California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 475

Introduced by Assembly Member Brown

February 19, 2013

An act to amend Section 52379 of the Education Code, relating to pupil counseling.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 475, as introduced, Brown. Pupil counseling: supplemental school counseling.

Existing law establishes the Middle and High School Supplemental Counseling Program, and requires the governing board of a school district that maintains any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive, as a condition of receiving funds appropriated for purposes of that program, to adopt a counseling program at a public meeting that includes, among other things, a provision for a counselor to meet with each pupil to explain the academic and deportment records of the pupil, his or her educational options, the coursework and academic progress needed for satisfactory completion of middle or high school, and the availability of career guidance activities. Funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for the purposes of the program are required to be allocated to school districts based on an equal amount per pupil enrolled in the district in the prior fiscal year based on the fall California Basic Educational Data System enrollment data in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, with certain minimum-grant exceptions.

This bill, instead, would require the appropriation to be allocated based on the needs of pupils as indicated by the number of pupils who failed either section of the high school exit examination in the most recent grade 10 administration of that examination, and would require the allocation to be calculated pro rata based on the number of pupils who failed either section of the high school exit examination in the most recent grade 10 administration of that examination, with certain minimum-grant exceptions. The bill would require school districts receiving funding under this program to provide matching funds on a one-to-one basis.

The bill would specify duties authorized to be performed by a counselor position funded under this program.

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.  

(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:

(1) California ranks 50th among the 50 states in
counselor-to-pupil ratio with a ratio of one counselor per 954
pupils.

(2) Studies have revealed that pupils who met with a school
counselor several times during the school year to discuss college
were much more likely to attend a four-year postsecondary
educational institution.

(3) School counselors are integral figures in ensuring college
readiness and meeting high school graduation requirements because
they counsel pupils into appropriate classes.

(4) School counselors are integral to the total educational
program. They provide proactive leadership that engages all
stakeholders in the delivery of programs and services to help pupils
achieve success in school. Professional school counselors align
with the mission of the school to support the academic achievement
of all pupils as they prepare for the ever-changing world of the
21st century. This mission is accomplished through the design,
development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive,
developmental, and systematic school counseling program.

(5) California’s overall high school graduation rate is
approximately 71 percent with the graduation rates for African
American and Latino pupils even lower, 60 percent for Latino
pupils and 56.6 percent for African American pupils.

(b) It is therefore the intent of the Legislature to increase the
number of credentialed school counselors in high schools in the
bottom 25 percent of the state in academic performance, so that
each qualifying high school would receive one counselor position
dedicated to work with pupils on preparing them to obtain a degree
at an institution of higher education or a certificate at a technical
institution.

SEC. 2.  

Section 52379 of the Education Code is amended to
read:

52379.  

(a) Funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for
begin delete the end delete purposes of this chapter shall be allocated to school districts
based on begin delete an equal amount per pupil enrolled in the district in the
prior fiscal year, end delete begin insert the needs of pupils as indicated by the number
of pupils who failed either section of the high school exit
examination in the most recent grade 10 administration of that
examination. Allocation to school districts shall be calculated pro
rata end insert based on the begin delete fall California Basic Educational Data System
(CBEDS) enrollment data, in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, end delete begin insert number of
pupils who failed either section of the high school exit examination
in the most recent grade 10 administration of that examination, end insert
with the following minimum-grant exceptions:

(1) Five thousand dollars ($5,000) for each schoolsite that has
100 or fewer pupils enrolled in any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

(2) Ten thousand dollars ($10,000) for each schoolsite that has
at least 101, but not more than 200, pupils enrolled in any of grades
7 to 12, inclusive.

(3) Thirty thousand dollars ($30,000) or an amount per pupil
enrolled, whichever is greater, for each schoolsite with more than
200 pupils enrolled in any of grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

begin insert

(b) (1) In order to be eligible to receive funding under this
section, a high school is required to rank among the lowest 25
percent of high schools in the state with respect to the percentage
of its pupils who failed either section of the high school exit
examination in the most recent grade 10 administration of that
examination. A school district with a high school or high schools
that are receiving funding under this section shall provide matching
funds in order to fully fund the counselor position, including, but
not necessarily limited to, matching funds, on a one-to-one basis,
for the provision of salary and benefits and to defray other
necessary program expenses.

end insert begin insert

(2) A participating high school shall receive one counselor
position dedicated to work with pupils on preparing them to obtain
a degree at an institution of higher education or a certificate at a
technical institution. A counselor position funded under this
program shall not be used in the regular rotation of counselors at
the participating high school. A counselor position funded under
this program is authorized to provide, but is not necessarily limited
to, all of the following services:

end insert begin insert

(A) Working with pupils, in conjunction with faculty and staff,
college and university recruiters, and community-based personnel,
to provide pupils and their families with college preparation
workshops.

end insert begin insert

(B) Providing one-on-one college preparatory advising.

end insert begin insert

(C) Conducting college application workshops, which may
include, but are not necessarily limited to, discussion of high school
graduation requirements, the “a-g” courses required for admission
to the University of California and other institutions of higher
education, college entrance requirements, and how to read a
transcript.

end insert begin insert

(D) Conducting financial aid workshops, which may include,
but are not necessarily limited to, helping pupils and their families
to understand what types of financial aid are available for colleges,
discussion of financial aid programs, such as the Cal Grant and
Cash for College programs, the process of applying for financial
aid, and how to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student
Aid (FAFSA).

end insert begin insert

(E) Conducting family information workshops, which may
include, but are not necessarily limited to, discussions with families
about how to help their children at each grade level to prepare
for and stay on track for college. The goal of these workshops
would be to help families understand higher education options,
the college application process, and college entrance examination
requirements.

end insert begin insert

(F) Conducting university and college campus visits for pupils.

end insert begin insert

(G) Working with outside outreach and recruitment programs,
including, but not necessarily limited to, the California Student
Opportunity Access Program (Cal-SOAP), the Early Academic
Outreach Program (EAOP), and University of California and
California State University outreach programs.

end insert begin insert

(H) Assisting pupils and their families in filling out and
submitting grade-point average information release forms for the
Cal Grant Program.

end insert begin insert

(c) A school district that received funding under the program
in the first 2006-07 grant cycle may continue to receive funds in
future years to maintain counseling programs at the 2006-07 first
cycle funding level if the district meets all other conditions of the
program.

end insert begin delete

(b)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert d) end insert  Funds allocated pursuant to this section shall supplement,
and not supplant, expenditures made by a school district for school
counseling programs.

begin delete

(c)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert e) end insert  For purposes of this section, a charter school is not eligible
to receive a minimum grant but instead shall receive an amount
per pupil enrolled in grades 7 to 12, inclusive.

begin delete

(d)

end delete

begin insert ( end insert begin insert f) end insert  Funds appropriated in the annual Budget Act for begin delete the end delete purposes
of this chapter shall be used to provide supplemental counseling
services delivered by personnel who hold a valid pupil personnel
services credential.