California Senate Bill SB1354 Introduced / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 1354INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Hancock FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act to amend Sections 54690, 54691, and 54692 of the Education Code, relating to instructional programs. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1354, as introduced, Hancock. Partnership academies. Existing law provides for the establishment of partnership academies for pupils at risk of dropping out of school by participating school districts that meet specified eligibility requirements, and requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to issue grants to school districts for planning, establishing, and maintaining the partnership academies. Existing law sets forth criteria for a pupil to be considered at-risk of dropping out of school. This bill would expand the criteria for determining whether a pupil is at-risk of dropping out of school, and would revise the requirements for the enrollment of pupils who are not at-risk. The bill, commencing with the 2011-12 fiscal year, would provide an annual percentage cost-of-living increase to each partnership academy in operation for 3 or more years. The bill would require a school district to provide an assurance that each academy pupil will be provided with career technical courses in each grade level that are part of an occupational course sequence that targets comprehensive skills, and meets certain other requirements. The bill would make other conforming changes. This bill would also make technical, nonsubstantive changes. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 54690 of the Education Code is amended to read: 54690. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the partnership academies program has proven to be a highly effective state-school-private sector partnership, providing combined academic and occupational training to high school  students   pupils  who present a high risk of dropping out of school, and motivating those  students   pupils  to stay in school and graduate. Partnership academies are functioning in 45 high schools spread throughout the state, with occupational training successfully offered in over 15 different skill fields, including such diverse skills as electronics, computer technology, finance, agribusiness, graphic arts and printing, international business, and space. Partnership academies  in San Mateo County  have been honored with  two  national awards for excellence, and the California partnership academies have been given high accolades in various textbooks and studies addressing  vocational   career technical education  programs. (b) The Legislature finds the partnership academies are in the forefront of school efforts to integrate academic and  vocational   career technical  education and that they can be effective in providing an integrated learning program and high motivation toward pursuing skilled occupational fields to  students   pupils  at risk of dropping out of school and to  students   pupils  not motivated by the regular educational curriculum. Further, the Legislature finds the partnership academies can make a very positive contribution towards meeting the needs of the state for a highly skilled and educated  work force   workforce  in the 21st century. (c) Therefore, the Legislature hereby states its intent to expand the number of partnership academies in this state's high schools, hereafter to be known as California Partnership Academies; to broaden the availability of these learning experiences to interested  students   pupils  who do not meet the  full  criteria of "at-risk"  students   pupils  ; and to encourage the establishment of academies whose occupational fields address the needs of developing technologies. (d) For purposes of this article,  an  "at-risk"  students   pupil  means  students   a pupil  enrolled in high school who  are   is  at risk of dropping out of school, as indicated by at least three of the following criteria: (1) Past record of irregular attendance.  For purposes of this section, "irregular attendance" means absen   ce   from school 80 percent or more of the school year. (2) Past record of underachievement in which the  student   pupil  is at least one year behind the coursework for the respective grade level. (3) Past record of low motivation or a disinterest in the regular school program. (4) Disadvantaged economically.  (5) Scoring below basic in Algebra I or English language arts on the standardized test administered pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 60640) of Chapter 5 of Part 33.   (6) Maintaining a grade point average of 2.2 or below, or the equivalent of a C-.   (e) Up to one-half of the pupils enrolled at a partnership academy may be pupils who do not meet the criteria of "at risk" pupils.   (e)   (f)  The  State Department of Education   department  may expend no more than  five   5  percent of the funds received to carry out this article on administrative expenses. SEC. 2. Section 54691 of the Education Code is amended to read: 54691. Commencing with the 1993-94 fiscal year, from the funds appropriated for that purpose, the Superintendent  of Public Instruction  shall issue grants to school districts maintaining high schools that meet the specifications of Section 54692, for purposes of planning, establishing, and maintaining academies, as follows: (a) The  superintendent   Superintendent  may issue a maximum of 155 grants per year for purposes of planning partnership academies. The Superintendent  of Public Instruction  , when issuing the grants to school districts, shall ensure that the grants are equitably distributed among high-wealth and low-wealth school districts in urban, rural, and suburban areas. Each planning grant shall be in the amount of fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000). (b) For the 1993-94 fiscal year, and each fiscal year thereafter, the  superintendent   Superintendent  may issue grants for the implementation and maintenance of existing academies or academies planned pursuant to subdivision (a). Implementation and maintenance grants shall be calculated in accordance with the following schedule: (1) Districts operating academies may receive one thousand four hundred dollars ($1,400) per year for each qualified  student   pupil  enrolled in an academy during the first year of that academy's operation, provided that no more than forty-two thousand dollars ($42,000) may be granted to any one academy for the initial year. (2) Districts operating academies may receive one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200) for each qualified  student   pupil  enrolled in an academy during the second year of that academy's operation, provided that no more than seventy-two thousand dollars ($72,000) may be granted to any one academy for the second year. (3) Districts operating academies may receive nine hundred dollars ($900) for each qualified  student   pupil  enrolled in an academy during the third and following years of that academy's operation, provided that no more than eighty-one thousand dollars ($81,000) may be granted to any one academy for each fiscal year.  (4) Commencing with the 2011-12 fiscal year, each California Partnership Academy in operation for three or more years shall receive an annual percentage cost-of-living adjustment.  (c) For purposes of this  article   section  , a qualified  student   pupil  is a  student meeting the at-risk criteria specified in   pupil enrolled in a partnership academy pursuant to subdivision (d) or (e) of  Section 54690 and who is enrolled in an academy for the 10th, 11th, or 12th grade, obtains 90 percent of the credits each academic year in courses that are required for graduation, and does any of the following: (1) Successfully completes a school year during the 10th grade with an attendance record of no less than 80 percent. (2) Successfully completes a school year during the 11th grade with an attendance record of no less than 80 percent. (3) Successfully graduates after the 12th grade. A  student   pupil  enrolled in an academy who successfully completes only one semester with regard to enrollment, attendance, and credits within the school year is considered qualified for that semester and the district may receive one-half of the funds specified under subdivision (b) for that  student   pupil  .  (d) (1) A school district operating an academy that is unable to enroll enough at-risk students, as defined in Section 54690, to constitute one-half of the participating students may enroll non-at-risk students that meet any of the following criteria:   (A) Scoring in the 40th percentile or below in mathematics or English language arts on the standardized test administered pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 60640) of Chapter 5 of Part 33.   (B) Maintaining a grade point average of 2.2 or below, or the equivalent of a C-.   (C) Meeting any three of the four criteria set forth in subdivision (d) of Section 54690.   (D) Fulfilling any of the actions described in paragraphs (1), (2), or (3) of subdivision (c).   (2) Non-at-risk students enrolled pursuant to paragraph (1) may not exceed one-half of the students enrolled in an academy.   (e)   (d)  At the end of each school year, school districts that have been approved to operate academies pursuant to this article shall certify the following information to the Superintendent  of Public Instruction  : (1) The operation of each academy in accordance with this article, including Sections 54692 and 54694. (2) The number of qualified  students   pupils  enrolled during the just completed school year, by grade level, for each academy operated by the district. (3) The amount of matching funds and the dollar value of in-kind support made available to each academy in accordance with subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 54692.  (f)   (e)  The  superintendent   Superintendent  shall adjust each school district's grant in accordance with the certification made to him or her pursuant to subdivision (d) or in accordance with any discrepancies to the certification that may be revealed by audit. Notwithstanding the provisions of this section, the  superintendent   Superintendent  may advance up to 50 percent of the funds as he or she deems appropriate to districts that are approved to operate, or plan to operate partnership academies.  (g)   (f)  Funds granted to school districts pursuant to this article may be expended without regard to fiscal year. However, the funds must be expended for the maintenance and operation of academies. SEC. 3. Section 54692 of the Education Code is amended to read: 54692. In order to be eligible to receive funding pursuant to this article, a  school  district shall provide all of the following: (a) An amount equal to a 100 percent match of all funds received pursuant to this article in the form of direct and in-kind support provided by the district. (b) An amount equal to a 100 percent match of all funds received pursuant to this article in the form of direct and in-kind support provided by participating companies or other private sector organizations. (c) An assurance that state funds provided by the partnership academies program shall be used only for the development, operation, and support of partnership academies. (d) An assurance that each academy will be established as a "school within a school." Academy teachers shall work as a team in planning, teaching, and troubleshooting program activities. Classes in the academy program shall be limited to academy  students   pupils  as specified in subdivision (d). Each participating school district shall establish an advisory committee consisting of individuals involved in academy operations, including school district and school administrators, lead teachers, and representatives of the private sector. (e) Assurance that each academy  student   pupil  will be provided with the following: (1) Instruction in at least three academic subjects each regular school term that prepares the  student   pupil  for a regular high school diploma. These subjects should contribute to an understanding of the occupational field of the academy.  (2) A "laboratory class" related to the academy's occupational field.   (2) Career technical education courses offered at each grade level at the academy that are part of an occupational course sequence that targets comprehensive skills that does the following:   (A) Provides career technical education in occupations of regional and local economic need.   (B) Focuses on occupations requiring comprehensive skills leading to higher than entry-level wages, or the possibility of significant wage increases after a few years on the job, or both.   (C) Provides a sequence of courses that build upon each other in knowledge, skill development, and experience, and ends in a capstone course that includes an internship component.   (D) Prepares pupils for employment and postsecondary education. Sequenced courses shall be linked to certificate and degree programs in the region, where possible.   (E) Whenever possible, prepares pupils for industry-recognized certifications.   (F) Where appropriate, offers career technical education courses that also meet A-G University of California requirements, or seeks A-G status for appropriate existing courses.  (3) A class schedule that limits the attendance to the classes required in paragraphs (1) and (2) to pupils of the academy. Whenever possible, these classes should be block scheduled in a cluster to provide flexibility to academy teachers. During the 12th grade the number of academic classes may vary. (4) A mentor from the business community during the pupil's 11th grade year. (5) An internship or paid job related to the academy's occupational field or work experience to improve employment skills, during the summer following the 11th grade. A  student that   pupil who  must attend summer school for purposes of completing graduation requirements is exempt from this paragraph. (6) Additional motivational activities with private sector involvement to encourage academic and occupational preparation. (f) Assurance that academy teachers have a common planning period to interchange  student   pupil  and educational information.  Whenever practical, the   A second  planning period should be  provided   for the lead teacher  in addition to the normal planning period for full-time teachers and be supported as a part of the  school  district's matching funds  , whenever practical  .