Amended in Senate June 19, 2013

Amended in Assembly April 11, 2013

California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 547


Introduced by Assembly Member Salas

February 20, 2013


An act to amendbegin delete Sectionsend deletebegin insert Sectionend insert 8421begin delete and 8423end delete of the Education Code, relating to after school programs.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 547, as amended, 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 limitedbegin delete to, one of these specified activities:end deletebegin insert to:end insert 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, as defined, to the list of possible activities that may satisfy the academic assistancebegin delete element, and would require the department to consider 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.end deletebegin insert element.end insert 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:

P2    1

SECTION 1.  

Section 8421 of the Education Code is amended
2to read:

3

8421.  

There is hereby established the 21st Century High School
4After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens program. The
5purpose of the program is to create incentives for establishing
6locally driven after school enrichment programs that partner
7schools and communities to provide academic support and safe,
8constructive alternatives for high school pupils in the hours after
9the regular schoolday, andbegin delete that mayend deletebegin insert toend insert assist pupils in passing the
10high school exit examination required for high school graduation
11pursuant to Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 60850) of Part
1233 of Division 4 of Title 2 for public school programs.

13(a) High school after school programs shall serve pupils in
14grades 9 to 12, inclusive.

15(b) A high school after school program established pursuant to
16this article shall consist of the following two elements:

17(1) (A) An academic assistance element that shall include, but
18need not be limited to, at least one of the following: preparation
19for the high school exit examination, tutoring, career exploration,
20homework assistance, or college preparation, including information
21about the Cal Grant Program established pursuant to Chapter 1.7
22(commencing with Section 69430) of Part 42 of Division 5 of Title
233. The assistance shall be aligned with the regular academic
24programs of the pupils.

25(B) For the purposes of this article, “career exploration” means
26activities that help pupils develop the knowledge and skills that
27are relevant to their career interests and reinforce academic content.

28(2) An enrichment element that may include, but need not be
29limited to, community service, career and technical education, job
30readiness, opportunities for mentoring and tutoring younger pupils,
31service learning, arts, computer and technology training, physical
32fitness, and recreation activities.

P3    1(c) A program shall operate for a minimum of 15 hours per
2week.

3(d) An entity may operate programs on one or multiple sites. If
4an entity plans to operate programs at multiple sites, only one
5application is required.

6(e) A program may operate on a schoolsite or on another site
7approved by the department during the grant application process.
8A program located off school grounds shall not be approved unless
9both of the following criteria are met:

10(1) Safe transportation is available to transport participating
11pupils if necessary.

12(2) The program is at least as available and accessible as similar
13programs conducted on schoolsites.

14(f) Applicants for grants pursuant to this article shall ensure that
15all of the following requirements are fulfilled, if applicable:

16(1) The application includes a description of the activities that
17will be available for pupils and lists the program hours.

18(2) The application includes an estimate of the following:

19(A) The number of pupils expected to attend the program on a
20regular basis.

21(B) The average hours of attendance per pupil.

22(C) The percentage of pupils expected to attend the program
23less than three days a week, three days a week, and more than three
24days a week, for each quarter or semester during the grant period.

25(3) The application documents the commitments of each partner
26to operate a program at a location or locations that are safe and
27accessible to participating pupils.

28(4) The application certifies that pupils were involved in the
29 design of the program and describes the extent of that involvement.

30(5) The application identifies federal, state, and local programs
31that will be combined or coordinated with the high school after
32school program for the most effective use of public resources, and
33describes a plan for implementing the high school after school
34program beyond federal grant funding.

35(6) The application has been approved by the school district, or
36the charter school governing body, and the principal of each
37participating school for each schoolsite or other site.

38(7) The application includes a certification that the applicant
39has complied with the requirement in subdivision (b) of Section
408422.

P4    1(8) The application includes a certification that each applicant
2or partner in the application agrees to do all of the following:

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

4(B) Follow all fiscal reporting and auditing standards required
5by the department.

6(C) Provide the following information on participating pupils
7to the department:

8(i) Schoolday attendance rates.

9(ii) Pupil test scores from the Standardized Testing and
10Reporting Program established under Section 60640, reflecting
11achievement in the areas addressed by required program elements,
12if assessments have been established in that area.

13(iii) Pupil achievement on the high school exit examination as
14applicable.

15(iv) Program attendance.

16(D) Acknowledge that program evaluations will be based upon
17the criteria in Section 8427.

18(9) Certify that the applicant has complied with all federal
19requirements in preparing and submitting the application.

20(g) The department shall not establish minimum attendance
21requirements for individual pupils.

22(h) It is the intent of the Legislature, that, to the extent possible,
23the department require applicants to submit the information
24required by this section in a short and concise manner.

begin delete
25

SEC. 2.  

Section 8423 of the Education Code is amended to
26read:

27

8423.  

(a) The department shall select grantees to participate
28in the 21st Century High School After School Safety and
29Enrichment for Teens program from among applicants that apply
30on forms and in a manner prescribed by the department. To the
31extent possible, the selection of applicants by the department shall
32result in an equitable distribution of grant awards to applicants in
33northern, southern, and central California, and in urban, suburban,
34and rural areas of the state.

35(b) The department shall consider the following criteria in
36awarding grants:

37(1) Strength of the educational element and alignment with state
38academic standards, preparation for the high school exit
39 examination, and other academic interventions.

40(2) Strength of the enrichment element.

P5    1(3) Evidence of community collaboration, including
2demonstrated support of the principal and staff from participating
3schools.

4(4) A description of the manner in which programs will provide
5a safe physical and emotional environment and opportunities for
6relationship building, and promote active pupil engagement.

7(5) A description of the manner in which the program design
8will be periodically reexamined in order to maintain strong pupil
9interest.

10(6) A description of plans to attract pupils, particularly pupils
11considered at risk or in need of academic support, on a regular
12basis.

13(7) Other criteria that the department may identify as critical to
14the provision of high quality after school programs.

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

16(1) Completion of an assessment of pupils’ preferences for
17program activities.

18(2) Access to, and availability of, computers and technology.

19(3) Inclusion of a nutritional snack and a physical activity
20 element.

21(4) That the program will meet all of the evaluation
22requirements.

23(5) Fiscal accountability.

end delete


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