BILL ANALYSIS �
AB 547
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Date of Hearing: May 1, 2013
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
AB 547 (Salas) - As Amended: April 11, 2013
Policy Committee: Education
Vote:7-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill adds career exploration as one of several elements
that satisfy the academic assistance element required under the
21st Century After School Safety and Enrichment for Teens
(ASSETs) program, as specified. Specifically, this bill:
1)Defines career exploration as activities that help students
develop the knowledge and skills that are relevant to their
career interests and reinforce academic content.
2)Requires the State Department of Education (SDE) to consider
strength of career exploration when awarding grants, and
authorizes SDE to consider other criteria it identifies as
critical to the provision of high quality after school
programs.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)No direct fiscal effect by authorizing career exploration to
satisfy the academic component of the ASSETs program, as
specified.
2)To the extent SDE exercises its authority to add other
criteria in reviewing ASSETs grant applications, there may be
pressure to increase federal fund grant amounts depending on
the criteria added - see Comment #2 below. If grant amounts
are increased, fewer students will likely be served, absent an
increase in the overall federal appropriation.
COMMENTS
AB 547
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1)Purpose . The ASSETs program, established by AB 1984
(Steinberg), Chapter 1025, Statutes of 2002, serves pupils in
grades 9-12 and provides them with academic support and
academic enrichment after school. Specifically, a program
must include an academic assistance element and an enrichment
element. Current law defines an academic assistance element,
as including, but not limited to, preparation for the
California High School Exit Exam, tutoring, homework
assistance, or college preparation, as specified. This
measure proposes to add career exploration to this list. The
author argues this bill will expose low-income students to
career options and the skills necessary to explore these
options.
2)Authorizing SDE to develop additional ASSETs program criteria .
This bill authorizes SDE to identify other criteria as
critical to the provision of high quality after school
programs in awarding ASSETs grants. There is no specificity
in what this criteria is and depending on SDE's actions, new
criteria may have programmatic and fiscal consequences for
grantees. Grantees receive $250,000 (approximately $10 per
day, per pupil) for a five-year period. If SDE places more
programmatic requirements, such as ensuring programs
incorporate the newly adopted Common Core Standards, as part
of their academic component, this may increase program costs
and create pressure to increase grant allocations. The
committee may wish to consider whether it is appropriate to
provide SDE with broad discretion on establishing additional
grant criteria without legislative input.
3)21st Century Learning Community Center (21st CLCC) program .
SB 1478 (McPherson), Chapter 1036, Statutes of 2002
established this program to comply with the federal No Child
Left Behind Act of 2001. It provides five-year grant funding
to establish or expand before and after school programs for
disadvantaged K-12 students. The purpose of the programs is
to provide academic enrichment opportunities and supportive
services to help students meet state and local standards in
core content areas. The program also provides family literacy
and related educational services to the community. The 2012
Budget Act allocated $144 million in federal funds, including
$22.4 million in one-time carryover funds. Of this amount,
$80 million is allocated for the ASSETs program.
The ASSETs program is a component of the 21st CLCC program.
AB 547
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According to SDE, there are 256 grantees that have programs at
345 schoolsites. These grantees serve approximately 46,000
9-12 students. Statute establishes priority in funding for
pupil attending a school ranked in the lowest three deciles of
the Academic Performance Index.
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081