BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1831
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Date of Hearing: May 12, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1831 (Solorio) - As Amended: April 28, 2010
Policy Committee: EducationVote:6-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill requires an application and an approved program plan
(part of renewal) for the After School Education and Safety
(ASES) program, which serves 15% or more English language
learner (ELL pupils), to include a description of the manner in
which the program will support English language development
(ELD) and language acquisition for ELLs. Specifically, this
bill:
1)Requires the ASES program plan to include: (a) strategies that
increase knowledge and usage of the English language through
the four domains of language acquisition: listening, speaking,
reading, and writing and (b) methods for training and
professional development of staff that are designed to support
ELD and language acquisition for ELLs.
2)Requires technical assistance for ASES programs, as provided
by the State Department of Education (SDE) or a contractor, to
include training and professional development for supporting
ELD and language acquisition for ELLs as required in the
plans.
FISCAL EFFECT
GF/98 cost pressure, likely between $2 million and $4 million,
to provide training to ASES program staff on ELD and language
acquisition strategies. SDE reports it plans to use existing
grant funding to support ASES technical assistance activities
for ELL pupils (see comment #2 below).
The 2009 Budget Act allocated $547 million for the ASES program,
which provides 400,000 slots each day to elementary and middle
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school children. This program is one of four categorical
programs funded entirely with GF/98 monies that did not receive
a 19.8% reduction. Likewise, the ASES program is one of 21
categorical programs that are not included in the budget
flexibility. Therefore, local education agencies (LEAs) cannot
redirect this funding for any other educational purpose.
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . In 2002, the voters approved Proposition 49, which
expanded existing before and after school programs and renamed
them the ASES program. Proposition 49 has the effect of
requiring the state to allocate $550 million annually for
before and after school programs. State funding for the ASES
program is continuously appropriated and no longer requires
approval by the Legislature as part of the annual budget act.
The amount of additional funding pursuant to Proposition 49
will be added to the Proposition 98 base in future years.
ASES, as modified by Proposition 49, has two main goals:
keeping students safe after school and improving student
academic outcomes.
2)ASES program technical assistance . SDE established the
Regional After School Technical Assistance (RASTA) system for
the purpose of providing field-based technical assistance and
support in each of the 11 service regions of the California
County Superintendents' Educational Services Association
(CCSESA). This includes training and support related to
accessing local, regional, and statewide resources and
directly supporting grantees at the site level and through
regional events.
The two main areas of focus of the RASTA system are: (a) to
provide technical assistance to all grantees and sites to
support implementation of programs that fully address all ASES
and 21st Century Community Learning Center requirements; and
(b) to build capacity throughout the region they serve to
develop, implement, and sustain support for effective
programs.
Statue authorizes SDE to use up to 1.5% of ASES funds for
administering the program, evaluation, and technical
assistance. SDE reports it utilizes a total of $8.25 million
GF/98 for these purposes, with approximately $5.2 million
GF/98 for technical assistance grants and contracts.
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SDE reports it has funding left over from a technical
assistance grant with CCSESA's Curriculum and Instruction
Steering Committee (CISC) to support technical assistance
activities with ASES programs, including activities related to
ELL pupils. According to CCSEAS's website, "CISC initiates
collaborative leadership with school districts, SDE, and other
partners to ensure programs, practices, and services that
support success for all students. The committee identifies
statewide curriculum and staff development needs, provides a
communication and implementation network for curriculum and
professional development activities."
3)Is the state expecting too much from ASES program providers ?
The purpose of the ASES program (including its version prior
to Proposition 49) was "to create incentives for establishing
locally driven before and after school enrichment programs
both during schooldays and summer, intercession, or vacation
days that partner public schools and communities to provide
academic and literacy support and safe, constructive
alternatives for youth."
The program is required to operate immediately upon the
conclusion of the schoolday until 6pm and for a minimum of 15
hours a week. ASES programs receive $7.50 per pupil per day
of attendance. Also, every pupil does not attend an ASES
program for the full operating time or every day of the week.
Therefore, program attendance varies from day to day.
Due to the low reimbursement rate, ASES programs are not
required to hire certificated staff. There have been
anecdotal reports that school districts may have a
certificated teacher one or two days a week at a program, but
it is not required nor does the state know how common this
practice is.
This bill requires ASES programs that serve 15% or more ELL
pupils to include a description of the manner in which the
program will support ELD and language acquisition strategies
for ELL pupils. ELD and language acquisition strategies are
very specific pedagogical terms that relate to the instruction
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of ELL pupils. These strategies are used by certificated
staff to teach ELL pupils English and subject matter content.
Given the varied attendance of program pupils, the lack of
staff experience, and the original purpose of the program as
enrichment, the committee may wish to consider whether an ASES
program is the appropriate venue to teach ELL pupils ELD and
language acquisition strategies.
4)Related legislation . AB 2705 (Hall), pending in this
committee, requires specified time periods to be spent on
specific physical fitness activities in the ASES program and
as part of physical education instruction in grades 1-12 by
the beginning of the 2013-14 school year, as specified.
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081