Changes to the laws of the California Board of Cosmetology and Barbering have recently come into effect. These changes divided Citrus cosmetology students on whether they were positive or negative and forced instructors to adapt.
For a student to become a professional cosmetologist in California, students must pass a licensing test written by the California Board of Barbering and Cosmetology. This test verifies that they are ready to work professionally or begin apprenticeships.
Senate Bill 803 made several changes to the board’s laws. One of those was the elimination of a practical portion of the licensing tests where students would demonstrate different haircuts and styles on practice dolls.
For cosmetology student Riley Hunter, who passed the exam in January, the change was just one less thing to be stressed about.
Although the test was still 110 questions, Hunter said she felt the test was easier because she just had to focus on one thing.
“You didn’t have to bring multiple models and do timed tests like perms and haircutting,” Hunter said.
For other students like Courtney Schoen, the changes to the tests were not as welcomed. Schoen said that to be a licensed cosmetologist, students should have to do hands-on work, instead of passing a written test.
“To be licensed, I really think you should show why you have a license by being able to physically show your skills,” Schoen said.
Another change required by Senate Bill 803 was a reduction of required hours for cosmetology students from 1,600 hours to 1,000 hours.
The bill requires students who began the 1,600-hour program to finish the 1,600-hour program and prohibits students like Schoen from being able to switch into a 1,000-hour program to finish sooner.
Despite having to do 600 hours more than some of her classmates, Schoen said she’s not disappointed in this change.
“I think it should definitely be more than 1,000 hours. … We need the practice,” Schoen said.
For Larry Kubel, a cosmetology student who passed the licensing test in December, the reduction in hours was neither a positive nor a negative.
Kubel said he felt that the reduction of hours was justified because instructors adapted their curriculum to be more streamlined.However, Kubel was grateful to be in the class with more hours.
For the changes to the licensing test, Kubel said a disconnect existed between the board and instructors at Citrus where instructors didn’t know what was going to be on the new written test.
In terms of how the classes would need to adapt to fulfill the changes required by Senate Bill 803, “none of the instructors could give a definitive answer and it wasn’t their fault,” Kubel said. “It was that there was no information.”
Despite this, Kubel said instructors adapted as they taught. With the limited information instructors had, they got by.
“The teachers just had to manage quarter by quarter; I think they did a good job though,” Kubel said.
After Kubel passed the test, he said what saw on the test absolutely matched the curriculum he was taught and thought the instructors did a good job with the situation they were put in.
