BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 379
Author: Hancock (D)
Amended: 4/17/13
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 9-0, 4/24/13
AYES: Liu, Wyland, Block, Correa, Hancock, Hueso, Huff,
Jackson, Monning
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-0, 5/6/13
AYES: De León, Walters, Gaines, Hill, Lara, Padilla, Steinberg
SUBJECT : School attendance: early and middle college
programs
SOURCE : Tulare County Office of Education
University Preparatory High School in Visalia
DIGEST : This bill exempts a charter school operated early
college or middle college high school from the 240 minute
requirement for a minimum school day and establishes a day of
attendance as 180 minutes for pupils in grade 11 or 12, enrolled
in these programs if they are also enrolled part-time in classes
at the University of California (UC), California State
University (CSU), or at a community college, as specified. For
pupils enrolled in grade 9 or 10 that meet the same criteria, a
day of attendance is 240 minutes.
ANALYSIS : Early college high schools are small, autonomous
schools that blend high school and college into a coherent
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educational program. Middle college high school programs are
also small, autonomous schools that blend high school and
college into a coherent educational program but have a career
preparation/work experience component. Both programs focus on
students from communities underrepresented in postsecondary
education, first generation college goers, and English learners.
Existing law specifies that the minimum school day in any high
school is 240 minutes. However, evening high schools, early
college high schools, middle college high schools, regional
occupational centers, opportunity schools and opportunity
classes, continuation high schools, and occupationally organized
vocational training programs are exempt from this 240 minute
minimum day requirement. The minimum school day for pupils
engaged in vocational training and work experience or those
attending school in a regional occupational center or program is
180 minutes per day.
Existing law also provides that a day of attendance in grades 11
and 12 is 180 minutes if the pupil is also enrolled part time in
classes of the CSU or the UC. A day of attendance for a pupil
who is also a special part-time student enrolled in a community
college and who will receive academic credit upon satisfactory
completion of enrolled courses is 180 minutes. For purposes of
computing average daily attendance for these pupils, existing
law specifies that the 180 minute minimum is computed as
three-quarters of a full 240 minute day.
This bill:
1.Provides that a day of attendance for a charter school
operated early college high school student in grade 11 or 12
that is eligible to claim classroom based apportionment, as
specified, is 180 minutes if the pupil is also enrolled part
time in classes at the CSU or the UC for which academic credit
will be provided upon satisfactory completion of enrolled
courses.
2.Provides that a day of attendance for a charter school
operated early college high school student in grade 11 or 12
that is eligible to claim classroom based apportionment, as
specified, is 180 minutes if the pupil is also a special
part-time student enrolled in a community college and who will
earn academic credit upon satisfactory completion of enrolled
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courses. For pupils enrolled in grade 9 or 10 that meet the
same criteria, a day of attendance is 240 minutes.
3.Requires a day of attendance for a pupil enrolled in a charter
school operated early college high school or middle college
high school who does not satisfy these provisions is 240
minutes.
4.Provides that the bill's provisions do not change the
requirement for charter schools to offer a minimum number of
annual instructional minutes, as specified.
5.Provides that for a pupil enrolled in a charter school
operated early college high school or middle college high
school who does not satisfy the attendance and enrollment
requirements as specified, attendance shall be claimed by the
charter school.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/6/13)
Tulare County Office of Education (co-source)
University Preparatory High School (co-source)
California Charter Schools Association Advocates
Sequoias Community College District
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : Many career-focused educational
programs and alternative high schools have a 180-minute
threshold for average daily attendance (ADA) purposes. Prior to
January 1, 2013, early college high schools were held to a
higher minimum threshold of 240 minutes which is the same as
comprehensive high schools.
According to the author, the 240 minute requirement creates
logistical problems for school schedules that are also trying to
accommodate pupils' college schedules and creates long days for
students. Presumably, students could use this extra time to
take more college courses or make more efficient use of their
time while meeting their high school graduation requirements.
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SB 1316 (Hancock, Chapter 67, Statutes of 2012), sought to
address these issues and allow early college and middle college
high school students who are also enrolled in college to meet
the minimum day requirement of 180 minutes. However, SB 1316
did not specifically apply to charter operated programs and
therefore, they are still required to provide 64,800 minutes of
instruction per year which is the equivalent of 288 minutes per
day of instructional time for full classroom based average daily
attendance. As a result, there are two sets of requirements for
programs operated by comprehensive high schools and charter
schools.
According to the author, the purpose of SB 379 is to correct
this discrepancy and "level the playing field" for early college
and middle college high school programs operated by charter
schools.
PQ:ej 5/7/13 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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