California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 547

Introduced by Assembly Member Salas

February 20, 2013

An act to amend Sections 8421 and 8423 of the Education Code, relating to after school programs.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 547, as introduced, Salas. 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program.

Existing law, the 21st Century High School After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program, provides for the establishment of a high school after school program that consists of an academic assistance element and an enrichment element. Existing law specifies that the academic assistance element is required to include, but is not limited to, one of these specified activities: preparation for the high school exit examination, tutoring, homework assistance, or college preparation. In selecting grantees to participate in the program, existing law requires the State Department of Education to consider specified criteria, including, among others, the strength of the education element and alignment with state academic standards, and the strength of the enrichment element.

This bill would add career exploration to the list of possible activities that may satisfy the academic assistance element, and would require the department to consider the strength of career exploration, and other criteria the department may identify as critical to the provision of high quality after school programs, in selecting grantees to participate in the program. The bill would make technical changes by updating cross-references and would make other 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 8421 of the Education Code is amended
to read:

8421.  

There is hereby established the 21st Century High School
After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program. The
purpose of the program is to create incentives for establishing
locally driven after school enrichment programs that partner
schools and communities to provide academic support and safe,
constructive alternatives for high school pupils in the hours after
the regular schoolday, and that may assist pupils in passing the
high school exit examination required for high school graduation
pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 60850) of Part
33 begin insert of Division 4 of Title 2 end insert for public school programs.

(a) High school after school programs shall serve pupils in
grades 9 to 12, inclusive.

(b) A high school after school program established pursuant to
this article shall consist of the following two elements:

(1) An academic assistance element that shall include, but need
not be limited to, at least one of the following: preparation for the
high school exit examination, tutoring, begin insert career exploration, end insert
homework assistance, or college preparation, including information
about the Cal Grant Program established pursuant to begin delete Article 3 end delete
begin insert Chapter 1.7 end insert (commencing with Section begin delete 69530) end delete begin insert 69430) end insert of begin delete Chapter
2 of end delete Part 42 begin insert of Division 5 of Title 3 end insert . The assistance shall be aligned
with the regular academic programs of the pupils.

(2) An enrichment element that may include, but need not be
limited to, community service, career and technical education, job
readiness, opportunities for mentoring and tutoring younger pupils,
service learning, arts, computer and technology training, physical
fitness, and recreation activities.

(c) A program shall operate for a minimum of 15 hours per
week.

(d) An entity may operate programs on one or multiple sites. If
an entity plans to operate programs at multiple sites, only one
application is required.

(e) A program may operate on a schoolsite or on another site
approved by the department during the grant application process.
A program located off school grounds shall not be approved unless
both of the following criteria are met:

(1) Safe transportation is available to transport participating
pupils if necessary.

(2) The program is at least as available and accessible as similar
programs conducted on schoolsites.

(f) Applicants for grants pursuant to this article shall ensure that
all of the following requirements are fulfilled, if applicable:

(1) The application includes a description of the activities that
will be available for pupils and lists the program hours.

(2) The application includes an estimate of the following:

(A) The number of pupils expected to attend the program on a
regular basis.

(B) The average hours of attendance per pupil.

(C) The percentage of pupils expected to attend the program
less than three days a week, three days a week, and more than three
days a week, for each quarter or semester during the grant period.

(3) The application documents the commitments of each partner
to operate a program at a location or locations that are safe and
accessible to participating pupils.

(4) The application certifies that pupils were involved in the
design of the program and describes the extent of that involvement.

(5) The application identifies federal, state, and local programs
that will be combined or coordinated with the high school after
school program for the most effective use of public resources, and
describes a plan for implementing the high school after school
program beyond federal grant funding.

(6) The application has been approved by the school district, or
the charter school governing begin delete board end delete begin insert body end insert , and the principal of each
participating school for each schoolsite or other site.

(7) The application includes a certification that the applicant
has complied with the requirement in subdivision (b) of Section
8422.

(8) The application includes a certification that each applicant
or partner in the application agrees to do all of the following:

(A) Assume responsibility for the quality of the program.

(B) Follow all fiscal reporting and auditing standards required
by the department.

(C) Provide the following information on participating pupils
to the department:

(i) Schoolday attendance rates.

(ii) Pupil test scores from the Standardized Testing and
Reporting Program established under Section 60640, reflecting
achievement in the areas addressed by required program elements,
if assessments have been established in that area.

(iii) Pupil achievement on the high school exit begin delete exam end delete begin insert examination end insert
as applicable.

(iv) Program attendance.

(D) Acknowledge that program evaluations will be based upon
the criteria in Section 8427.

(9) Certify that the applicant has complied with all federal
requirements in preparing and submitting the application.

(g) The department shall not establish minimum attendance
requirements for individual pupils.

(h) It is the intent of the Legislature, that to the extent possible,
the department require applicants to submit the information
required by this section in a short and concise manner.

SEC. 2.  

Section 8423 of the Education Code is amended to
read:

8423.  

(a) The department shall select grantees to participate
in the 21st Century High School After School Safety and
Enrichment for Teens program from among applicants that apply
on forms and in a manner prescribed by the department. To the
extent possible, the selection of applicants by the department shall
result in an equitable distribution of grant awards to applicants in
northern, southern, and central California, and in urban, suburban,
and rural areas of the state.

(b) The department shall consider the following criteria in
awarding grants:

(1) Strength of the educational element and alignment with state
academic standards, preparation for the high school exit
examination, and other academic interventions.

(2) Strength of the enrichment element.

begin insert

(3) Strength of career exploration.

end insert begin delete

(3)

end delete

begin insert (4) end insert  Evidence of community collaboration, including
demonstrated support of the principal and staff from participating
schools.

begin delete

(4)

end delete

begin insert (5) end insert  A description of the manner in which programs will provide
a safe physical and emotional environment and opportunities for
relationship building, and promote active pupil engagement.

begin delete

(5)

end delete

begin insert (6) end insert  A description of the manner in which the program design
will be periodically reexamined in order to maintain strong pupil
interest.

begin delete

(6)

end delete

begin insert (7) end insert  A description of plans to attract pupils, particularly pupils
considered at risk or in need of academic support, on a regular
basis.

begin insert

(8) Other criteria that the department may identify as critical
to the provision of high quality after school programs.

end insert

(c) The application shall certify all of the following:

(1) Completion of an assessment of pupils’ preferences for
program activities.

(2) Access to, and availability of, computers and technology.

(3) Inclusion of a nutritional snack and a physical activity
element.

(4) That the program will meet all of the evaluation
requirements.

(5) Fiscal accountability.