BILL NUMBER: AB 203	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 21, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Brownley

                        JANUARY 27, 2011

   An act to amend Section 53300 of  , and to add Section 53304
to,  the Education Code, relating to school intervention.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 203, as amended, Brownley. Public schools: parent empowerment:
school intervention.
   Existing law requires a local educational agency to implement one
of several specified interventions for a school not identified as a
persistently lowest achieving school that, after one full school
year, fails to meet specified criteria and has a specified percentage
of parents and legal guardians of pupils sign a petition requesting
the local educational agency to implement at least one of 
the   5  specified interventions. 
   This bill would make technical, nonsubstantive changes to these
provisions.  
   The bill also would state the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation that would establish parameters for these provisions to
ensure that parents and legal guardians of pupils have access to
information regarding these provisions, and to establish a uniform
process for gathering and verifying signatures.  
   This bill would require the State Department of Education to
provide, on its Internet Web site, information in easy to understand
terms regarding that petition process and those 5 intervention
options that parents and legal guardians may request. The bill would
also make clarifying changes to, and state legislative intent
regarding, those intervention petition provisions. 
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  no
  yes  . State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  It is the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation that would establish parameters for the Parent
Empowerment Program to ensure that parents and legal guardians of
pupils have access to appropriate and adequate information regarding
the program and the options for reforms, and to establish a uniform
process for gathering and verifying signatures.
  SEC. 2.  Section 53300 of the Education Code is amended to read:
   53300.  For any school not identified as a persistently
lowest-achieving school under Section 53201 which, after one full
school year, is subject to corrective action pursuant to paragraph
(7) of Section 1116(b) of the federal Elementary and Secondary
Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.) and continues to fail to
make adequate yearly progress, and has an Academic Performance Index
score of less than 800, and where at least one-half of the parents or
legal guardians of pupils attending the school, or a combination of
at least one-half of the parents or legal guardians of pupils
attending the school and the elementary or middle schools that
normally matriculate into a middle or high school, as applicable,
sign a petition requesting the local educational agency to implement
one or more of the four interventions identified pursuant to
paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 53202
or the federally mandated alternative governance arrangement
pursuant to Section 1116(b)(8)(B)(v) of the federal Elementary and
Secondary Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.), the local
educational agency shall implement the option requested by the
parents and legal guardians unless, in a regularly scheduled public
hearing, the local educational agency makes a finding in writing
stating the reason it cannot implement the specific recommended
option and instead designates in writing which of the other options
described in this section it will implement in the subsequent school
year consistent with requirements specified in federal regulations
and guidelines for schools subject to restructuring under Section
1116(b)(8) of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (20
U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.) and regulations and guidelines for the four
interventions identified pursuant to paragraphs (1) to (4),
inclusive, of subdivision (a) of Section 53202.
   SEC. 3.    Section 53304 is added to the  
Education Code   , to read:  
   53304.  The department shall provide, on its Internet Web site,
information regarding the petition process authorized pursuant to
this article and the five intervention options referenced in Section
53300 that parents and legal guardians may request. The information
provided on the Internet Web site shall be written in easy to
understand terms.