BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 463|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 463
Author: Hancock (D)
Amended: 6/2/15
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-1, 4/15/15
AYES: Liu, Block, Hancock, Leyva, Mendoza, Pan, Vidak
NOES: Huff
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 5-2, 5/28/15
AYES: Lara, Beall, Hill, Leyva, Mendoza
NOES: Bates, Nielsen
SUBJECT: School climate: Safe and Supportive Schools Train
the Trainer Program
SOURCE: California Association of School Psychologists
Public Counsel
DIGEST: This bill requires the California Department of
Education, to the extent that funding is available in the Budget
Act of 2015, to designate a county office of education to be the
fiduciary agent for the Safe and Supportive Schools Train the
Trainer Program.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
1)Encourages schools, as comprehensive school safety plans are
reviewed and updated, to include in school safety plans clear
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guidelines for the roles and responsibilities of mental health
professionals, community intervention professionals, school
counselors, school resource officers, and police officers on
school campus, if the school district uses these people. The
guidelines may include primary strategies to create and
maintain a positive school climate, promote school safety, and
increase pupil achievement, and prioritize mental health and
intervention services, restorative and transformative justice
programs, and positive behavior interventions and support.
(Education Code § 32282.1)
2)Provides that corrective action other than out-of-school
suspension includes study teams, guidance teams, resource
panel teams, or other intervention-related teams that assess
the behavior, and develop and implement individualized plans
to address the behavior in partnership with the pupil and his
or her parents. (EC § 48900.5)
3)Requires that the individualized education team for each
student with exceptional needs consider the use of positive
behavioral interventions and supports for students whose
behavior impedes his or her learning. (EC § 56341.1)
This bill:
1)Requires the California Department of Education (CDE), to the
extent that funding is available in the Budget Act of 2015, to
designate a county office of education to be the fiduciary
agent for the Safe and Supportive Schools Train the Trainer
Program.
2)Requires the designated county office of education to be
chosen by the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) from
county offices that apply for designation.
3)Requires the designated county office of education to identify
existing professional development activities and
train-the-trainer models.
4)Requires the designated county office of education to
responsible for the development or identification of
professional development activities that are available as a
statewide training resource.
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5)Requires the designated county office of education to consult
with stakeholders, as necessary.
6)Requires funding to be targeted to all of the following
critical activities, within the context of a state-level plan:
a) Explaining the importance of linking research-based
strategies with local control funding formula planning and
local control and accountability plans, specifically with
respect to the school climate and student engagement state
priority areas.
b) Creating regional conferences and workshops on
implementation that would provide free training for school
and school district teams.
c) Establishing stipends for release time for school
personnel attending these conferences.
d) Developing best practices of current district level
systems and ensuring that these best practices are widely
disseminated.
e) Establishing a cohort of free or low-cost trainers and
coaches who can be available to work directly with local
school districts in hard-to-serve areas that are seeking to
implement research-based strategies.
f) Developing a network of educators who are effectively
implementing these practices and willing to provide
coaching and training to other schools and school
districts, particularly in hard-to-serve areas.
g) Developing statewide methods for collecting and
disseminating best practices in implementing research-based
strategies.
h) Developing evaluation tools to measure the effectiveness
of research-based strategies.
i) Developing specific professional development and
professional learning communities for teachers utilizing
these practices in their classes.
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7)Requires any funding allocated for this program to be expended
by January 1, 2019.
8)States legislative intent that the development or
identification of a statewide training resource will lead to
the establishment of statewide professional development
support structures and a network of trainers allowing for the
development and expansion of the Schoolwide Positive Behavior
Interventions and Supports programs, restorative justice,
social and emotional learning, trauma-informed practice, and
cultural competency professional development in each region of
the state, with a specific focus on those regions that are
underserved and do not have access to trainers in these
research-based approaches.
9)States legislative findings and declarations relative to
out-of-school suspension, the identification of school climate
as a state priority, and strategies and practices that address
student needs while reducing suspension and expulsion rates.
Background
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
involved 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.
The Student Success Team, formerly Student Study Team, is a
positive schoolwide early identification and intervention
process. Working as a team, the student, parent, teacher and
school administrator identify the student's strengths and assets
upon which an improvement plan can be designed. As a regular
school process, the team intervenes with school and community
support and an improvement plan that all team members agree to
follow. Follow-up meetings are planned to provide a continuous
casework management strategy to ensure the needs of students are
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met.
Comments
How many schools currently implement? Many schools voluntarily
follow models of tiered interventions and restorative justice to
address student needs prior to imposing discipline or making
referrals to special education. Statewide data on the current
implementation of such frameworks or programs is not collected.
Existing resources. The CDE's Web site includes an
implementation and technical assistance guide for response to
intervention, and information on multi-tiered systems of
support.
[http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/pn/im/documents/memo-ilsb-plsd-oct13ite
m02.doc] The Positive Environments, Network of Trainers is a
positive behavior initiative that disseminates through its
website information and resources regarding the use of proactive
positive strategies. [http://www.pent.ca.gov/]
Designated county office of education. This bill requires the
SPI to select the designated county office of education from
those that apply for such designation. This bill does not
establish an application process or guidance for the selection
of the appropriate county office, thereby giving the SPI
complete discretion to determine if the county office is capable
of meeting the fiduciary responsibilities and other requirements
of this bill.
Budget. The May Revise of the 2015 Budget Act includes $10
million to provide technical assistance and build statewide
resources to assist local educational agencies interested in
implementing school-wide, data-driven systems of support and
intervention.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal
Com.:YesLocal: No
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
This bill is contingent upon one-time funding made available
in the Budget Act of 2015. To fund this program, costs would
likely be in the low millions Proposition 98 General Fund to
implement this program, as prescribed, over four years.
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Additional General Fund costs to the CDE are likely to be
significant to develop and monitor the contract with the
designated county office of education.
SUPPORT: (Verified 6/1/15)
California Association of School Psychologists (co-source)
Public Counsel (co-source)
Alliance for Boys and Men of Color
Black Parallel School Board
California Now
Children's Defense Fund California
Dolores Huerta Foundation
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids California
Legal Services for Children
National Association of Social Workers - California
National Center for Youth Law
Policy Link
Restorative Schools Vision Project
Students First
The Gay and Lesbian Community Services Center of Orange County
The Labor/Community Strategy Center's Community Rights Campaign
Violence Prevention Coalition of Greater Los Angeles
OPPOSITION: (Verified6/1/15)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to this bill's sponsor,
California Association of School Psychologists, one of the most
important goals at every school should be the creation of
positive cultures in schools. Positive Behavior Interventions
and Supports is one of the most effective approaches to creating
a positive school culture. The Positive Behavior Interventions
and Supports multi-tiered support systems framework addresses at
least five critical areas of the required Local Control and
Accountability Plan.
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Prepared by:Lynn Lorber / ED. / (916) 651-4105
6/2/15 14:45:00
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