California Assembly Bill AB1258 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1258AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 21, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MARCH 26, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Chau FEBRUARY 27, 2015 An act to add  and repeal  Chapter 13.5 (commencing with Section 52975)  to   of  Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2  of, and to repeal Section 52979 of,   of  the Education Code, relating to elementary and secondary education, and making an appropriation therefor. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1258, as amended, Chau. Elementary and secondary education: Computer Science Education Grant  Program.   Pilot Program.  Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and authorizes school districts and other local educational agencies to provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law establishes a course of study for pupils in these grades. This bill would establish the Computer Science Education Grant  Pilot  Program under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Under the program, eligible school districts  would   could  apply to receive  funding   one-year grants  under either or both of the 2  competitive  grant  pilot  programs. One  grant   pilot  program, the Computer Science Start-Up Courses Grant  program,   Pilot Program,  would provide grants to establish and maintain computer science  courses,   courses in   underserved areas,  and the other grant  pilot  program, the Computer Science Educator Training Grant  program,   Pilot Program,  would provide professional development for educators to teach computer science, either as a stand-alone course or  as  integrated into other courses. The bill would authorize any school district in the state to apply for participation in the  program.   pilot   programs.  The bill would specify minimum criteria to be applied by the Superintendent in evaluating applicant school districts for possible participation in the  program,   pilot programs,  and authorize the Superintendent to convene an advisory group of computer science experts to discuss and refine these criteria, as specified. The bill would establish the Computer Science Education Grant Matching Account in the State  Treasury under the administration of the Superintendent.   Treasury.  The bill would authorize the  Superintendent   State Treasury  to receive, and deposit into the account,  matching funds received from school districts participating in the programs established under the bill, and  any gifts, grants, or donations received for purposes of the bill from the federal government or private persons or entities. The bill would express the intent of the Legislature that no moneys from the state General Fund be used to fund the grant  program   pilot programs  established by the bill.  The   The  bill would continuously appropriate the funds deposited in the account to the Superintendent for purposes of the bill, provided that the Superintendent certifies, in writing, to the Director of Finance that there are sufficient funds in the account to implement the bill.  The bill would limit expenditures from the account to cover administrative costs to no more than 10% of the allocations made from the account in any fiscal year. The bill would authorize the Superintendent to refund to the donor all or a portion of any gift, grant, or donation made to the account by that donor if the funds received from that donor have not been encumbered because there are surplus funds in the account or because this provision has not become operative.  The bill would require the Superintendent to submit  a   an annual  report, containing specified data about the grant program, to the Governor and the Legislature on or before January  1, 2019.   10, 2018, and on or before January 10 in 2019, 2020, and 2021.   The provisions of the bill would become inoperative on July 1, 2021, and would be repealed as of January 1, 2022.  Vote: majority. Appropriation: yes. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Chapter 13.5 (commencing with Section 52975) is added to Part 28 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read: CHAPTER 13.5. COMPUTER SCIENCE EDUCATION GRANT  PILOT  PROGRAM Article 1. General Provisions 52975. (a) The Superintendent shall establish a public-private computer science education grant  pilot  program through which  an eligible   a participating  school district may receive funding to establish and maintain computer science courses and provide professional development for educators to teach computer science, either as a stand-alone course or  as  integrated into other courses. Any school district may apply for participation in this grant pilot  program. The grant  pilot  program shall consist of two parts, the Computer Science Start-Up Courses Grant  program   Pilot Program  and the Computer Science Educator Training Grant  program,   Pilot Program,  and school districts may apply for participation in either or both of those two  pilot  programs. (b) The Superintendent shall provide notice of this  pilot  program to all school districts throughout the state, and encourage them to apply for participation in this grant  pilot  program. (c) The Superintendent shall award  one-year  grants to school districts under this chapter to applicants he or she deems to be eligible.  A school district that receives a grant under this chapter may apply for a grant in a subsequent year, but grants under this chapter shall not be automatically renewed for an additional year.  The Superintendent shall not award any grant under this chapter unless the Superintendent determines that there are sufficient moneys in the Computer Science Education Grant Matching Account established under Article 3 (commencing with Section 52978) to fund that grant. In order to be deemed eligible for the grant  program,   pilot program,  a school district, at a minimum, shall meet all of the following criteria: (1) Demonstrate engaged and committed leadership in support of introducing pupils who would not otherwise have these opportunities to computer science. (2) Demonstrate a plan to engage these pupils with the subject matter of computer science. (3) Demonstrate that school district staff are appropriately trained to carry out the plan. (4) Demonstrate  the  capacity to maximize the use of grant resources by addressing the availability of appropriate physical space and technology, projected enrollment, and other specific requirements set forth by the Superintendent. (5) Demonstrate a history of successful partnerships within the community and partner support for computer science. Partnership support may include, but is not necessarily limited to, supplying materials or technology, instruction support, internships, mentorships, and apprenticeships. (6) Demonstrate the capacity to continue in the school years succeeding the initial grant year. (d) The Superintendent may convene an advisory group of computer science experts to discuss and refine the eligibility criteria listed in subdivision (c). For purposes of this subdivision, the Superintendent may use the same group of computer science experts selected pursuant to Section 60605.4.  52975.5. This chapter shall become inoperative on July 1, 2021, and, as of January 1, 2022, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2022, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed.  Article 2. Computer Science Start-Up Courses Grant and Computer Science Educator Training Grant  Pilot  Programs 52976.  (a)    The Computer Science Start-up Courses Grant  program   Pilot Program  is  a competitive grant program that is  intended to support innovative ways to introduce pupils  in underserved areas  who would not otherwise have those opportunities to computer science and inspire them to enter computer science careers.  (b) In awarding grants under this section, the Superintendent shall give priority to applicant school districts with higher percentages of unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02, and, as much as feasible, shall award grants to school districts that collectively represent the geographic and socioeconomic diversity of this state. An applicant for a grant under this section shall submit a specific plan for an introductory computer science course designed to be of maximum value in meeting the particular needs of the pupils of that school district.  52977.  (a)    The Computer Science Educator Training Grant  program   Pilot Program  is intended to support professional development for educators to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to teach computer science, either as a stand-alone course or  as  integrated into other courses. The Superintendent shall award training  grants   grants, on a competitive basis,  to eligible educators employed by applicant school districts.  A grant recipient   (b)     In awarding grants under this section, the Superintendent shall give priority to applicant school districts with higher percentages of unduplicated pupils, as defined in Section 42238.02, and, as much as feasible, shall award grants to school districts that collectively represent the geographic and socioeconomic diversity of this state. An applicant for a grant  under this section shall  demonstrate a   submit a specific  plan for professional development for educators  employed by that school district  to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to teach computer  science,   scien   ce to that school district's pupils,  either as a stand-alone course or  as  integrated into other courses. Grant funds awarded under this section shall be allocated  on a one-time basis, and may be used  to fund professional development  and training  related to computer science  education.   education for the participating educators.  Article 3. Funding and Reporting 52978. (a) The Computer Science Education Grant Matching Account is established in the State  Treasury under the administration of the Superintendent.   Treasury.  This account shall be used solely and exclusively for the  program   pilot programs  created in this chapter. The purpose of the account is to provide matching funds for the Computer Science Start-Up Courses Grant and the Computer Science Educator Training Grant  pilot  programs established under Article 2 (commencing with Section 52976). Grants under this chapter, and related administrative costs, shall be funded by a combination of funds from the account and matching funds provided by a participating school district. It is the intent of the Legislature that no moneys from the state General Fund be used to fund the grant  pilot  program established by this chapter. (b) Notwithstanding any other law, the  Superintendent   State Treasury  is authorized to receive, and deposit into the account,  matching funds received from school districts participating in the programs established under this chapter and  any gifts, grants, or donations received for purposes of this chapter from the federal government or private persons or entities. Expenditures from the account, with respect to a particular grant, shall not exceed the amount of corresponding matching funds. 52978.5.  (a)    Notwithstanding Section 13340 of the Government Code, the funds deposited in the Computer Science Education Grant Matching Account shall be continuously appropriated to the Superintendent for purposes of funding the grants established under this  chapter and   chapter,  covering related administrative costs. This   costs, and returning unencumbered funds to donors pursuant to subdivision (b). The administrative costs of the implementation of this chapter shall be kept to a minimum, and in no event shall expenditures from the account to cover administrative costs exceed 10 percent of the allocations made from the account in any fiscal year.   (b) The Superintendent is authorized to refund to the donor all or a portion of any gift, grant, or donation made to the account by that donor if the funds received from the donor have not been encumbered because the Superintendent has determined that there are surplus funds in the account or because, pursuant to subdivision (c), this section has not become operative.   (c)     This  section shall not become operative unless and until the Superintendent certifies, in writing, to the Director of Finance that there are sufficient funds in the account to implement this chapter. 52979.  (a)    The Superintendent shall  submit an annual  report to the Governor and the Legislature on the programs established under this chapter. This report shall be submitted on or before January  1, 2019,   10, 2018, and on or before January 10 in 2019, 2020, and 2021,  in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall include, but not necessarily be limited to, all of the following data:  (1)   (a)  The number of applicants annually.  (2)   (b)  The number of participants annually.  (3)   (c)  The rate of compliance with academic and employment requirements.  (4) A list of participating postsecondary educational institutions.   (5) A needs assessment for program growth based on the eligible pool of applicants.   (6)   (d)  An assessment of the success rates for each participating school district.  (7)   (e)  The amount of grant funds awarded each fiscal year, classified by school district.  (b) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2020, as of that date is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that is enacted before January 1, 2020, deletes or extends that date.