BILL ANALYSIS
AB 983
Page 1
Date of Hearing: April 15, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
AB 983 (Skinner) - As Introduced: February 27, 2009
SUBJECT : Before and After School Programs
SUMMARY : Authorizes weekend activities in the After School
Education and Safety (ASES) Program. Specifically, this bill :
1)Authorizes ASES programs to operate on weekends. Specifies
that costs associated with weekend activities shall be paid
from the program's maximum grant or supplemental grant.
2)Provides that except for programs funded by the federal 21st
Century Community Learning Centers program, attendance in
weekend activities shall not be included in the program's
attendance report to the California Department of Education
(CDE) for the purpose of calculating maximum or supplemental
grant levels.
EXISTING LAW 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.
FISCAL EFFECT : According to the Assembly Appropriations
Committee analysis of an almost identical bill from 2008, there
are no additional General Fund/Proposition 98 costs to the
state.
COMMENTS : The ASES program . The ASES program, passed by voters
as Proposition 49 in 2002, provide almost $550 million for
before and after school programs for students in kindergarten
through grade 9. In 2007-08, 387 predominantly districts and
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. There are two program requirements
as follows:
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1)An educational and literacy component in which tutoring and
homework assistance is provided to help students meet state
standards in one or more of the following core academic
subjects: reading/language arts, math, history and social
studies, or science.
2)An educational enrichment component that reinforce and
complement the school's academic program and may include, but
is not limited to, positive youth development strategies,
recreation and prevention strategies. Such activities may
include but is not limited to visual and performing arts,
music, career technical education, recreation, physical
fitness and prevention activities, and other youth development
activities based on student needs and interests.
Weekend activities . Current law provides that programs may
operate during any combination of summer, intersession or
vacation periods. This bill authorizes ASES programs to also
include activities during the weekend (e.g., for field trips,
special events) and specifies that, except for programs funded
by the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers program,
costs associated with weekend activities must be paid from
within the program's ASES maximum or supplemental grant.
According to the author, "For more than 20 years, after school
providers have been using these public grants for after school
services to pay for expenses incurred in occasional weekend
activities. These activities are generally of an enrichment
nature and are used as incentives for after school students to
attend and successfully participate in week-day after school
activities.
"For example, at times, after school programs will receive a
block of free tickets to a local museum. The program will use
those tickets to reward students who have been performing well
during the week. However, there are still costs associated with
the trip that the program must cover (e.g. staff chaperones, bus
rental).
"Until recently, the programs have used a small portion of their
base grants from the state After School Education and Safety
program and the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers
program to pay the additional expenses. In 2007, the Department
of Education opined that base grants could not be used for
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weekend activities because the statute does not explicitly allow
it. This opinion has complicated the efforts of many after
school providers to use weekend activities as a valuable
incentive tool."
According to the CDE, weekend activities are not authorized;
however, CDE staff does not have concerns about incorporating
the authorization in statute if no additional funds will be
provided for this purpose.
Prior Legislation . This bill is almost identical to one of the
provisions in SB 1674 (Torlakson) from 2008. There is, however,
one difference in this bill. This bill prohibits the
state-funded program under ASES from reporting weekend
participation for the purpose of calculating the maximum grant
or supplemental grant, but it specifically exempts federally
funded 21st Century Community Learning programs from this
provision. The state receives almost $170 million for 21st
Century programs, which are identical to the ASES programs,
except that 21st Century programs extend to high schools.
According to the CDE, the federal program does not prohibit use
of funds for weekend activities, while the state ASES program
does.
SB 1674 was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger with the following
message:
"As the primary author of Proposition 49 that created the After
School Education and Safety Program (ASES) Act, I am very proud
of the good work that after school providers have done in
serving kids over the years. While providing students with
educationally enriching activities during weekend hours is a
worthy goal, this bill takes the program beyond the original
scope of the ASES program. After school programs are intended
to provide students with access to quality tutoring, homework
assistance, and educational enrichment during weekday non-school
hours, when they are most at risk of being involved in dangerous
activities."
Arguments in Support . The California Association for Health,
Physical Education, Recreation and Dance states that "this bill
is critical to the physical activity, health, and well-being of
youth today, particularly as it allows before and after school
programs to operate on weekends. Weekends can be vulnerable
times for youth, especially as these days often are unstructured
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and afford youth ample time to engage in unhealthy behaviors.
Students desperately need programming that gives them a chance
to engage in quality physical activities and healthy behaviors
on these days. By allowing before and after school programs to
serve students on weekends, we are providing students with this
valuable opportunity."
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
A World Fit for Kids
After School All-Stars LA (co-sponsor)
Alum Rock Union Elementary School District
Aspiranet
Bay Area Partnership for Children and Youth (co-sponsor)
Boys & Girls Clubs of Garden Grove
California Alliance of Boys & Girls Clubs
California Association for Health, Physical Education,
Recreation and Dance (CAHPERD)
Central Valley Afterschool Foundation
Children NOW
FightCrime: Invest in Kids
LA's BEST (co-sponsor)
League of California After-School Providers
Pro-Youth/HEART After School Program
San Bernardino City Unified School District
Stockton Unified School District
Sunset Neighborhood Beacon Center
Think Together
Vallejo City Unified School District
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Woodcraft Rangers
Zandes Consulting
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by : Sophia Kwong Kim / ED. / (916) 319-2087