BILL NUMBER: SB 500 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 24, 2011
INTRODUCED BY Senator Hancock
FEBRUARY 17, 2011
An act relating to partnership academies.
An act to amend Section 54690 of the Education Code, relating to
partnership academies, and making an appropriation therefor.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SB 500, as amended, Hancock. Partnership academies.
Existing law provides for the establishment of partnership
academies for pupils at risk of dropping out of school by
participating school districts that meet specified eligibility
requirements, and requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
to issue grants to school districts for planning, establishing, and
maintaining the partnership academies.
This bill would state the intent of the Legislature to enact
legislation that would enhance and expand the number of partnership
academies.
This bill would appropriate the sum of $6,075,000 from the General
Fund to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the 2012-13
fiscal year for allocation for the support of partnership academies
that received funding pursuant to specified provisions of law. The
funds appropriated by this bill would be applied toward the minimum
funding requirements for school districts and community college
districts imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California
Constitution.
This bill would state the Legislature's intent to preserve support
and funding for existing partnership academics scheduled to expire
on June 30, 2012.
Vote: majority. Appropriation: no yes
. Fiscal committee: no yes .
State-mandated local program: no.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
SECTION 1. Section 54690 of the
Education Code , as amended by Section 1 of
Chapter 650 of the Statutes of 2010, is amended to read:
54690. (a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that the
partnership academies program has proven to be a highly effective
state-school-private sector partnership, providing combined academic
and occupational training to high school pupils who present a high
risk of dropping out of school, and motivating those pupils to stay
in school and graduate. Partnership academies are functioning in high
schools across the state, with occupational education and skills
development successfully offered in California's 15 different
industry sectors, including electronics, computer technology,
finance, agribusiness, alternative energy, environmental design and
construction, graphic arts and printing, international business, and
space. Partnership academies have been honored with national awards
for excellence, and the California partnership academies have been
given high accolades in various textbooks and studies addressing
career technical education programs.
(b) The Legislature finds that the partnership
academies are in the forefront of school efforts to integrate
academic and career technical education and that they can be
effective in providing an integrated learning program and high
motivation toward pursuing skilled occupational fields to pupils at
risk of dropping out of school and to pupils not motivated by the
regular educational curriculum. Further, the Legislature finds the
partnership academies can make a very positive contribution towards
meeting the needs of the state for a highly skilled and educated
workforce in the 21st century.
(c) Therefore, the Legislature hereby states its intent to expand
the number of partnership academies in this state's high schools,
hereafter to be known as California Partnership Academies; to broaden
the availability of these learning experiences to interested pupils
who do not meet the criteria of "at-risk" pupils; and to encourage
the establishment of academies whose occupational fields address the
needs of developing technologies. The Legislature further states
its intent to preserve support and funding for high-quality existing
partnership academies scheduled to expire on June 30, 2012. This
commitment ensures that work with high school pupils can continue wi
thout interruption, thereby increasing the likelihood of
graduation, postsecondary education, credentialed training, or
gainful employment. This commitment also strengthens the economy by
creating and sustaining a skilled workforce for the state.
(d) For purposes of this article, an "at-risk" pupil means a pupil
enrolled in high school who is at risk of dropping out of school, as
indicated by at least three of the following criteria:
(1) Past record of irregular attendance. For purposes of this
section, "irregular attendance" means absence from school 20 percent
or more of the school year.
(2) Past record of underachievement in which the pupil is at least
one-third of a year behind the coursework for the respective grade
level, or as demonstrated by credits achieved.
(3) Past record of low motivation or a disinterest in the regular
school program.
(4) Disadvantaged economically.
(5) Scoring below basic or far below basic in mathematics or
English language arts on the standardized test administered pursuant
to Article 4 (commencing with Section 60640) of Chapter 5 of Part 33.
(6) Maintaining a grade point average of 2.2 or below, or the
equivalent of a C minus.
(e) Up to one-half of the pupils enrolled at a partnership academy
may be pupils who do not meet the criteria of "at-risk" pupils.
(f) The department may expend no more than 5 percent of the funds
received to carry out this article on administrative expenses.
SEC. 2. (a) The sum of six million seventy-five
thousand dollars ($6,075,000) is hereby appropriated from the General
Fund to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the 2012-13
fiscal year for allocation pursuant to subdivision (b).
(b) Commencing with the 2012-13 fiscal year, the Superintendent
shall allocate funds to California Partnership Academies that
received funding pursuant to the enactment of Chapter 352 of the
Statutes of 2005. This funding shall be awarded on a competitive
basis, pursuant to the provisions of Article 5 (commencing with
Section 54690) of Chapter 9 of Part 29 of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Education Code.
(c) For purposes of making the computations required by Section 8
of Article XVI of the California Constitution, the appropriation made
by this section shall be included in the "t]otal allocations to
school districts and community college districts from General Fund
proceeds of taxes appropriated pursuant to Article XIII B," as
defined in Section 41202 of the Education Code, for the 2012-13
fiscal year.
SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature
to enact legislation that would enhance and expand the number of
partnership academies.