BILL ANALYSIS
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Gloria Romero, Chair
2009-2010 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 1191
AUTHOR: Wiggins
INTRODUCED: February 18, 2010
FISCAL COMM: No HEARING DATE: April 14, 2010
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Daniel Alvarez
SUBJECT : Evaluation of the Quality Education Investment Act
KEY POLICY ISSUE
Should the final evaluation report on the Quality Education
Investment Act (QEIA), due January 1, 2014, specifically
include information on the effectiveness of pupil-counselor
ratios?
SUMMARY
This bill requires consideration of the effectiveness of
pupil-counselor ratios when the California Department of
Education (CDE) evaluates the Quality Education Investment
Act (QEIA).
BACKGROUND
Existing law enacts the Quality Education Investment Act.
Legislation enacting the QEIA appropriated approximately $2.7
billion and authorized school districts and other local
educational agencies to apply for funding to allocate to
elementary, secondary and charter schools that are ranked in
either deciles 1 or 2 as determined by the Academic
Performance Index (API) base.
The QEIA was established for the purposes of implementing the
terms of the CTA, et al. v. Schwarzenegger, et al. settlement
involving the level of Proposition 98 funds appropriated in
2004-05 when the minimum guarantee was suspended.
Broadly, legislative intent specified the goals of the QEIA
to include, but are not limited to (a) overall improvement of
academic instruction and pupil achievement given a pupil's
complex educational needs and poverty levels; (b) develop
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exemplary school district and school practices that create
the working conditions and classroom learning environments
that will attract and retain well qualified teachers,
administrators, and staff; and (c) focus school resources,
including all categorical funds solely on instructional
improvement and services to pupils.
Existing law requires the CDE to perform or contract with an
independent evaluator to perform (a) two progress reports by
January 1, 2010, and January 1, 2012, respectively, (b) a
final evaluation by January 1, 2014, and (c) provide a
report, based on the final evaluation, with recommendations
on whether to continue, modify, or terminate the program
based on effectiveness of the program and strategies used by
schools. (Education Code 52055.700 et. seq.)
ANALYSIS
This bill requires the CDE, as part of the final evaluation
on the overall effectiveness of the QEIA program, to consider
the impact on school and school district dropout rates, exit
examination performance, the number of pupils graduating with
a postsecondary education or career plan, and school and
school district Academic Performance Indices.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill : According to the author, in order to
determine the value of the QEIA counseling services and
the necessity of maintaining the ratios, additional
criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of student to
counselor ratios must be considered.
2) The Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA) . Enacting
legislation appropriated $2.7 billion in one-time
General Fund dollars over a seven year period beginning
in 2007-08 for QEIA. General Funds for QEIA are
appropriated annually on top of funds appropriated for
Proposition 98. These are statutory appropriations,
which are not included in the annual budget act.
A total of $300 million was appropriated for the first
year of the program in 2007-08 - including $268 million
for K-12 education and $32 million for community
colleges. The Legislation appropriates full funding of
$450 million per year beginning in 2008-09. Of this
amount, $402 million is appropriated to K-12 education,
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primarily for class size reduction in grades 4-12
program, and $48 million is appropriated to the
community colleges, primarily for expanding Career
Technical Education (CTE).
An estimated 1,455 schools ranked in deciles 1 or 2 on
the 2005 Academic Performance Index (API) with a valid
API are eligible for funding. Of this number,
approximately 488 schools have been selected to
participate in the program. Funding is allocated to
selected schools on the basis of $500 per pupil for
grades kindergarten through third, $900 per pupil in
grades fourth through eighth, and $1,000 per pupil for
grades ninth through twelfth. Generally, QEIA funds are
intended to assist schools in closing the achievement
gap by reducing class size, improving teacher and
principal training, and adding counselors to high
schools. The QEIA seeks to insure a high school
student-to-counselor ratio of no greater than 300 to 1.
3 Technical amendment . On page 2, line 20, for greater
clarity staff recommends the following technical
amendment that it is "the California High School Exit
Examination performance" that should be evaluated.
SUPPORT
California Association of School Counselors
California Association of Regional Occupational Centers and
Programs
California Association of Leaders for Career Preparation
OPPOSITION
None received.