California Assembly Bill AB1426 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: AB 1426AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 22, 2016 AMENDED IN SENATE JUNE 24, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 28, 2015 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 5, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member  Levine   Cooper  FEBRUARY 27, 2015 An act to amend Sections  47612.5 and 47634.2 of   8483 and 8483.7 of, and to add Section 8483.71 to,  the Education Code, relating to  charter schools.   after school programs   .  LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1426, as amended,  Levine   Cooper  .  Charter schools: classroom-based and nonclassroom-based instruction: blended learning charter schools.   After school programs.   The After School Education and Safety Program Act of 2002, enacted by initiative statute, establishes the After School Education and Safety Program to serve pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 9, inclusive, at participating public elementary, middle, junior high, and charter schools. The act requires every after school component of a program to operate a minimum of 15 hours per week and at least until 6 p.m. on every regular schoolday. The act requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to determine the total annual after school grant amount for which a site is eligible based on a formula of $7.50 per pupil per day of pupil attendance that the program plans to serve, with a minimum total grant of $37.50 per projected pupil per week, and a formula of $7.50 per projected pupil per day of staff development, with a maximum of 3 staff development days per year.   This bill would no longer require after school components of a program to operate at least until 6 p.m. on regular schooldays. The bill would increase the per pupil and per projected pupil rates discussed above, as specified, and would require the State Department of Education to report to the Legislature, on progress in implementing these rate changes, commencing on or before April 1, 2017, and every 6 months thereafter, unless or until the rate changes are fully implemented for all grantees.   Existing law, the Charter Schools Act of 1992, requires charter schools, as a condition of receiving funding apportionments, to offer in each fiscal year a specified minimum number of minutes of instruction to each pupil based on grade level. For purposes of that instructional time requirement, the act defines "classroom-based instruction" as occurring only when charter school pupils are engaged in required educational activities under the immediate supervision and control of an employee of the charter school who possesses a specified teaching certification. The act requires, for purposes of calculating average daily attendance for classroom-based instruction apportionments, that at least 80% of the instructional time offered by the charter school be at the charter schoolsite. The act authorizes a charter school to receive funding for nonclassroom-based instruction, as defined for that purpose, only if a determination for funding is made by the State Board of Education, subject to any conditions or limitations the state board may prescribe.   This bill would subject to that determination for funding for nonclassroom-based instruction a "blended learning charter school," defined as a charter school through which a pupil learns at least in part through online delivery of content and instruction and at least in part at a supervised location away from home, that offers classroom-based instruction no less than 60% and no more than 80% of the instructional time, and that satisfies other specified criteria. The bill would provide that such a blended learning charter school shall not lose eligibility for specified school facilities assistance based solely on the blended learning charter school's status as a nonclassroom-based charter school, provided that the charter school is otherwise eligible for the facility program. The bill would require the state board to adopt regulations setting forth criteria for the determination of funding for a blended learning charter school, as provided. The bill would also make 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 8483 of the   Education Code   is amended to read:  8483. (a) (1) Every after school component of a program established pursuant to this article shall commence immediately upon the conclusion of the regular schoolday, and operate  on every regular schoolday for  a minimum of 15 hours per  week, and at least until 6 p.m. on every regular schoolday.   week.  Every after school component of the program shall establish a policy regarding reasonable early daily release of pupils from the program. For those programs or schoolsites operating in a community where the early release policy does not meet the unique needs of that community or school, or both, documented evidence may be submitted to the department for an exception and a request for approval of an alternative plan. (2) It is the intent of the Legislature that elementary school pupils participate in the full day of the program every day during which pupils participate and that pupils in middle school or junior high school attend a minimum of nine hours a week and three days a week to accomplish program goals. (3) In order to develop an age-appropriate after school program for pupils in middle school or junior high school, programs established pursuant to this article may implement a flexible attendance schedule for those pupils. Priority for enrollment of pupils in middle school or junior high school shall be given to pupils who attend daily. (b) The administrators of a program established pursuant to this article have the option of operating during any combination of summer, intersession, or vacation periods for a minimum of three hours per day for the regular school year pursuant to Section 8483.7.  SEC. 2.   Section 8483.7 of the   Education Code   is amended to read:  8483.7. (a) (1) (A) Each school that establishes a program pursuant to this article is eligible to receive a three-year after school grant, that shall be awarded in three one-year increments and is subject to semiannual attendance reporting and requirements as described in Section 8482.3 once every three years. (i) The department shall provide technical support for development of a program improvement plan for grantees under the following conditions: (I) If actual pupil attendance falls below 75 percent of the target attendance level in any year of the grant. (II) If the grantee fails, in any year of the grant, to demonstrate measurable outcomes pursuant to Section 8484. (ii) The department shall adjust the grant level of any school within the program that is under its targeted attendance level by more than 15 percent in each of two consecutive years. (iii) In any year after the initial grant year, if the actual attendance level of a school within the program falls below 75 percent of the target attendance level, the department shall perform a review of the program and adjust the grant level as the department deems appropriate. (iv) The department shall create a process to allow a grantee to voluntarily lower its annual grant amount if one or more sites are unable to meet the proposed pupil attendance levels by the end of the second year of the grant. (v) A grantee who has had its grant amount reduced may subsequently request an increase in funding up to the maximum grant amounts provided under this subdivision. (vi) The department may terminate the grant of any site or program that does not comply with fiscal reporting, attendance reporting, or outcomes reporting requirements established by the department and pursuant to Section 8484. The department may withhold the grant allocation for a program or site if the prior grant year's fiscal or attendance reporting remains outstanding, until the reports have been filed with the department. (vii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision or any other law, after the technical assistance required under clause (i) has been provided, the department may at any time terminate the grant of a school in a program that fails for three consecutive years to meet either of the following requirements: (I) Demonstrate measurable program outcomes pursuant to Section 8484. (II) Attain 75 percent of its proposed attendance level after having had its program reviewed and grant level adjusted by the department. (B) After school grants may be awarded to applicants that have demonstrated readiness to begin operation of a program or to expand existing programs. (C) The maximum total after school grant amount awarded annually pursuant to this paragraph shall be one hundred twelve thousand five hundred dollars ($112,500) for each regular school year for each elementary school and one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000) for each regular school year for each middle or junior high school. The Superintendent shall determine the total annual after school grant amount for which a site is eligible based on a formula of  seven   eight  dollars and fifty cents  ($7.50)   ($8.50)  per pupil per day of pupil attendance that the program plans to serve, with a maximum total grant of  thirty-seven   forty-two dollars and fifty cents  ($37.50)   ($42.50)  per projected pupil per week, and a formula of  seven     eight  dollars and fifty cents  ($7.50)   ($8.50)  per projected pupil per day of staff development, with a maximum of three staff development days per year. A program may provide the three days of staff development during regular program hours using funds from the total grant award. (2) For large schools, the maximum total grant amounts described in paragraph (1) may be increased based on the following formulas, up to a maximum amount of twice the respective limits specified in paragraph (1): (A) For elementary schools, multiply one hundred thirteen dollars ($113) by the number of pupils enrolled at the schoolsite for the normal schoolday program that exceeds 600. (B) For middle schools, multiply one hundred thirteen dollars ($113) by the number of pupils enrolled at the schoolsite for the normal schoolday program that exceeds 900. (3) The maximum total grant amounts set forth in subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) may be increased from any funds made available for this purpose in the annual Budget Act for participating schools that have pupils on waiting lists for the program. Grants may be increased by the lesser of an amount that is either 25 percent of the current maximum total grant amount or equal to the proportion of pupils unserved by the program as measured by documented waiting lists as of January 1 of the previous grant year, compared to the actual after school enrollment on the same date. The amount of the required cash or in-kind matching funds shall be increased accordingly. First priority for an increased maximum grant pursuant to this paragraph shall be given to schools that qualify for funding pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 8482.55. Second priority shall be given to schools that receive funding priority pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 8482.55. (4) The minimum total after school grant amount for each schoolsite that may be awarded pursuant to this section shall be computed by multiplying the applicable rate per pupil per day of pupil attendance by 20 pupils being served for 180 regular schooldays. (5) A school that establishes a program pursuant to this section is eligible to receive a summer grant to operate the program in excess of 180 regular schooldays or during any combination of summer, intersession, or vacation periods for a maximum of the lesser of the following amounts: (A) Seven dollars and fifty cents ($7.50) per day per pupil. (B) Thirty percent of the total grant amount awarded to the school per school year pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1). (C) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), the maximum total summer grant that may be awarded annually pursuant to this paragraph shall be thirty-three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($33,750) for each regular school year for each elementary school and forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000) for each regular school year for each middle or junior high school. (6) Additional funding may be made available for transportation in programs that meet the requirements of Section 8484.65, in an amount not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) per site, per school year, as funds are available, in accordance with the local community after school program needs as determined by the department. Programs shall submit to the department for consideration evidence of the need for after school transportation funds specific to after school programs pursuant to this article. Funding under this paragraph may be used to supplement, but not supplant, local transportation services. (7) Each program shall provide an amount of cash or in-kind local funds equal to not less than one-third of the total grant from the school district, governmental agencies, community organizations, or the private sector. Facilities or space usage may fulfill not more than 25 percent of the required local contribution. (8) (A) A grantee may allocate, with departmental approval, up to 125 percent of the maximum total grant amount for an individual school, so long as the maximum total grant amount for all school programs administered by the program grantee is not exceeded. (B) A program grantee that transfers funds for purposes of administering a program pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall have an established waiting list for enrollment, and may transfer only from another school program that has met a minimum of 70 percent of its attendance goal. (b) The administrator of a program established pursuant to this article may supplement, but not supplant, existing funding for after school programs with grant funds awarded pursuant to this article. State categorical funds for remedial education activities shall not be used to make the required contribution of local funds for those after school programs. (c) Up to 15 percent of the initial year's grant amount for each grant recipient may be used for startup costs. Under no circumstance shall funding for startup costs result in an increase in the grant recipient's total funding above the approved grant amount. (d) For each year of the grant, the department shall award the total grant amount for that year not later than 30 days after the date the grantee accepts the grant. (e) The department may adjust the amount of a direct grant, awarded to a new applicant pursuant to this section, on the basis of the program start date, as determined by the department.  SEC. 3.   Section 8483.71 is added to the   Education Code   , to read:   8483.71. Commencing on or before April 1, 2017, and every six months thereafter, the department shall provide a progress report to the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, regarding the implementation of each rate change made to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 8483.7, by the act that added this section, unless or until the rate changes are fully implemented for all grantees.  All matter omitted in this version of the bill appears in the bill as amended in the Senate, June 24, 2015. (JR11)