BILL ANALYSIS Ó
Senate Appropriations Committee Fiscal Summary
Senator Kevin de León, Chair
AB 1518 (Eggman) - National Guard: Youth Challenge Program
Amended: May 23, 2014 Policy Vote: Veterans 6-0,
Education 7-0
Urgency: No Mandate: No
Hearing Date: August 4, 2014
Consultant: Jacqueline Wong-Hernandez
This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill Summary: AB 1518 requires the Adjutant General to conduct a
civilian youth opportunities program, to be known as the
"National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program," consisting of at least
a 22 week residential program and a 12 month post-residential
mentoring period, as specified, and subject to funds
appropriated for this purpose in the annual budget.
Fiscal Impact:
Youth ChalleNGe Program: $1.5 million (General Fund) was
appropriated to the California Military Department in the
Budget Act of 2014 to establish a new Youth ChalleNGe
program. This bill creates $1.5 million in cost pressure to
annually fund the program's operation.
Average Daily Attendance (ADA): Significant additional ADA
funding, depending on the number of students served by this
dropout recovery program.
Background: Existing federal law authorizes the Secretary of
Defense to use the California National Guard to conduct a
civilian youth opportunities program-the National Guard Youth
ChalleNGe Program, which shall consist of at least a 22 week
residential program and a 12 month post-residential mentoring
period.
(§ 509 of Title 32 of the United States Code)
Existing state law also provides that the Adjutant General of
the California National Guard may enter into a cooperative
agreement with the governing board of a school district or a
county office of education (COE) for the purpose of
establishing, pursuant to existing authority in the Education
Code, a military academy to be operated as a charter school or
AB 1518 (Eggman)
Page 1
as one of the existing alternative education options available
under the Education Code. The program would provide a
structured, disciplined environment that would be conducive to
learning in a college preparatory environment. In addition to
academic skills, students would develop leadership, self-esteem,
and a strong sense of community. An academy established pursuant
to this section must comply with the Education Code.
Additionally, existing law provides that a new California
National Guard Youth Program, except for the California Cadet
Corps, may only be established as provided in this section if
funds are appropriated for purposes of the program in the annual
Budget Act or any other act. (Military and Veterans Code § 532)
Proposed Law: This bill requires the Adjutant General to conduct
a civilian youth opportunities program, to be known as the
"National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program," consisting of at least
a 22 week residential program and a 12 month post-residential
mentoring period. This bill provides that the program shall
serve at risk teens in areas of the state, including, but not
limited to, the San Joaquin Valley and Northern California, and
shall be subject to all of the following:
a) The program shall seek to improve life skills and
employment potential of participants by providing
military-based leadership development, promoting fellowship
and community service, developing life-coping skills and
job skills, improving physical fitness, providing health
and hygiene training, and assisting participants to receive
a high school diploma or its equivalent.
b) The Adjutant General may accept federal funding
to implement the program and may appoint a director and
other service members and employees, permanent or
temporary, to operate the program.
c) The Military Department shall enter into a
memorandum of agreement with an appropriate school district
or COE for the purpose of providing educational services
for students enrolled in a program, as specified.
This bill also requires that a new program, except for the
California Cadet Corps, may only be established if funds are
appropriated for that purpose in the annual Budget Act or any
other act.
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Staff Comments: The Budget Act of 2014 provided $1.5 million
(General Fund) to the California Military Department of
establish a new Youth ChalleNGe program. This bill specifies the
geographic location of the program, and adds implementing
provisions. Establishing a new program creates cost pressure to
continue funding $1.5 million per year, which would also
leverage about $4.5 million in federal matching funds.
In order to be eligible for the Youth ChalleNGe program,
individuals must be 16 to 18-years-old, and a high school
dropout. The program defines "dropout" as "an individual who is
no longer attending any school and who has not received a
secondary school diploma or certificate from a program of
equivalency for such diploma." The Military Department is
required to enter into a memorandum of agreement with a school
district or COE for the purpose of providing educational
services for students enrolled in a program, and that
educational agency would be eligible to receive ADA funding for
each enrolled student. Existing programs serve approximately
750 students; if this program serves 750 students not previously
enrolled in school, ADA costs would likely exceed $5 million per
year.