Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 50

Introduced by Senator Hueso

(Principal coauthors: Senators Beall, Cannella, Correa, Leno, Liu, and Wright)

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Alejo, Brown, Buchanan, Campos, Dickinson, and Lowenthal)

June 4, 2013

Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 50—Relative to Dropout Recovery Week.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 50, as introduced, Hueso. Dropout Recovery Week.

This measure would declare the week of August 4, 2013, to August 10, 2013, inclusive, to be Dropout Recovery Week, and would state the Legislature’s intent to encourage the support of dropout recovery high schools with creative teaching strategies, alternative assessments, and adequate resources.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, Research suggests that fewer than 73 percent of
9th grade pupils in California, and in some school districts fewer
than 50 percent, graduate from high school; and

WHEREAS, Research by the Alliance for Excellent Education
concludes that if only one-half of the dropouts from a single year
were to earn a diploma, the economic benefits to California would
be staggering: those recovered dropouts would earn an additional
$1.4 billion each year, increase home sales by $4.5 billion during
their careers, support an additional 8,700 jobs to the midpoint of
their careers, and increase state and local tax revenues by $167
million every year; and

WHEREAS, Research further shows that reengaged learners
demonstrate higher civic engagement, contribute to the cultural
strengths of their communities, and are significantly less likely to
be unemployed, on public assistance, or arrested for a violent
crime; and

WHEREAS, There exist dropout recovery high schools in
California that provide significant social, economic, and academic
benefits to their pupils and to California’s population as a whole
by reenrolling over 23,000 former dropouts; and

WHEREAS, Dropout recovery high schools face significant
challenges in reengaging pupils, including: (1) dropouts often
perform significantly below grade level; (2) dropouts suffer years
of academic and behavioral difficulties, absenteeism, and stressful
life circumstances; and (3) pupils who have dropped out once are
significantly more likely to drop out again; and

WHEREAS, Research by WestEd found that one-half of the
dropouts who return to school stay for one year or less, one-third
of returning dropouts fail to complete even one course after they
reenroll, and as few as 18 percent of returning dropouts graduate;
and

WHEREAS, Successful dropout recovery high schools utilize
multiple strategies, including state-of-the-art technology, career
technical education to reach a variety of learning modalities,
accelerated learning pedagogies, competency-based, rather than
seat-time-based, instruction, and open entry and open exit
enrollment; and

WHEREAS, Successful dropout recovery high schools attract
and retain high-quality staff committed to meeting the instructional
needs of the whole pupil and transforming their pupils from being
at risk of failure to being successful; now, therefore, be it

Resolved, by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby declares the week
of August 4, 2013, to August 10, 2013, inclusive, to be Dropout
Recovery Week, in honor of the schools and staff who work to
reengage pupils who have previously dropped out of school, and
in honor of the pupils who have overcome significant personal
challenges to reengage in high school and become transformed
learners who continue to pursue education in preparation for college
and a future career; and be it further

Resolved, That the Legislature intends to encourage the support
of dropout recovery high schools with creative teaching strategies,
alternative assessments, and adequate resources; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.