BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                       AB 827


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          ASSEMBLY THIRD READING


          AB  
          827 (O'Donnell)


          As Amended  June 2, 2015


          Majority vote


           ------------------------------------------------------------------- 
          |Committee       |Votes |Ayes                 |Noes                 |
          |                |      |                     |                     |
          |                |      |                     |                     |
          |----------------+------+---------------------+---------------------|
          |Education       |6-1   |O'Donnell, Chávez,   |Kim                  |
          |                |      |McCarty, Santiago,   |                     |
          |                |      |Thurmond, Weber      |                     |
          |                |      |                     |                     |
          |----------------+------+---------------------+---------------------|
          |Appropriations  |12-0  |Gomez, Bonta,        |                     |
          |                |      |Calderon, Daly,      |                     |
          |                |      |Eggman,              |                     |
          |                |      |                     |                     |
          |                |      |                     |                     |
          |                |      |Eduardo Garcia,      |                     |
          |                |      |Gordon, Holden,      |                     |
          |                |      |Quirk, Rendon,       |                     |
          |                |      |Weber, Wood          |                     |
          |                |      |                     |                     |
          |                |      |                     |                     |
           ------------------------------------------------------------------- 


          SUMMARY:  Requires schools serving grades 7-12, as part of  
          publicizing anti-discrimination policies, to provide information  








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          to certificated school site staff on school site and community  
          resources for the support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender,  
          and questioning (LGBTQ) students.  Specifically, this bill:  


          1)Requires schools operated by school districts, county offices of  
            education, and charter schools, serving grades 7-12, as part of  
            publicizing anti-discrimination policies, to provide information  
            to certificated school site staff serving those grades on school  
            site and community resources for the support of LGBTQ students.   



          2)Defines school site resources for the support of LGBTQ students  
            to include:


             a)   Peer support or affinity clubs and organizations.


             b)   Safe spaces for LGBTQ students.


             c)   Anti-bullying and harassment policies, and related  
               complaint procedures.


             d)   Counseling services.


             e)   School staffs who have received anti-bias or other  
               training aimed at supporting LGBTQ youth or serve as  
               designated support personnel for those students.


             f)   Health and other curriculum materials that are inclusive  
               of, and relevant to, LGBTQ youth.










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             g)   Online anti-bullying curriculum developed by the  
               California Department of Education (CDE).


          1)Defines community resources for the support of LGBTQ students to  
            include:


             a)   community-based organizations that provide support to  
               LGBTQ youth and their families


             b)   physical and mental health providers with experience in  
               treating and supporting LGBTQ youth


          


          EXISTING LAW:


          1)Prohibits discrimination in public schools on the basis of  
            disability, gender, gender expression, nationality, race or  
            ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other  
            characteristic that is contained in the definition of hate  
            crimes.


          2)Requires the CDE to monitor, through its categorical monitoring  
            process, whether school districts have:


             a)   Adopted policies prohibiting discrimination based on the  
               actual or perceived characteristics including disability,  
               gender, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity,  
               religion, sexual orientation, or association with a person or  
               group with one or more of those characteristics.









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             b)   Adopted a process for receiving and investigating  
               complaints relating to discrimination, harassment,  
               intimidation, and bullying, including:


               i)     A requirement that school personnel who witness such  
                 acts take immediate steps to intervene when safe to do so


               ii)    A timeline for the investigation and resolution of  
                 complaints, and an appeal process


               iii)   Publicized antidiscrimination, anti-harassment,  
                 anti-intimidation, and anti-bullying policies, including  
                 information about the manner in which to file a complaint,  
                 to pupils, parents, employees, agents of the governing  
                 board, and the general public


          3)Requires the CDE to develop an online training module on  
            bullying and cyberbullying for school staff, school  
            administrators, parents, students, and community members.


          FISCAL EFFECT:  According to the Assembly Appropriations  
          Committee, unknown, likely minor, costs for school districts and  
          COEs to distribute information consistent with existing  
          anti-discrimination policies. 


          COMMENTS:  


          Need for the bill.  The author's office states, "Despite much  
          progress, California LGBTQ students continue to face verbal,  
          physical, and online harassment.  This harassment has direct  
          effects on their academic achievement - increasing truancy,  








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          lowering grade point averages, and resulting in poor attitudes  
          toward school. 


          Research has shown that when LGBTQ students have access to  
          supports in school, they perform better academically, skip school  
          less, and have more positive attitudes toward school.  AB 827 will  
          ensure that teachers are aware of resources for the support of  
          these students, both at school and in the local community."


          Which school site supports improve outcomes for LGBTQ students?  A  
          number of supportive factors at school appear to improve academic  
          outcomes and improve safety for LGBTQ students.


          Research shows, for example, that LGBT students with many  
          supportive educators feel safer at school, skip fewer classes,  
          earn higher grades, and have fewer school-related problems than  
          those without supportive educators.   Students in schools with Gay  
          Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs report less harassment and assault  
          are more likely to report these incidents when they occur, and are  
          less likely to miss school because of safety concerns.   
          Anti-bullying policies are also associated with better outcomes,  
          such as being one-third less likely to skip a class.  


          Evaluations from New York City, Illinois, and Massachusetts have  
          found that such teacher training helped to create safer  
          environments for LGBTQ students.  The United States Department of  
          Health and Human Services, as part of its anti-bullying campaign,  
          recommends that, "when youth reveal same-sex attractions and  
          relationships, this is an opportunity for health, medical, and  
          school professionals to better inform and support sexual minority  
          youth by linking them with community resources and helping to  
          overcome the tensions of parents, families, and peers."


          Research has also shown that feelings of safety at school are  








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          stronger when students know where to get information and support  
          about sexual orientation and gender identity, but research has  
          also shown that some students in California schools are not aware  
          of one of these key supports - anti-discrimination policies.


          CDC endorses school site resources for LGBTQ students.  The author  
          notes that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),  
          as part of its risk behavior prevention activities, monitors and  
          funds local efforts to create supportive school environments for  
          LGBTQ students.  The CDC collects information on factors such as  
          professional development for educators, school site resources such  
          as GSA clubs and safe spaces for LGBTQ students, and referrals to  
          school and community health professionals with experience  
          providing support to LGBTQ students.  The CDC has made grants for  
          teacher training in support of LGBTQ students in Michigan, Rhode  
          Island, Pennsylvania, and California (to the Los Angeles Unified  
          School District).  The CDC reports that 50% of California schools  
          facilitate access to school site and community health resources  
          for LGBTQ students and 39% have GSA clubs.  




          Analysis Prepared by:                                               
          Tanya Lieberman / ED. / (916) 319-2087  FN: 0000940