BILL ANALYSIS
AB 434
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 1, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 434 (Block) - As Introduced: February 24, 2009
SUBJECT : After school programs
SUMMARY : Reduces the required match to the After School
Education and Safety (ASES) Program Act of 2002. Specifically,
this bill :
1)Reduces the required match of in cash or in-kind local funds
from the applicant school district, governmental agencies,
community organizations, or the private sector, from one-third
of the total grant to 15 percent of the total grant for the
2009-10 and 2010-2011 fiscal years.
2)Provides that the cost of a program site supervisor shall be
included as direct services, provided that at least 85 percent
of the site supervisor's time is spent at the program site.
3)Finds and declares that this bill furthers the purposes of the
After School Education and Safety Program Act of 2002.
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the ASES program through the 2002 voter approved
initiative, Proposition 49. The ASES program funds the
establishment of local after school education and enrichment
programs, which are created through partnerships between
schools and local community resources to provide literacy,
academic enrichment and safe constructive alternatives for
students in kindergarten through ninth grade.
2)Specifies requirements for the operation of ASES, including
maximum grant levels, local matching requirements, priority
for funding, and authorized expenditures.
FISCAL EFFECT : Unknown
COMMENTS : The ASES program . The ASES program, passed by voters
as Proposition 49 in 2002, provided almost $550 million for
before and after school programs for students in kindergarten
through grade 9. In 2007-08, 387 predominantly districts and
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county offices of education received grants, although local
governments and nonprofit organizations working in partnership
with local educational agencies may also apply. After school
programs must commence right after school and at least until 6
p.m. for 15 hours per week. Participating after-school programs
are required to have an educational and literacy component in
which tutoring or homework assistance is provided in one or more
of the following areas: language arts, mathematics, history and
social science, computer training, or sciences; and an
educational enrichment component, which may include, but is not
limited to, fine arts, career technical education, recreation,
physical fitness and prevention activities. Priority for
funding goes to schools where at least 50 percent of the pupils
are eligible for free- or reduced-priced lunch.
Maximum grants are $112,500 per year for elementary schools and
$150,000 per year for middle or junior high schools based on a
per pupil amount of $7.50 per day. Each program is required to
provide a match equal to not less than one-third of the total
grant. Facilities may count towards 25 percent of the local
contribution.
Local Match . This bill reduces the local match from one-third
to 15 percent of the total grant for the 2009-10 and 2010-11
fiscal years. The author states, "With the current economic
crisis facing the state at all levels, school districts are not
able to secure and/or provide the necessary matching funds to
draw down this important funding for after school programs. This
bill would temporarily reduce, over the next two fiscal years,
the matching funds by nearly half. This would allow LEAs [local
educational agencies] and local governments to continue
providing homework help, tutoring, mentoring, time for organized
physical activities, and play time in a safe environment. Some
great examples of these activities include performing arts
classes, dance classes, and cooking and nutrition classes."
The sponsor, the Children's Initiative, states that the match is
frequently comprised of value added activities, such as local
donations of tickets to arts, sports, and other events.
Districts also count supplemental staff time, such as counselors
who are not a required component of ASES, and supplies and
equipments, such as music instruments and art supplies, as local
matches. Due to the downturn in the economy, community and
business donations have decreased while school districts are
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unable to keep staff beyond school time or are laying off staff.
According to the California Department of Education (CDE),
several districts have indicated that they may discontinue their
programs due to the inability to come up with the required local
match.
Program site supervisors . Current law requires an ASES provider
to spend 85 percent of the funds on direct services to pupils
and authorizes no more than 15 percent of funds on
administrative costs. This bill specifies that the cost of a
program site supervisor shall be considered direct services as
long as at least 85 percent of the site supervisor's time is
spent at the program site. According to the CDE, "direct
services" is not defined. When the CDE initiated categorical
program reviews two years ago, the question of how to count a
site supervisor's time arose. The majority of the site
supervisor's work is on managing the program and the bulk of
his/her time is spent at the program site, which the CDE
considers direct services. The remaining time may be spent at
the district office conducting administrative duties. The CDE
indicates that without clarification, it must require site
supervisors to account for every minute of their time, which may
be unnecessarily burdensome.
The sponsor states that the provisions of this bill were
discussed and recommended by the Advisory Committee on Before
and After School Programs, established by SB 854 (Ashburn),
Chapter 555, Statutes of 2005, which meets at least three times
a year to provide advice, information on administration of the
programs, and administrative and legislative recommendations.
Arguments in Support . Fight Crime: Invest in Kids states,
"Without this measure, programs are being forced to waste time
and energy - that would be better spend [sic] serving students -
classifying each and every activity of their site coordinators,
whose day-to-day work should be recognized as integral to direct
service without the need for additional paperwork."
Related Legislation . AB 364 (Torlakson), also scheduled for
today's hearing, establishes the California After School Teacher
Pipeline pilot program.
AB 983 (Skinner), pending in this committee, authorizes the ASES
program to operate on weekends.
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REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
A World Fit For Kids
After School All-Stars LA
After School Program for Information Recreation and Education
American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees
Avalon Schools
Bancroft Middle School
Boys & Girls Clubs of Carson
Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove
Boys & Girls Clubs of Hollywood
Boys & Girls Clubs of Long Beach
Boys & Girls Clubs of East Los Angeles
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor
Boys & Girls Clubs of Rio Hondo
Boys & Girls Clubs of Venice
Boys & Girls Clubs Watts/Willowbrook
Camp Fire USA Long Beach Area Council
Children's Initiative (sponsor)
City of Fontana, Community Services Department, Fontana After
School Program
DeMille Middle School
Enrichment Educational Experiences/E3, Inc.
Fight Crime: Invest in Kids
Gang Alternatives Program
Greater San Jose After-School All-Stars
Hill Classical Middle School
John Muir Academy
LA's BEST
LACER Afterschool Programs
League of California Afterschool Providers
Long Beach Community Action Partnership
Long Beach Unified School District
Long Beach Unified School District's Research Office
Long Beach Winners Reaching Amazing Potential
Madison WRAP
Mary Butler School
Old Adobe Union School District
Partnerships to Uplift Communities
Phoenix Accounting Corporation
Project APPLE/Project REACH
Rogers Middle School, Bayside Academy
Samuel Gompers K8 School
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San Diego After School Consortium
Stanford Middle School
Stevens Middle School
Stevenson Elementary
William Cullen Bryant Elementary School
Woodcraft Rangers
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Sophia Kwong Kim / ED. / (916) 319-2087