BILL ANALYSIS
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | SB 331|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: SB 331
Author: Romero (D) et al
Amended: 5/28/09
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE : 8-1, 4/22/09
AYES: Romero, Alquist, Hancock, Liu, Maldonado, Padilla,
Simitian, Wyland
NOES: Huff
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : 7-4, 5/28/09
AYES: Kehoe, Corbett, DeSaulnier, Hancock, Leno, Oropeza,
Yee
NOES: Cox, Denham, Runner, Walters
NO VOTE RECORDED: Wolk, Wyland
SUBJECT : Migrant education program
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill requires the state master plan and
state services delivery plan for services to migrant
children, starting at the next adoption cycle, to be
developed and revised as necessary by the Superintendent of
Public Instruction and the statewide parent advisory
council, and would require the plan to include the
collection of individual and aggregate data for migrant
pupils, as specified. The bill also requires
interpretation services at each state and regional migrant
parent advisory council meeting, and makes other
CONTINUED
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nonsubstantive and technical changes.
ANALYSIS : The MEP was created by the federal government
in 1966, to address the educational needs of children whose
family members are employed doing seasonal agricultural
work. Children are eligible to participate in the MEP if
they or their parents or guardians are migrant workers in
the agricultural, dairy, lumber, or fishing industries, and
their family has moved for the purpose of finding temporary
or seasonal employment during the past three years.
Migrant students are eligible for program services from age
3 until they (1) attain a high school diploma or its
equivalent or (2) turn 21. Though funded almost entirely
by federal funds California's MEP is governed by both
federal and state laws. While the state law provides no
funding, it does set out the administrative framework for
delivering local MEP services through 23 Migrant Education
Regional Offices serving 47 of 58 counties. The Department
of Education (CDE) reports there are currently over 300,000
migrant students attending during the regular school year
and 178,000 attending summer/intersession classes. Current
law requires that a Statewide Parent Advisory Council
(SPAC) participate in the planning, operation, and
evaluation of the state Migrant Education Program. Council
membership is comprised of individuals who are
knowledgeable of the needs of migrant children and are
nominated and elected by the parents of migrant children
enrolled in the operating agencies. At least two-thirds of
the members of the SPAC must be parents of migrant
children. The SPAC is required to meet a minimum of six
times a calendar year to provide input on issues relating
to the operation of the program.
This bill:
1. Expands existing requirements of the State Master
Plan for services to migrant children. Specifically
it requires the SPI and the statewide parent advisory
council for MEP to develop and revise as necessary the
State Board of Education adopted State Master Plan for
services to migrant children starting with the next
adoption cycle.
2. Requires the plan to include the collection of
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individual and aggregate data for migrant pupils
regarding all of the following:
A. Identification of migrant children.
B. Preschool participation.
C. Enrollment in kindergarten and grades 1
to 12, inclusive.
D. Achievement.
E. Access, enrollment, and completion of
courses that fulfill the A-G subject area
requirements.
F. Suspension, expulsion, transfer, and
dropout rates, and failure to enroll or reenroll.
G. Graduation and completion of the high
school exit examination.
H. Retention measures.
I. Enrollment.
J. Designation and redesignation of English
learners.
AA. Postsecondary enrollment.
BB. Vocational education opportunities.
CC. Health services.
DD. Intercession programs.
EE. Other supplemental services.
FF. Staff experience and evaluation.
GG. Data collection and evaluation.
HH. Records transfer.
II. Parental involvement, including
establishment of and participation in the migrant
parent advisory committee, conduct of regular
meetings, participation in the development and
approval of the local migrant education plan,
participation in statewide parent advisory
committee activities, and parent training.
Existing law requires each operating agency that receives
migrant education funds or services to establish a parent
advisory council to actively solicit parent involvement in
the planning, operation, and evaluation of its programs.
This bill requires interpretation to be provided at each
state and regional migrant parent advisory council meeting
by a person trained in interpreting and who is fully fluent
in English and in the language understandable to the
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parents.
According to the author's office, for more than 30 years
CDE has worked under the same migrant education plan
without any Comprehensive Needs Assessment (CNA) or
evaluation of its effectiveness. Although a CNA was
completed in 2007, the author expresses concern that
parental participation in this process was very low and
participation of parents continues to be inadequate.
Additionally, millions of federal dollars are allocated
yearly with little data collected on whether the money is
being spent in effective ways that increase academic
achievement. It is the author's concern that there is a
need to increase parental involvement and increase the
accountability of the program.
MEP funding . According to the CDE, the federal California
Migrant Education Program Allocation for 2008-09 was
approximately $129 million. About 86 percent ($110
million) is allocated to the regional offices and one
percent ($1.29 million) is directed to the CDE for state
administration costs. The remaining funds are set aside
for a variety of related statewide programs.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 5/29/09)
Youth Law Center
American Federation of State, County and Municipal
Employees
Association of California School Administrators
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : The Association of California
School Administrators states in support, "It is important
the state and local education agencies improve the data
collection and tracking of migrant students and prepare a
master plan to address their needs. The more accurate data
we have locally the better we can support migrant students
and their families."
DLW:nl 5/29/09 Senate Floor Analyses
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SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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