BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó





          SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                             Senator Ricardo Lara, Chair
                            2015 - 2016  Regular  Session

          SB 527 (Liu) - Education finance:  Safe Neighborhoods and  
          Schools Planning Grants
          
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          |Version: January 13, 2016       |Policy Vote: ED. 7 - 0          |
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          |Urgency: No                     |Mandate: No                     |
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          |Hearing Date: January 21, 2016  |Consultant: Jillian Kissee      |
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          *********** ANALYSIS ADDENDUM - SUSPENSE FILE ***********
             The following information is revised to reflect amendments 
                    adopted by the committee on January 13, 2016


          Bill  
          Summary:  This bill establishes various requirements for the  
          grant program authorized by the Safe Neighborhoods and School  
          Act (approved by voters as Proposition 47 in November 2014) to  
          reduce truancy and support students who are at risk of dropping  
          out of school or are victims of crime.  This program is to be  
          administered by the California Department of Education (CDE).


          Fiscal  
          Impact:  
           Grants to local educational agencies (LEAs): The level of  
            funding for the program outlined in this bill is dependent  








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            upon savings derived from Proposition 47.  As of the release  
            of the Governor's Budget for the 2016-17 fiscal year, it is  
            estimated that $7.3 million will be available for this  
            program.  The Governor's Budget indicates that funds expended  
            on direct services and other instructional support for  
            students will be counted towards meeting the state's funding  
            obligation under Proposition 98.    
           Administrative costs:  The CDE indicates that this bill will  
            require 3.5 positions and about $460,000 for activities  
            including administering the grants, providing technical  
            assistance, and collecting and analyzing data.  Staff notes  
            that current law prohibits the CDE from spending more than 5  
            percent of funds it receives from the Safe Neighborhoods and  
            Schools Fund for administrative costs annually.  Any  
            administrative costs not covered by the Safe Neighborhoods and  
            Schools Fund would require General Fund support.  


          Author  
          Amendments:  Reestablish requirements for the grant program.   
          Specifically, amendments:
           Require the CDE, upon an appropriation, to administer Safe  
            Neighborhoods and Schools Act planning grants to improve  
            student outcomes, as specified.  


           Require LEAs that apply for funding to submit a plan to the  
            CDE that includes various components.  Plans must include a  
            description of local needs, based on specified data.  Plans  
            must describe a commitment to: aligning strategies to the  
            LEA's Local Control and Accountability Plan; addressing the  
            needs of each student subgroup; implementing a community  
            schools strategy; engaging various entities; maintaining a  
            team responsible for overall operations; and reporting on  
            program outputs.  The plans must also describe how the  
            strategies will be sustained beyond the grant period and how  
            they will be monitored and evaluated.


           Prioritize funding for LEAs that are located in communities  
            with high crime rates or have high rates of chronic  
            absenteeism, suspension, dropouts, or foster youth. 


           Allow grant funds to be used for development and initial  







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            implementation of a community school strategy that includes,  
            among other things, assessing and meeting the academic,  
            social, emotional, physical health, and mental health needs of  
            students, identifying school and community resources, and  
            integration of services.  Funds may also be used to improve or  
            expand upon existing activities.


           Include legislative intent that LEAs support ongoing costs for  
            activities pursuant to this bill.


           Require the CDE to conduct outreach to LEAs that qualify for  
            priority funding, provide training and technical assistance to  
            LEAs that receive grants, and coordinate training and  
            technical assistance for LEAs that do not.




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