Amended in Senate April 20, 2015

Senate Bill No. 527

Introduced by Senator Liu

February 26, 2015

An act to add Article 14 (commencing with Section 33480) to Chapter 3 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to education finance.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SB 527, as amended, Liu. Education finance: Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund Grant Program.

Existing law, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, enacted by Proposition 47, as approved by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election, among other things, established the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund, a continuously appropriated fund, which is funded by savings that accrue to the state from the implementation of the act. The act provides that, among other purposes, 25% of the funds shall be disbursed to the State Department of Education to administer a grant program to public agencies aimed at improving outcomes for public school pupils by reducing truancy and supporting pupils who are at risk of dropping out of school or are victims of crime.

This bill would express findings and declarations of the Legislature with respect to the purposes of the act. The bill would specify the administrative duties and responsibilities of the State Department of Education with respect to the administration, commencing with the 2016-17 fiscal year, of a Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund Grant Program, pursuant to which the department would issue a request for proposal to begin delete school districts end delete begin insert local educational agencies, as defined, end insert each fiscal year and would make grants to applicant begin delete school districts end delete begin insert local educational agencies end insert . The bill would set forth criteria to guide the department in awarding grants under the program.

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.  

The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:

(a) The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund has been
established by Proposition 47, approved by the voters at the
November 4, 2014, statewide general election. The funds
transferred to the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund are to be
used exclusively for the purposes of the Safe Neighborhoods and
Schools Act.

(b) Twenty-five percent of the funds are disbursed to the State
Department of Education to administer a grant program to public
agencies aimed at improving outcomes for public school pupils in
kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, by reducing truancy
and supporting pupils who are at risk of dropping out of school or
are victims of crime.

(c) Studies estimate that between 3.3 million and 10 million
children in the United States witness violence in their own homes
each year.

(d) Children who have experienced early, chronic trauma, such
as family or community violence, can develop emotional,
behavioral, cognitive, and relationship difficulties that can
adversely affect their ability to learn and function well in school.

(e) Exposure to trauma is associated with a higher risk for
dropping out of school, and in turn, dropping out of school
increases the risk of being imprisoned.

begin delete

(f) Behavioral problems among schoolage youth are associated
with high rates of depression, experiencing a traumatic or violent
event, and other significant home-life stresses.

end delete begin delete

(g)

end delete

begin insert (f) end insert  Sixty-five percent of pupils with an emotional disturbance
drop out of school. This dropout rate is higher than all other
disability categories.

begin delete

(h)

end delete

begin insert (g) end insert  For pupils with these mental health concerns, the American
Academy of Pediatrics has found that suspension can increase
stress and may predispose begin delete them end delete begin insert pupils end insert to antisocial behavior and
even suicidal ideation. Psychologists have similarly found that
disciplinary exclusion policies can increase pupil shame, alienation,
rejection, and breaking of healthy adult bonds, thereby exacerbating
negative mental health outcomes for young people.

begin delete

(i)

end delete

begin insert (h) end insert  Studies have shown that one suspension greatly increases
the likelihood that a pupil will drop out and become involved in
the juvenile justice system.

begin delete

(j)

end delete

begin insert (i) end insert  Removing pupils from school through disciplinary exclusion
also increases the risk that they will become victims of violent
crime.

begin delete

(k)

end delete

begin insert (j) end insert  Research has shown that coordinated alignment of integrated
pupil supports is an approach, well-grounded in theory, research,
and community experience that has been shown to reduce truancy
and chronic absence, and to improve academic outcomes, school
climate, and a pupil’s physical and mental health.

begin delete

(l)

end delete

begin insert (k) end insert  Schools that address the “whole child” embrace youth
development principles and ensure the social-emotional health of
pupils, and create integrated and trauma-informed support systems
that have a stronger positive school culture, higher attendance,
higher graduation and achievement rates, and lower truancy rates.

begin delete

(m)

end delete

begin insert (l) end insert  Pupils who attend schools where support systems are not
easily accessible by pupils and their families and where alignment
of support systems within the school and with community partners
is lacking are less likely to have access to programs that can address
the needs of vulnerable populations, thus exacerbating education
and health inequities.

begin delete

(n)

end delete

begin insert (m) end insert  Schools that implement research-based, schoolwide
approaches to addressing social, emotional, and behavioral issues,
such as School-Wide Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports,
restorative justice, community schools strategies, and school-based
mental health and trauma-informed practices demonstrate strong
educational outcomes, including increases in attendance and
achievement, particularly for pupils of color and other at-risk
populations.

begin insert

(n) A recent study regarding implementation of restorative
justice practices in the Oakland Unified School District (OUSD)
from 2011 to 2014, inclusive, found that, among other things, there
was a 128 percent increase in the reading levels of 9th graders at
OUSD schools with restorative justice programs, compared to an
11 percent increase in reading levels at schools without these
programs. Four-year graduation rates increased by 60 percent at
schools with restorative justice programs, compared to a 7-percent
increase at other schools.

end insert

SEC. 2.  

Article 14 (commencing with Section 33480) is added
to Chapter 3 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education
Code, to read:

 

Article 14.  Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund Grant
Program

 

33480.  

(a) The Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund Grant
Program is hereby established under the administration of the
department. Grants shall be issued under this program commencing
with the 2016-17 fiscal year. Pursuant to the Safe Neighborhoods
and Schools Act, approved as Proposition 47 by the voters on
November 4, 2014, the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund has
been established under Section 7599 of the Government Code, and
funds are allocated to the department from that fund under Section
7599.2 of the Government Code. In administering the grant
program, the department shall comply with all of the following
requirements in order to improve outcomes for public school pupils
by reducing truancy and supporting pupils who are at risk of
dropping out of school or are victims of crime:

(1) All begin delete school districts end delete begin insert local educational agencies end insert in the state
shall be eligible to apply for the grant program. begin insert As used in this
article, a “local educational agency” is a school district, a county
office of education, or a charter school. end insert

(2) The grant program shall reward begin delete school districts end delete begin insert local
educational agencies end insert that have begin delete demonstrated a commitment to,
and end delete developed a comprehensive plan begin delete for, end delete begin insert and implementation
strategy end insert utilizing research-based begin delete strategies end delete begin insert approaches end insert to increase
attendance rates, begin delete to end delete begin insert reduce chronic absenteeism, remedy school
push-out and dropout rates, and end insert reduce school removals of all
types and referrals to begin delete police, end delete begin insert law enforcement agencies. The plan
shall create a strong and supportive school culture that identifies
and addresses the needs of pupils, including the victims of crime,
abuse, and neglect, and includes elements end insert to address trauma,
mental health begin delete needs end delete begin insert needs, end insert and other social and emotional factors
that impact pupil begin delete outcomes, to address and to remedy school
pushout and dropout rates, end delete begin insert outcomes. The plan shall end insert coordinate
pupil support programs with begin delete community and other public agencies end delete
begin insert community-based providers or public agencies, or both, end insert at
schoolsites and across the begin delete school district, and create a strong and
supportive school culture that identifies and addresses the needs
of pupils, including victims of crime, abuse, and neglect. end delete begin insert local
educational agency. end insert

(3) A begin delete school district end delete begin insert local educational agency end insert receiving a grant
under this article shall show at a minimum that it has designed,
and is committed to implementing, all of the following:

(A) A three-year plan, developed through its local control and
accountability plan or begin delete otherwise end delete begin insert otherwise, end insert to accomplish all of
the following:

(i) Significantly reduce class and school removals, absences,
violent incidents on campus, and referrals to begin delete police. end delete begin insert law
enforcement agencies. end insert

(ii) Implement begin insert one or more end insert research-based, whole school
approaches, including, but not necessarily limited to, schoolwide
positive behavior intervention and supports, restorative justice,
community schools strategies, trauma-informed practices, cultural
begin delete competency, end delete begin insert competency and implicit bias professional
development that includes a focus on issues affecting lesbian, gay,
bisexual, and transgender pupils and pupils of color, end insert
social-emotional learning, begin delete and approaches to reengage end delete begin insert mental
health support services, and strategies to reengage and reconnect end insert
pupils who have been pushed out.

(iii) Identify and address disparities in any of the begin delete aforementioned
areas end delete begin insert areas mentioned in clauses (i) and (ii) end insert with respect to
subgroups addressed by the local control funding formula,
including, but not necessarily limited to, English learners, foster
youth, low-income pupils, begin delete and pupils of color. end delete begin insert pupils with
disabilities, and ethnic subgroups. end insert

(B) A robust data system to collect and disaggregate data related
to the subject matter referenced in subparagraph (A). begin insert This system
shall include a survey that measures the pupils’ sense of safety
and pupil connectedness to monitor progress in these areas. end insert

(C) A system for sharing this begin insert de-identified end insert data on the aggregate
level begin insert and progress with respect to meeting the grant goals end insert with
the school community on begin delete a regular end delete begin insert at least an annual end insert basis and
engaging begin insert and partnering with end insert all key stakeholders, including, but
not necessarily limited to, parents, teachers, pupils, school
administrators, begin delete and classified staff end delete begin insert classified staff, schoolsite
councils, English language advisory committees, and
community-based organizations end insert in the process of pupil and school
improvement.

(D)  begin delete A teacher, principal, superintendent, and school board end delete begin insert An end insert
evaluation system begin insert that involves key stakeholders, including
teachers, principals, superintendents, and members of school
district governing boards, end insert to assess effectiveness related to
addressing the social, emotional, and behavioral needs of pupils
and developing strong, supportive, and positive school climates.

(b) The department shall issue a request for proposal to all
begin delete school districts end delete begin insert local educational agencies end insert in the state for each
fiscal year that there are funds available from the Safe
Neighborhoods and Schools Fund. begin insert Local educational agencies
serving high percentages of unduplicated pupils with high needs
as defined in Sections 42238.01 and 42238.02 shall be prioritized
to receive these funds. end insert The request for proposal shall be issued no
later than in begin delete August end delete begin insert October end insert of each fiscal year, or earlier if funds
become available sooner. begin insert Grants shall be awarded under this
article no later than April 15 of each fiscal year. end insert

(c) The funds granted to begin delete school districts end delete begin insert local educational
agencies end insert under this article shall be utilized begin insert only end insert to

further implementation of the three-year plan and the other
minimum commitments specified in paragraph (3) of subdivision
begin delete (a). Grants shall be awarded under this article no later than March
31 of each fiscal year. end delete begin insert (a) through each of the following: end insert

begin insert (1) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert Professional development, training, and coaching for
teachers, school administrators, pupils, parents, counselors,
administrative staff, and members of school district governing
boards. end insert

begin insert

(2) Investments in social services, health, mental health,
restorative justice, and youth development staff, agencies, and
providers.

end insert begin insert

(3) Entering into agreements with institutions and
community-based nonprofit organizations that have a track record
of improving pupil outcomes and providing cultural competency
and anti-bias training, supporting parent leadership and
engagement, and providing nonpunitive pupil and family support
programs.

end insert begin insert

(d) The funds granted to local educational agencies under this
article shall not be used for either of the following purposes:

end insert begin insert

(1) To supplant existing funding allocated to meet the
requirements of the school climate, engagement, or other state
priority areas in the local control and accountability plans.

end insert begin insert

(2) For law enforcement agencies or entities, public or private.

end insert begin insert

(e) A local educational agency that has received funding
pursuant to this article shall submit annual outcomes-based data
for evaluation, in accordance with the requirements of paragraph
(3) of subdivision (a), to show progress in reducing the rate of
class and school removals, referrals to law enforcement agencies,
and dropout and truancy rates of targeted pupils. The department
shall consider the data submitted under this subdivision when
making determinations for eligibility for future funding under this
article.

end insert begin delete

(d) 

end delete

begin insert (f) end insert begin insert   end insert The department shall begin delete convene a end delete begin insert consult with a stakeholder
group by telephone, Web-based platform, or other effective means.
This end insert stakeholder group, which shall include begin delete at least one parent of
a end delete public school begin delete pupil and at least one public school pupil, to end delete begin insert pupils,
and parents of public school pupils, representing impacted
communities from several regions in the state, shall end insert assist in
making determinations regarding the awarding of begin delete grants and end delete begin insert grants, end insert
in assessing whether grant recipients are meeting the minimum
requirements set forth in paragraph (3) of subdivision begin delete (a). end delete begin insert (a), and,
starting in year two of the grant cycle, in assisting with developing
or amending the requests for proposals. end insert