissions, to develop the standards and criteria based on the content standards, frameworks, and model curriculum adopted by the state board for the applicable subject area and to consult with the state board before adopting or changing the standards and criteria for undergraduate admission. Existing law requires the California State University, and requests the University of California, to establish a model uniform set of academic standards for high school courses for admission recognition and to develop and implement, by January 1, 2006, a process for high schools to obtain approval of courses meeting California State University and University of California admissions requirements, as provided. Existing law authorizes the faculty of the postsecondary segments to consult with elementary and secondary administrators and faculty when developing the model academic standards. This bill instead would encourage faculty of the postsecondary segments to (1) consult with the state board in developing the model academic standards, and (2) strive to align the standards with the content standards, frameworks, and model curriculum adopted by the state board for the applicable subject area, as specified. The bill would require the California State University, and request the University of California, to develop and implement, on or before January 1, 2028, a revised process for local educational agencies to annually submit courses for review and certification as a course that satisfies the model academic standards, as specified.
Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2025
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Feb 21, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026
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What changed between versions

02/21/25 - Introduced 04/10/25 - Amended Assembly · 7 edits · Apr 10, 2025
MODERATE
The amended version of AB 1217 makes several substantive changes to how California's public postsecondary institutions (UC and CSU) align their admissions standards with K-12 curriculum. The most significant changes are: (1) the course approval process now requires local educational agencies (a newly defined term covering school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools serving grades 9-12) to submit courses annually rather than high schools submitting them ad hoc, with a new February 1 notification deadline; (2) the requirement to base admissions standards on state board content standards now applies only to undergraduate admissions, not graduate; and (3) the old advisory group structure for developing model academic standards was replaced with a simpler consultation requirement directed at the state board and Instructional Quality Commission.
SCOPE

The course approval process in Section 66205.5 now requires 'local educational agencies' (defined as school districts, county offices of education, or charter schools serving grades 9-12) to annually submit courses for review and certification, replacing the prior system where high schools submitted applications for approval.

In Section 66205, the requirement to develop admissions standards based on state board content standards and frameworks (and to consult with the state board before adopting or changing those standards) now applies only to undergraduate admissions. Previously it applied to both undergraduate and graduate admissions.

DEFINITION

A new definition of 'local educational agency' was added to Section 66205.5, meaning a school district, county office of education, or charter school serving pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive.

TIMELINE

The deadline for the approving entity to notify schools whether their course applications have been approved or denied changed from August 1 of each school year to February 1 of each year for the upcoming school year.

REQUIREMENT

In Section 66204(c), UC's alignment obligation was expanded to specifically reference 'the admission requirement criteria used in the review and certification of high school courses' and to include 'model curriculum' alongside content standards and frameworks as what UC should align with.

The detailed advisory group structure in Section 66205.5(a) - which required participating K-12 schools to consult with an advisory group including UC/CSU representatives, business and industry, classroom teachers, school administrators, and parents - was removed entirely.

In Section 66205.5(a), the consultation requirement for developing model academic standards changed from faculty 'may' consult with K-12 administrators and faculty to faculty being 'strongly encouraged to work in consultation with the state board and the Instructional Quality Commission,' with alignment now including 'model curriculum' in addition to content standards and frameworks.

Floor votes

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Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
14
Key actions
5
Committee
8
Amendments
3
Feb 2, 2026
Lower · Passed
From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
lower
May 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
In committee: Held under submission.
lower
May 14, 2025
Committee
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.
lower
May 1, 2025
Lower · Passed
From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 30). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Committee
Re-referred to Com. on ED.
lower
Apr 21, 2025
Introduced
From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ED. Read second time and amended.
lower
Apr 21, 2025
Committee
Re-referred to Com. on ED.
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Read second time and amended.
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Introduced
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on ED. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 8).
lower
Mar 10, 2025
Committee
Referred to Coms. on HIGHER ED. and ED.
lower
Feb 22, 2025
Lower · Passed
From printer. May be heard in committee March 24.
lower
Feb 21, 2025
Introduced
Introduced. To print.
lower
1 primary · 1 co-sponsor

Sponsors