BILL ANALYSIS Ó SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair 2015 - 2016 Regular Session AB 1025 (Thurmond) - Pupil health: multitiered and integrated interventions pilot program. ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Version: August 18, 2015 |Policy Vote: ED. 8 - 1, HEALTH | | | 9 - 0 | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Urgency: No |Mandate: No | | | | |--------------------------------+--------------------------------| | | | |Hearing Date: August 24, 2015 |Consultant: Jillian Kissee | | | | ----------------------------------------------------------------- This bill meets the criteria for referral to the Suspense File. Bill Summary: This bill requires the California Department of Education (CDE) to establish a three-year pilot program in school districts to encourage inclusive practices that integrate mental health, special education, and school climate interventions following a multi-tiered framework. Fiscal Impact: Redirection of $6 million of a $10 million appropriation included in the Budget Act of 2015 for similar purposes. Grant awards of $600,000 would be provided to a total of 10 schools over a three-year period. (Proposition 98) The CDE indicates that staff across two divisions and about $230,000 over a three-year period would be necessary to implement this bill. (General Fund) AB 1025 (Thurmond) Page 1 of ? Background: AB 104 (Committee on Budget, Ch. 13, 2015) among other things, appropriates $10 million to the Superintendent of Public Instruction to be apportioned to a designated county office of education (COE) to provide technical assistance and develop statewide resources to assist local educational agencies to establish and align systems of learning and behavioral supports. The language in AB 104 appears to largely reflect recommendations of the Special Education Task Force, components of SB 463 (Hancock, 2015), and this bill. Multi-tiered interventions Many schools voluntarily follow models of tiered interventions to address student needs prior to imposing discipline or making referrals to special education. Models include Schoolwide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports, Response to Intervention and Positive Environments, Network of Trainers. Typically, the base tier is a schoolwide approach involving instruction, school climate, etc. The middle tier is targeted to students who did not respond to the schoolwide efforts and involves more intense interventions such as tutoring. The top tier focuses on a smaller group of students who continue to need support and may include very intense and frequent services such as counseling. Proposed Law: This bill requires the COE designated pursuant to AB 104 to establish a three-year pilot program to encourage inclusive practices that integrate mental health, special education, and school climate interventions following a multi-tiered framework. The bill's provisions sunset on January 1, 2020. The designated COE is required to establish the pilot program in two schools in five school districts that apply that have at least 60 percent of students eligible for a free or reduced-price meal program. In addition, the school districts must plan to use a combination of school funds and mental health funds and a model that targets the behavioral, emotional, and academic needs of the students with multi-tiered and integrated mental health, special education, and school climate interventions. School districts must include in their applications estimates for the amount of funding being requested AB 1025 (Thurmond) Page 2 of ? for startup and evaluation of the program and their intended models which must include various elements. In accordance with funds appropriated in AB 104 and other funds that may be appropriated, the designated COE is required to provide startup and evaluation funding to each of the 10 participating schools: $250,000 in the first year; $200,000 in the second year; and $150,000 in the third year. This bill also requires the CDE to establish a steering committee to provide advice and direction to develop criteria for grant awards and an evaluation plan, as well as to disseminate best practices. Finally, this bill requires the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission to revise its guidelines and regulations to require that these prevention and early intervention programs in K-12 schools are designed to support the implementation or expansion of model programs. Related Legislation: SB 463 (Hancock, 2015) requires the CDE, to the extent that funding is available in the Budget Act of 2015, to designate a COE to be the fiduciary agent for the Safe and Supportive Schools Train the Trainer Program. SB 463 is pending in the Assembly Education Committee. Staff Comments: The CDE indicates that this bill would require substantial administrative workload. Activities would include: establishing a steering committee to assist the CDE in development of criteria for grant awards and evaluations; developing and release of a request for applications; the review and selection process of grantees; and administration of the program. AB 1025 (Thurmond) Page 3 of ? -- END --