California Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg made history today by proposing the nation's first on-line "path to completion" legislation for students across public colleges struggling to get the courses they need to complete their degrees, reported the 20 Million Minds Foundation.

Senator Steinberg (D-Sacramento) has called upon all public California higher education institutions to embrace technology, to the financial benefit of both schools and students by introducing Senate Bill 520.  The bill allows students who are unable to find a seat in a required class, AND unable to find a comparable on-line course at their school, to take for full-credit a "MOOC" – or massive open on-line course – certified by the American Council on Education (ACE) or other reputable course reviewers – upon approval by a rapid decision making group composed of California faculty from UC, CSU and California Community Colleges.

"We can either shape this MOOC movement or sit back and watch it shape itself," declared Steinberg, "we need to get out in front and have faculty take a leadership role in this."