BILL ANALYSIS ------------------------------------------------------------ |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 400| |Office of Senate Floor Analyses | | |1020 N Street, Suite 524 | | |(916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) | | |327-4478 | | ------------------------------------------------------------ THIRD READING Bill No: AB 400 Author: Nunez (D), et al Amended: 8/31/07 in Senate Vote: 21 SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 6-1, 7/11/07 AYES: Scott, Alquist, Padilla, Romero, Simitian, Torlakson NOES: Denham NO VOTE RECORDED: Wyland, Maldonado SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 10-7, 8/30/07 AYES: Torlakson, Cedillo, Corbett, Florez, Kuehl, Oropeza, Ridley-Thomas, Simitian, Steinberg, Yee NOES: Cox, Aanestad, Ashburn, Battin, Dutton, Runner, Wyland ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 48-29, 6/5/07 - See last page for vote SUBJECT : Public school accountability SOURCE : Author DIGEST : This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to add dropout rates and course completion rates to the Academic Performance Index (API) for high schools through a process that begins in 2009-10 and ends with these indicators making up 50 percent of the high school API by 2013-14. ANALYSIS : The API was established pursuant to AB 1X CONTINUED AB 400 Page 2 (Alpert), Chapter 3, Statutes of 1999, Extraordinary Session. The index was proposed as a means of combining multiple indicators of school performance into one easy to compare index. Current law still reflects this intention by declaring the "API shall consist of a variety of indicators?including, but not limited to, the results of achievement tests?attendance rates?and graduation rates for pupils in secondary schools." Current law also declares that test results must constitute at least 60 percent of the value of the index, but to date test scores have been the only data taken into account, thereby, comprising 100 percent of the API for every school. Current law specifies that secondary school graduation rates for use in the API shall be calculated by dividing the number of pupils graduating on time, as defined, by the number of pupils in 9th grade three years earlier adjusted for transfers in and out during those three years. Current law requires that school districts with schools teaching grades 7-12, offer all qualified pupils courses that fulfill the requirements for admission to the University of California (UC) and California State University (CSU) ("A to G" courses), and further offer all qualified pupils courses that provide an opportunity to attain entry-level employment skills in business or industry upon graduation from high school. Current law specifies that any school district that adopts a curriculum that meets or exceeds standards developed by the Board of Education (SBE), or that adopts alternative means for pupils to complete the prescribed course of study, may substitute pupil demonstration of competence in the prescribed subjects through a practical demonstration of competence in the prescribed subjects through a practical demonstration of these skills in a regional occupational center or program, work experience, interdisciplinary study, independent study, credit earned at a postsecondary institution, or other outside school experience. This bill: 1.Commencing with 2009-10, requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI), in consultation with the SBE, to incorporate the following indicators into the API of AB 400 Page 3 schools serving any grade 9 through 12: A. High school graduation rates calculated according to current law. B. Rates of "A to G" course completion at a level that meets the requirements for admission to the UC or CSU. C. Rates of career tech course completion that provides the skills and knowledge necessary to attain entry-level employment, as indicated by one or more of the following: (1) Satisfactory completion of a designated career and technical education course or series of courses that meet the career technical education standards adopted by the SBE. (2) The number or percentage of pupils who earn a certificate, license, or the equivalent in the designated occupation for which it is issued. (3) The scores of pupils on valid and reliable assessments, including portfolio assessments, that are designed to assess the degree to which pupils have acquired the skills and knowledge necessary to be successful in a specific occupation or in the general workforce. 2.Provides that workforce outcomes for pupils graduating form high school may include, but are not limited to, employment rates and earnings. 3.On or before the 2013-14 fiscal year, the SPI is required to assure that: A. Test results constitute 50 percent of the value of the API. B. The indicators added by this bill, including graduation rates and course completion rates, collectively constitute 50 percent of the value of the API, provided that these indicators are assigned AB 400 Page 4 equal weight in the API, except that pupils who complete courses that count towards UC/CSU admission and career tech objectives may be given additional weight. 4.Clarifies that testing must constitute at least 60 percent of the API until 2009, and between 2007 and 2014, shall constitute at least 50 percent. 5.Authorizes the SPI convene an advisory committee of recognized experts to recommends means of revising the API. The committee shall also develop recommendations for the inclusion of multiple measures in the APIs of middle and junior high schools. 5.Repeals the requirement that test scores constitute at least 60 percent of the API (replacing it with a 50 percent requirement (see No. 3(a) above). 7.Repeals the requirement to include student attendance rates in the API. Comments Related Legislation . SB 219 (Steinberg) requires that, by July 1, 2008, the SPI and the SBE revise the API to include: 1.The test scores of pupils fro that school are, or have been, in an alternative education program, such as a community school or independent study. 2.8th and 9th grade drop out rates if reliable data is available. 3.High school graduation rates when reliable data becomes available. SB 219 also requires that the SPI establish a representative advisory committee on revising the API and requires the SPI to include outcomes related to college and career readiness as recommended by the advisory committee. AB 400 Page 5 AB 519 (Mendoza) requires the SPI to define the term "dropout" and prepare a plan by July 1, 2008, to include data on dropouts in the API. (Held in Senate Appropriations Committee) Prior Legislation . AB 2167 (Arambula), Chapter 743, Statutes of 2006, established a specific methodology for including graduation rates, as previously required, in the API. Also requires the SPI to report annually to the Legislature on graduation and dropout rates in the state. FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No Fiscal Impact (in thousands) Major Provisions 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 Fund API revision $350 General LEA data collection Millions, annually General* *Counts toward meeting the Proposition 98 minimum funding guarantee NOTE: Refer to the Senate Appropriations Committee analysis for a detailed discussion. SUPPORT : (Verified 8/30/07) California Alliance for Arts Education California Business Education Association California Coalition for Construction in the Classroom California Manufacturers and Technology Association California Space Authority California State PTA California State University Johnson and Johnson Public Advocates State Building and Construction Trades Council AB 400 Page 6 State of California Auto Dismantlers Association ASSEMBLY FLOOR : AYES: Arambula, Bass, Beall, Berg, Brownley, Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter, Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon, DeSaulnier, Dymally, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fuentes, Galgiani, Hancock, Hayashi, Hernandez, Huffman, Jones, Karnette, Krekorian, Laird, Leno, Levine, Lieber, Lieu, Ma, Mendoza, Mullin, Nava, Parra, Portantino, Price, Richardson, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Solorio, Swanson, Torrico, Wolk, Nunez NOES: Adams, Aghazarian, Anderson, Benoit, Berryhill, Blakeslee, DeVore, Duvall, Gaines, Garcia, Garrick, Horton, Houston, Huff, Jeffries, Keene, La Malfa, Maze, Nakanishi, Niello, Plescia, Sharon Runner, Silva, Smyth, Spitzer, Strickland, Tran, Villines, Walters NO VOTE RECORDED: Emmerson, Fuller, Soto NC:cm 9/1/07 Senate Floor Analyses SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE **** END ****