BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AB 374|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 374
Author: Block (D)
Amended: 6/1/09 in Assembly
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 8-0, 7/15/09
AYES: Romero, Huff, Alquist, Hancock, Liu, Padilla,
Simitian, Wyland
NO VOTE RECORDED: Maldonado
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : 75-1, 6/2/09 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT : Consequences of dropping out notice
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the Superintendent of Public
Instruction (SPI) to produce a consequences of dropping out
(CDO) notice to inform pupils of the consequences of
dropping out of school prior to reaching 18 years old or
completing high school graduation requirements, as
specified.
ANALYSIS : Existing law subjects each person between 6
and 18 years of age who is not exempted under specified
statutes to compulsory full-time or continuation education.
Existing law requires each person subject to compulsory
full-time or continuation education who is not exempted to
CONTINUED
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attend a public full-time day school or continuation school
or classes for the full time designated as the length of
the schoolday by the governing board of the school district
in which the residency of either the parent or legal
guardian is located and requires each parent, guardian, or
other person having control or charge of the pupil to send
the pupil to the appropriate school or classes for the
designated periods of time each schoolday. Existing law
prescribes truancy procedures for pupils who do not comply
with these provisions.
This bill:
1.Requires the SPI to make the CDO notice available to
school districts by posting it on the California
Department of Education's Web site.
2.Requires the CDO notice to include, but not be limited
to, the following information:
A. Specified consequences of dropping out before high
school
graduation, such as reduced income, greater likelihood of
engaging in
criminal activity and receiving public assistance, and
the lesser
likelihood of properly caring for and educating children.
B. Rights and procedures of a pupil reenrolling in
school to complete graduation requirements.
C. The availability of alternative educational
services, as specified.
According to the author's office, "Recent studies have
shown that the high school dropout rate is nearly 25
percent statewide, and as high as 33 percent in places like
Los Angeles. The dropout rate is especially high among
students of color. For African American students it is
41.6 percent and 30.3 percent for Latino students. Studies
have also shown that high school graduates create more
wealth over their lifetime, cost the state less money in
public benefits, and are less likely to end up in prison."
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FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 8/17/09)
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees
Association of California School Administrators
California Teachers Association
Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities
OPPOSITION : (Verified 8/17/09)
Department of Finance
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The American Federation of State,
County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) writes, "A high
school education is an important factor to beginning a
successful life. The National High School Center reports
high school drop-outs are more likely to be unemployed, use
public assistance, be single parents, have children at a
younger age, and earn $260,000 less over a lifetime.
AFSCME supports this bill in hopes that the form will make
potential drop-outs consider the consequences of dropping
out of high school."
The Association of California School Administrators states:
Given the alarming number of students dropping out
(24.2%) and the need to send a uniform message to all
students and families ACSA supports the goals of AB
374. This will particularly help small and rural
school districts in which there are few counselors and
other staff to develop outreach materials for at risk
youth and their families. In addition, a uniform
notice will assist families on what programs and right
students have when they are at-risk of dropping out.
For example, the notice would include information
regarding the availability of alternative education
services that may provide a grates opportunity to keep
students in school when a traditional setting has not
worked for them. Finally, local educators frequently
use the California Department of Education website and
download materials on a regular basis concerning all
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types of education matters and topics. This is a
win-win for the state and for local school district in
our view. We believe AB 374 is a cost effective
approach to assisting students and the school
districts that serve them.
ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION : The Department of Finance is
opposed to this bill for the following reasons:
There is no evidence to suggest that simply providing
a notice to students would have any impact on dropout
rates. Identifying and following up with students who
have or may dropout can only be done at the local
level and likely requires more intensive intervention
than a paper notice. LEAs already have incentives to
prevent students from dropping out. Dropout rates are
included in the school accountability report card.
Also, dropout rates for students in grades 8 and 9
will be included in the state accountability
calculation beginning July 1, 2011, and graduation
rates are already included in the federal
accountability calculation. A loss of students does,
and will, reflect badly on LEA performance measures
that are available to the public. The bill would
create cost pressure for the state to reimburse LEAs
for downloading, printing, and providing this notice
to all students in grades
9 to 12.
ASSEMBLY FLOOR :
AYES: Adams, Ammiano, Anderson, Arambula, Beall, Tom
Berryhill, Blakeslee, Blumenfield, Brownley, Buchanan,
Caballero, Charles Calderon, Carter, Chesbro, Conway,
Cook, Coto, Davis, De La Torre, De Leon, DeVore,
Emmerson, Eng, Evans, Feuer, Fletcher, Fong, Fuentes,
Fuller, Furutani, Gaines, Galgiani, Garrick, Gilmore,
Hagman, Hall, Hayashi, Hernandez, Hill, Huber, Huffman,
Jeffries, Jones, Knight, Krekorian, Lieu, Logue, Bonnie
Lowenthal, Ma, Mendoza, Miller, Monning, Nava, Nestande,
Niello, John A. Perez, V. Manuel Perez, Portantino,
Price, Ruskin, Salas, Saldana, Silva, Skinner, Smyth,
Solorio, Audra Strickland, Swanson, Torlakson, Torres,
Torrico, Tran, Villines, Yamada, Bass
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NOES: Nielsen
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bill Berryhill, Block, Duvall, Harkey
DLW:nl 8/19/09 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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