BILL NUMBER: AB 1426	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 22, 2016
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 24, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 28, 2015
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 5, 2015

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member  Levine   Cooper


                        FEBRUARY 27, 2015

   An act to amend Sections  47612.5 and 47634.2 of 
 8483 and 8483.7 of, and to add Section 8483.71 to,  the
Education Code, relating to  charter schools.  
after school programs   . 


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1426, as amended,  Levine   Cooper  .
 Charter schools: classroom-based and nonclassroom-based
instruction: blended learning charter schools.   After
school programs.  
   The After School Education and Safety Program Act of 2002, enacted
by initiative statute, establishes the After School Education and
Safety Program to serve pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 9,
inclusive, at participating public elementary, middle, junior high,
and charter schools. The act requires every after school component of
a program to operate a minimum of 15 hours per week and at least
until 6 p.m. on every regular schoolday. The act requires the
Superintendent of Public Instruction to determine the total annual
after school grant amount for which a site is eligible based on a
formula of $7.50 per pupil per day of pupil attendance that the
program plans to serve, with a minimum total grant of $37.50 per
projected pupil per week, and a formula of $7.50 per projected pupil
per day of staff development, with a maximum of 3 staff development
days per year.  
   This bill would no longer require after school components of a
program to operate at least until 6 p.m. on regular schooldays. The
bill would increase the per pupil and per projected pupil rates
discussed above, as specified, and would require the State Department
of Education to report to the Legislature, on progress in
implementing these rate changes, commencing on or before April 1,
2017, and every 6 months thereafter, unless or until the rate changes
are fully implemented for all grantees.  
   Existing law, the Charter Schools Act of 1992, requires charter
schools, as a condition of receiving funding apportionments, to offer
in each fiscal year a specified minimum number of minutes of
instruction to each pupil based on grade level. For purposes of that
instructional time requirement, the act defines "classroom-based
instruction" as occurring only when charter school pupils are engaged
in required educational activities under the immediate supervision
and control of an employee of the charter school who possesses a
specified teaching certification. The act requires, for purposes of
calculating average daily attendance for classroom-based instruction
apportionments, that at least 80% of the instructional time offered
by the charter school be at the charter schoolsite. The act
authorizes a charter school to receive funding for nonclassroom-based
instruction, as defined for that purpose, only if a determination
for funding is made by the State Board of Education, subject to any
conditions or limitations the state board may prescribe. 

   This bill would subject to that determination for funding for
nonclassroom-based instruction a "blended learning charter school,"
defined as a charter school through which a pupil learns at least in
part through online delivery of content and instruction and at least
in part at a supervised location away from home, that offers
classroom-based instruction no less than 60% and no more than 80% of
the instructional time, and that satisfies other specified criteria.
The bill would provide that such a blended learning charter school
shall not lose eligibility for specified school facilities assistance
based solely on the blended learning charter school's status as a
nonclassroom-based charter school, provided that the charter school
is otherwise eligible for the facility program. The bill would
require the state board to adopt regulations setting forth criteria
for the determination of funding for a blended learning charter
school, as provided. The bill would also make nonsubstantive changes.

   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   SECTION 1.    Section 8483 of the  
Education Code   is amended to read: 
   8483.  (a) (1) Every after school component of a program
established pursuant to this article shall commence immediately upon
the conclusion of the regular schoolday, and operate  on every
regular schoolday for  a minimum of 15 hours per  week,
and at least until 6 p.m. on every regular schoolday.  
week.  Every after school component of the program shall
establish a policy regarding reasonable early daily release of pupils
from the program. For those programs or schoolsites operating in a
community where the early release policy does not meet the unique
needs of that community or school, or both, documented evidence may
be submitted to the department for an exception and a request for
approval of an alternative plan.
   (2) It is the intent of the Legislature that elementary school
pupils participate in the full day of the program every day during
which pupils participate and that pupils in middle school or junior
high school attend a minimum of nine hours a week and three days a
week to accomplish program goals.
   (3) In order to develop an age-appropriate after school program
for pupils in middle school or junior high school, programs
established pursuant to this article may implement a flexible
attendance schedule for those pupils. Priority for enrollment of
pupils in middle school or junior high school shall be given to
pupils who attend daily.
   (b) The administrators of a program established pursuant to this
article have the option of operating during any combination of
summer, intersession, or vacation periods for a minimum of three
hours per day for the regular school year pursuant to Section 8483.7.

   SEC. 2.    Section 8483.7 of the   Education
Code   is amended to read: 
   8483.7.  (a) (1) (A) Each school that establishes a program
pursuant to this article is eligible to receive a three-year after
school grant, that shall be awarded in three one-year increments and
is subject to semiannual attendance reporting and requirements as
described in Section 8482.3 once every three years.
   (i) The department shall provide technical support for development
of a program improvement plan for grantees under the following
conditions:
   (I) If actual pupil attendance falls below 75 percent of the
target attendance level in any year of the grant.
   (II) If the grantee fails, in any year of the grant, to
demonstrate measurable outcomes pursuant to Section 8484.
   (ii) The department shall adjust the grant level of any school
within the program that is under its targeted attendance level by
more than 15 percent in each of two consecutive years.
   (iii) In any year after the initial grant year, if the actual
attendance level of a school within the program falls below 75
percent of the target attendance level, the department shall perform
a review of the program and adjust the grant level as the department
deems appropriate.
   (iv) The department shall create a process to allow a grantee to
voluntarily lower its annual grant amount if one or more sites are
unable to meet the proposed pupil attendance levels by the end of the
second year of the grant.
   (v) A grantee who has had its grant amount reduced may
subsequently request an increase in funding up to the maximum grant
amounts provided under this subdivision.
   (vi) The department may terminate the grant of any site or program
that does not comply with fiscal reporting, attendance reporting, or
outcomes reporting requirements established by the department and
pursuant to Section 8484. The department may withhold the grant
allocation for a program or site if the prior grant year's fiscal or
attendance reporting remains outstanding, until the reports have been
filed with the department.
   (vii) Notwithstanding any other provision of this subdivision or
any other law, after the technical assistance required under clause
(i) has been provided, the department may at any time terminate the
grant of a school in a program that fails for three consecutive years
to meet either of the following requirements:
   (I) Demonstrate measurable program outcomes pursuant to Section
8484.
   (II) Attain 75 percent of its proposed attendance level after
having had its program reviewed and grant level adjusted by the
department.
   (B) After school grants may be awarded to applicants that have
demonstrated readiness to begin operation of a program or to expand
existing programs.
   (C) The maximum total after school grant amount awarded annually
pursuant to this paragraph shall be one hundred twelve thousand five
hundred dollars ($112,500) for each regular school year for each
elementary school and one hundred fifty thousand dollars ($150,000)
for each regular school year for each middle or junior high school.
The Superintendent shall determine the total annual after school
grant amount for which a site is eligible based on a formula of
 seven   eight  dollars and fifty cents
 ($7.50)   ($8.50)  per pupil per day of
pupil attendance that the program plans to serve, with a maximum
total grant of  thirty-seven   forty-two
dollars and fifty cents  ($37.50)   ($42.50)
 per projected pupil per week, and a formula of  seven
    eight  dollars and fifty cents
 ($7.50)   ($8.50)  per projected pupil per
day of staff development, with a maximum of three staff development
days per year. A program may provide the three days of staff
development during regular program hours using funds from the total
grant award.
   (2) For large schools, the maximum total grant amounts described
in paragraph (1) may be increased based on the following formulas, up
to a maximum amount of twice the respective limits specified in
paragraph (1):
   (A) For elementary schools, multiply one hundred thirteen dollars
($113) by the number of pupils enrolled at the schoolsite for the
normal schoolday program that exceeds 600.
   (B) For middle schools, multiply one hundred thirteen dollars
($113) by the number of pupils enrolled at the schoolsite for the
normal schoolday program that exceeds 900.
   (3) The maximum total grant amounts set forth in subparagraph (C)
of paragraph (1) may be increased from any funds made available for
this purpose in the annual Budget Act for participating schools that
have pupils on waiting lists for the program. Grants may be increased
by the lesser of an amount that is either 25 percent of the current
maximum total grant amount or equal to the proportion of pupils
unserved by the program as measured by documented waiting lists as of
January 1 of the previous grant year, compared to the actual after
school enrollment on the same date. The amount of the required cash
or in-kind matching funds shall be increased accordingly. First
priority for an increased maximum grant pursuant to this paragraph
shall be given to schools that qualify for funding pursuant to
subdivision (b) of Section 8482.55. Second priority shall be given to
schools that receive funding priority pursuant to subdivision (f) of
Section 8482.55.
   (4) The minimum total after school grant amount for each
schoolsite that may be awarded pursuant to this section shall be
computed by multiplying the applicable rate per pupil per day of
pupil attendance by 20 pupils being served for 180 regular
schooldays.
   (5) A school that establishes a program pursuant to this section
is eligible to receive a summer grant to operate the program in
excess of 180 regular schooldays or during any combination of summer,
intersession, or vacation periods for a maximum of the lesser of the
following amounts:
   (A) Seven dollars and fifty cents ($7.50) per day per pupil.
   (B) Thirty percent of the total grant amount awarded to the school
per school year pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1).
   (C) Notwithstanding subparagraphs (A) and (B), the maximum total
summer grant that may be awarded annually pursuant to this paragraph
shall be thirty-three thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($33,750)
for each regular school year for each elementary school and
forty-five thousand dollars ($45,000) for each regular school year
for each middle or junior high school.
   (6) Additional funding may be made available for transportation in
programs that meet the requirements of Section 8484.65, in an amount
not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) per site, per
school year, as funds are available, in accordance with the local
community after school program needs as determined by the department.
Programs shall submit to the department for consideration evidence
of the need for after school transportation funds specific to after
school programs pursuant to this article. Funding under this
paragraph may be used to supplement, but not supplant, local
transportation services.
   (7) Each program shall provide an amount of cash or in-kind local
funds equal to not less than one-third of the total grant from the
school district, governmental agencies, community organizations, or
the private sector. Facilities or space usage may fulfill not more
than 25 percent of the required local contribution.
   (8) (A) A grantee may allocate, with departmental approval, up to
125 percent of the maximum total grant amount for an individual
school, so long as the maximum total grant amount for all school
programs administered by the program grantee is not exceeded.
   (B) A program grantee that transfers funds for purposes of
administering a program pursuant to subparagraph (A) shall have an
established waiting list for enrollment, and may transfer only from
another school program that has met a minimum of 70 percent of its
attendance goal.
   (b) The administrator of a program established pursuant to this
article may supplement, but not supplant, existing funding for after
school programs with grant funds awarded pursuant to this article.
State categorical funds for remedial education activities shall not
be used to make the required contribution of local funds for those
after school programs.
   (c) Up to 15 percent of the initial year's grant amount for each
grant recipient may be used for startup costs. Under no circumstance
shall funding for startup costs result in an increase in the grant
recipient's total funding above the approved grant amount.
   (d) For each year of the grant, the department shall award the
total grant amount for that year not later than 30 days after the
date the grantee accepts the grant.
   (e) The department may adjust the amount of a direct grant,
awarded to a new applicant pursuant to this section, on the basis of
the program start date, as determined by the department.
   SEC. 3.    Section 8483.71 is added to the  
Education Code   , to read:  
   8483.71.  Commencing on or before April 1, 2017, and every six
months thereafter, the department shall provide a progress report to
the Legislature, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government
Code, regarding the implementation of each rate change made to
subparagraph (C) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section
8483.7, by the act that added this section, unless or until the rate
changes are fully implemented for all grantees.  All matter
omitted in this version of the bill appears in the bill as amended in
the Senate, June 24, 2015. (JR11)