California Senate Bill SB500 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 500AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JULY 13, 2011 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 20, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 31, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE MAY 11, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 25, 2011 AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 24, 2011 INTRODUCED BY Senator Hancock FEBRUARY 17, 2011 An act to amend Sections 54690 and 54694 of, and to add  Section   Sections 54691.5 and  54697.5 to, the Education Code, relating to partnership academies. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 500, as amended, Hancock. Partnership academies. (1) 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.  This bill would request that the State Department of Education, using data collected from the yearly reports of the California Partnership Academies, provide an analysis of the partnership academies program components and make recommendations to the Legislature, as specified. The bill would also encourage the department to make recommendations that would be shared with the Senate Committee on Education and the Assembly Committee on Education at the beginning of each new 2-year regular session of the Legislature regarding the various types of partnership academies and the implications of program oversight by the department of multiple types of partnership academies.   Existing law authorizes up to one-half of the pupils enrolled at a partnership academy to be pupils who do not meet the criteria of "at-risk" pupils.   This bill would, notwithstanding this provision, authorize the governing board of a school district to elect to approve partnership academy enrollment at a number greater than 50% of pupils who do not meet the criteria of "at-risk" pupils, if specified conditions are met. The bill would require the State Department of Education to establish guidelines to assist the governing board of a school district in approving partnership academies with greater than 50% enrollment of pupils who do not meet the criteria of "at-risk" pupils, using funds in existence on or before January 1, 2012.  (2) Existing law requires the Superintendent to develop guidelines with respect to partnership academies, including, but not limited to, enrollment provisions, application procedures, and pupil eligibility. This bill would, for purposes of the guidelines relating to enrollment, authorize school districts to determine the number of pupils enrolled in a partnership academy. The bill would also require the guidelines to include  measures   strategies  to encourage  , establish,  and fund partnership academies serving rural school districts. (3) Existing law limits the enrollment in partnership academies to pupils in grades 10 to 12, inclusive. This bill would  additionally  authorize a school district to enroll grade 9 pupils, provided the school district complies with specified requirements. The bill would prohibit a school district from receiving partnership academy funding for the establishment or maintenance of grade 9 partnership academy courses. (4) The bill would require that, if funds are appropriated for the support of certain partnership academies in the annual Budget Act or any other measure, these funds be allocated in accordance with the provisions of law that govern partnership academies. 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, as amended by Section 1 of Chapter 650 of the Statutes of 2010, 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 pupils who present a high risk of dropping out of school, and motivating those pupils to stay in school and graduate. Partnership academies are functioning in high schools across the state, with occupational education and skills development successfully offered in California's 15 different industry sectors, including electronics, computer technology, finance, agribusiness, alternative energy, environmental design and construction, graphic arts and printing, international business, and space. Partnership academies have been honored with national awards for excellence, and the California partnership academies have been given high accolades in various textbooks and studies addressing career technical education programs. (b) The Legislature finds that the partnership academies are in the forefront of school efforts to integrate academic and career technical education and that they can be effective in providing an integrated learning program and high motivation toward pursuing skilled occupational fields to pupils at risk of dropping out of school and to pupils not motivated by the regular educational curriculum. Further, the Legislature finds that the partnership academies can make a very positive contribution towards meeting the needs of the state for a highly skilled and educated 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 pupils who do not meet the criteria of "at-risk" 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" pupil means a pupil enrolled in high school who 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 absence from school 20 percent or more of the school year. (2) Past record of underachievement in which the pupil is at least one-third of a year behind the coursework for the respective grade level, or as demonstrated by credits achieved. (3) Past record of low motivation or a disinterest in the regular school program. (4) Disadvantaged economically. (5) Scoring below basic or far below basic 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. (6) Maintaining a grade point average of 2.2 or below, or the equivalent of a C minus. (e)  (1)    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.  (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), in circumstances in which a school district has made every effort to enroll at-risk pupils and there are fewer than 50 percent of at-risk pupils enrolled, the governing board may elect to approve partnership academy enrollment at a number greater than 50 percent of pupils who do not meet the criteria of "at-risk" pupils. This determination shall be made on an annual basis, and, as a condition of receipt of funds, shall be reported to the department.   (3) The department shall establish guidelines to assist governing board approval of partnership academies with more than 50 percent of pupils who do not meet the criteria of "at-risk" pupils pursuant to paragraph (2). These guidelines shall be developed using funds in existence on or before January 1, 2012.  (f) The department shall not expend more than 5 percent of the funds received to carry out this article on administrative expenses.  SEC. 2.   Section 54691.5 is a   dded to the   Education Code   , to read:   54691.5. (a) Using data collected from the yearly reports of the California Partnership Academies, the department is requested to provide an analysis of the partnership academies program components and to make recommendations to the Legislature on ways to improve the quality of curriculum, the delivery of services, ways to address enrollment issues, including, but not limited to, pupil eligibility and performance, professional development for staff, access to and administration of pupil work experience, and sustainability of the partnership academies when state support ceases. (b) The department is encouraged to make recommendations regarding the various types of partnership academies that have been created by the Legislature or funded privately by business and industry and the implications of program oversight by the department of multiple types of partnership academies. The department is encouraged to share their findings and recommendations with the Senate Committee on Education and the Assembly Committee on Education at the beginning of each new two-year regular session of the Legislature.   SEC. 2.   SEC. 3.  Section 54694 of the Education Code is amended to read: 54694. The Superintendent shall develop guidelines with respect to the California Partnership Academies. The guidelines shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following: (a) Enrollment provisions. For purposes of this subdivision, school districts may determine the total number of pupils enrolled in a partnership academy. (b) Application procedures. (c) Pupil eligibility. (d)  Measures   Strategies    to encourage  , establish,  and fund partnership academies serving rural school districts.  SEC. 3.   SEC. 4.  Section 54697.5 is added to the Education Code, to read: 54697.5. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, a school district may authorize grade 9 pupils to enroll in partnership academies. If a school district elects to enroll grade 9 pupils, the school district shall comply with all of the following: (1) Adopt a policy describing the goals and criteria for grade 9 participation. (2) Submit an academy program of study to the department demonstrating how the grade 9 course is integral to the academy. (3) Submit to the department data on grade 9 participation, as specified by the department. (b) A school district shall not receive funding pursuant to this article for the establishment or maintenance of grade 9 courses established pursuant to this section. All costs associated with establishing or maintaining grade 9 courses shall be borne solely by the school district.  SEC. 4.   SEC. 5.  If funds are appropriated in the annual Budget Act or any other measure for the support of partnership academies funded pursuant to Chapter 352 of the Statutes of 2005, these funds shall be allocated in the manner specified in Article 5 (commencing with Section 54690) of Chapter 9 of Part 29 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code.