BILL ANALYSIS
AB 983
Page 1
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
AB 983 (Skinner)
As Introduced February 27, 2009
Majority vote
EDUCATION 8-2 APPROPRIATIONS 12-5
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|Ayes:|Brownley, Ammiano, |Ayes:|De Leon, Ammiano, Charles |
| |Arambula, | |Calderon, Davis, Fuentes, |
| |Buchanan, Carter, Eng, | |Hall, John A. Perez, Price, |
| |Solorio, | |Skinner, Solorio, |
| |Torlakson | |Torlakson, Krekorian |
| | | | |
|-----+--------------------------+-----+----------------------------|
|Nays:|Nestande, Miller |Nays:|Nielsen, Duvall, Harkey, |
| | | |Miller, |
| | | |Audra Strickland |
| | | | |
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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, potential General Fund/Proposition 98 cost pressure,
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likely in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
COMMENTS : 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
2008-09, 377 districts and county offices of education received
grants serving 3,800 schools, 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:
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.
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
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.
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"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
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.
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
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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."
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 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."
Analysis Prepared by : Sophia Kwong Kim / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0001143