BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
2015 - 2016 Regular Session
AB 1014 (Thurmond) - Education finance: Safe Neighborhoods and
Schools Fund: Learning Communities for School Success Program
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|Version: June 23, 2016 |Policy Vote: ED. 7 - 1, ED. 9 - |
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|Urgency: No |Mandate: No |
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|Hearing Date: August 1, 2016 |Consultant: Jillian Kissee |
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This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File.
Bill
Summary: This bill establishes the Learning Communities for
School Success Program, which requires the California Department
of Education (CDE) to administer grants for local educational
agencies (LEAs) to implement programs and services consistent
with Proposition 47 to improve outcomes for students by reducing
truancy and supporting students who are at risk of dropping out
of school or are victims of crime.
Fiscal
Impact:
The implementation of this bill is contingent upon funds
appropriated in the budget act or another statute. The Budget
Act of 2016 includes a total of $27.9 million for this
purpose. Specifically, the budget includes $9.4 million of
estimated Proposition 47 savings, with an additional $18
AB 1014 (Thurmond) Page 1 of
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million in one-time Proposition 98 to be spent over three
years, and $493,000 General Fund for CDE state operations.
The CDE anticipates costs of almost $720,000 in the first year
for start-up and program administration costs, including
contracting with consultants to provide technical assistance,
conducting stakeholder meetings and program monitoring, and
funding for CDE support staff. This translates to an
additional need of $227,000 over the amount provided in the
budget act. Second year costs (2017-18) are anticipated to be
$763,000.
Background: The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act was approved by voters
as Proposition 47 in November 2014 and makes significant changes
to the state's criminal justice system. It reduces the
penalties for certain non-violent, non-serious drug and property
crimes, and requires that the resulting state savings be spent
on: 1) mental health and substance use services; 2) truancy and
dropout prevention; and 3) victim services. Further,
Proposition 47 requires that 25 percent of the Safe
Neighborhoods School Fund be allocated to the CDE for a grant
program to reduce truancy, high school dropout, and student
victimization rates. Proposition 47 requires the Department of
Finance, beginning with July 31, 2016, to calculate the savings
derived by the Proposition in the preceding fiscal year.
Proposed Law:
This bill establishes the Learning Communities for School
Success Program for the purpose of implementing the K-12
education portion of the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, as
approved as Proposition 47 by the voters. The CDE is required
to administer the program providing three-year grants and
coordinate assistance to LEAs to support them in identifying and
implementing evidence-based, non-punitive programs that are
aligned with the goals for students contained in each LEA's
local control and accountability plan.
The main components of the program include:
CDE is required to conduct outreach and technical assistance
before the initial application deadline to LEAs that are
likely to be given priority to help them with their grant
AB 1014 (Thurmond) Page 2 of
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applications.
CDE is required to consult with stakeholders, with the intent
that stakeholders provide input on the design of the
application and review process.
LEAs are required to use grant funds for planning,
implementation, and evaluation of activities for
evidence-based, non-punitive programs and practices to keep
vulnerable youth in school.
LEAs may use grant funds for the following purposes: to
establish a community school, as specified; for activities
that improve attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism;
restorative practices to improve retention rates, reduce
suspensions and other school removals, and reduce the referral
of students to law enforcement agencies; for activities that
advance social-emotional learning; and to establish
partnerships with community-based organizations.
Priority for grant funds is required to be given to LEAs with
high rates of chronic absenteeism, out-of-school suspension,
or school dropouts, or located in a community with a high
crime rate.
Grantees must provide a 20 percent local match and are
prohibited from spending funds on law enforcement activities.
The CDE is required to establish a structure to deliver
training and technical assistance to grantees using regional
workshops and technical assistance providers that have subject
matter expertise.
Grantees are required to evaluate and report to their
respective governing board and the CDE the results of the
activities implemented. The CDE is required to compile the
information as part of an overall evaluation of the grant
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program implementation and submit an interim report of
preliminary evaluation findings to the Legislature by January
31, 2019 and a final evaluation by January 31, 2020.
The CDE is allowed up to five percent of Proposition 47
savings for administrative costs, including administering
grant awards, coordinating training and technical assistance,
and completing the evaluation.
Related
Legislation: SB 527 (Liu, 2016) is identical to this bill and
is pending in the Assembly Appropriations Committee.
Staff
Comments: This bill provides a plan to spend the education
share of savings in accordance with the provisions of
Proposition 47. It is the result of an agreement on a framework
between both houses of the Legislature, in collaboration with
the CDE, Department of Justice, Department of Finance, and
stakeholders. This bill implements the framework, along with SB
527 (Liu), which is identical to this bill. Enactment of both
bills is contingent upon the passage of both bills.
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