California Assembly Bill AB547 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 547AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 19, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 11, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Salas FEBRUARY 20, 2013 An act to amend  Sections   Section  8421  and 8423  of the Education Code, relating to after school programs. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 547, as amended, Salas. 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program. Existing law, the 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program, provides for the establishment of a high school after school program that consists of an academic assistance element and an enrichment element. Existing law specifies that the academic assistance element is required to include, but is not limited  to, one of these specified activities:   to:  preparation for the high school exit examination, tutoring, homework assistance, or college preparation. In selecting grantees to participate in the program, existing law requires the State Department of Education to consider specified criteria, including, among others, the strength of the education element and alignment with state academic standards, and the strength of the enrichment element. This bill would add career exploration, as defined, to the list of possible activities that may satisfy the academic assistance  element, and would require the department to consider other criteria the department may identify as critical to the provision of high quality after school programs in selecting grantees to participate in the program.   element.  The bill would make technical changes by updating cross-references and would make other 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 8421 of the Education Code is amended to read: 8421. There is hereby established the 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program. The purpose of the program is to create incentives for establishing locally driven after school enrichment programs that partner schools and communities to provide academic support and safe, constructive alternatives for high school pupils in the hours after the regular schoolday, and  that may   to  assist pupils in passing the high school exit examination required for high school graduation pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 60850) of Part 33 of Division 4 of Title 2 for public school programs. (a) High school after school programs shall serve pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive. (b) A high school after school program established pursuant to this article shall consist of the following two elements: (1) (A) An academic assistance element that shall include, but need not be limited to, at least one of the following: preparation for the high school exit examination, tutoring, career exploration, homework assistance, or college preparation, including information about the Cal Grant Program established pursuant to Chapter 1.7 (commencing with Section 69430) of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title 3. The assistance shall be aligned with the regular academic programs of the pupils. (B) For the purposes of this article, "career exploration" means activities that help pupils develop the knowledge and skills that are relevant to their career interests and reinforce academic content. (2) An enrichment element that may include, but need not be limited to, community service, career and technical education, job readiness, opportunities for mentoring and tutoring younger pupils, service learning, arts, computer and technology training, physical fitness, and recreation activities. (c) A program shall operate for a minimum of 15 hours per week. (d) An entity may operate programs on one or multiple sites. If an entity plans to operate programs at multiple sites, only one application is required. (e) A program may operate on a schoolsite or on another site approved by the department during the grant application process. A program located off school grounds shall not be approved unless both of the following criteria are met: (1) Safe transportation is available to transport participating pupils if necessary. (2) The program is at least as available and accessible as similar programs conducted on schoolsites. (f) Applicants for grants pursuant to this article shall ensure that all of the following requirements are fulfilled, if applicable: (1) The application includes a description of the activities that will be available for pupils and lists the program hours. (2) The application includes an estimate of the following: (A) The number of pupils expected to attend the program on a regular basis. (B) The average hours of attendance per pupil. (C) The percentage of pupils expected to attend the program less than three days a week, three days a week, and more than three days a week, for each quarter or semester during the grant period. (3) The application documents the commitments of each partner to operate a program at a location or locations that are safe and accessible to participating pupils. (4) The application certifies that pupils were involved in the design of the program and describes the extent of that involvement. (5) The application identifies federal, state, and local programs that will be combined or coordinated with the high school after school program for the most effective use of public resources, and describes a plan for implementing the high school after school program beyond federal grant funding. (6) The application has been approved by the school district, or the charter school governing body, and the principal of each participating school for each schoolsite or other site. (7) The application includes a certification that the applicant has complied with the requirement in subdivision (b) of Section 8422. (8) The application includes a certification that each applicant or partner in the application agrees to do all of the following: (A) Assume responsibility for the quality of the program. (B) Follow all fiscal reporting and auditing standards required by the department. (C) Provide the following information on participating pupils to the department: (i) Schoolday attendance rates. (ii) Pupil test scores from the Standardized Testing and Reporting Program established under Section 60640, reflecting achievement in the areas addressed by required program elements, if assessments have been established in that area. (iii) Pupil achievement on the high school exit examination as applicable. (iv) Program attendance. (D) Acknowledge that program evaluations will be based upon the criteria in Section 8427. (9) Certify that the applicant has complied with all federal requirements in preparing and submitting the application. (g) The department shall not establish minimum attendance requirements for individual pupils. (h) It is the intent of the Legislature, that, to the extent possible, the department require applicants to submit the information required by this section in a short and concise manner.  SEC. 2.   Section 8423 of the Education Code is amended to read: 8423. (a) The department shall select grantees to participate in the 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program from among applicants that apply on forms and in a manner prescribed by the department. To the extent possible, the selection of applicants by the department shall result in an equitable distribution of grant awards to applicants in northern, southern, and central California, and in urban, suburban, and rural areas of the state. (b) The department shall consider the following criteria in awarding grants: (1) Strength of the educational element and alignment with state academic standards, preparation for the high school exit examination, and other academic interventions. (2) Strength of the enrichment element. (3) Evidence of community collaboration, including demonstrated support of the principal and staff from participating schools. (4) A description of the manner in which programs will provide a safe physical and emotional environment and opportunities for relationship building, and promote active pupil engagement. (5) A description of the manner in which the program design will be periodically reexamined in order to maintain strong pupil interest. (6) A description of plans to attract pupils, particularly pupils considered at risk or in need of academic support, on a regular basis. (7) Other criteria that the department may identify as critical to the provision of high quality after school programs. (c) The application shall certify all of the following: (1) Completion of an assessment of pupils' preferences for program activities. (2) Access to, and availability of, computers and technology. (3) Inclusion of a nutritional snack and a physical activity element. (4) That the program will meet all of the evaluation requirements. (5) Fiscal accountability.