BILL ANALYSIS
SB 1191
Page 1
Date of Hearing: June 16, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Julia Brownley, Chair
SB 1191 (Wiggins) - As Amended: April 20, 2010
SENATE VOTE : 27-0
SUBJECT : Quality Education Investment Act: evaluation
SUMMARY : Requires the evaluation of the Quality Education
Investment Act (QEIA) to consider several factors when
evaluating the effectiveness of pupil-counselor ratios.
Specifically, this bill : Requires the California Department of
Education (CDE), when evaluating the effectiveness of
pupil-counselor ratios, to consider the impact of such ratios on
school and district dropout rates, California High School Exit
Examination (CAHSEE) performance, the number of pupils
graduating with a postsecondary education or career plan, and
school and district Academic Performance Indices (APIs).
EXISTING LAW :
1)Establishes the QEIA for the purposes of implementing the
terms of the CTA, et al. v. Arnold Schwarzenegger, et al. Case
number 05CS01165 of the Superior Court for the County of
Sacramento (CTA, et al. v. Schwarzenegger, et al.) settlement
relative to the level of Proposition 98 funds appropriated in
fiscal year 2004-05 when the minimum guarantee was suspended.
2)Enacts the QEIA and authorizes school districts and other
local educational agencies (LEAs) to apply for funding to
allocate to elementary, secondary and charter schools that are
ranked in either deciles one or two as determined by the API
base.
3)Requires CDE to perform, or contract with an independent
evaluator to perform, various reports and evaluations, as
specified, including a report to the Legislature and the
Governor regarding a final evaluation on the implementation of
the QEIA program and to make recommendations to continue,
modify, or terminate the program by January 1, 2014, based
upon the results in meeting the specified measurements.
4)Authorizes school districts to provide a comprehensive
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educational counseling program for all pupils that includes,
academic counseling, career and vocational counseling, and
personal and social counseling.
FISCAL EFFECT : This bill is keyed non-fiscal.
COMMENTS : Senate Bill (SB) 1133, Chapter 751, Statutes of 2006
established the Quality Education Investment Act (QEIA) of 2006
for the purposes of implementing the terms of the settlement
agreement in the CTA, et al. v. Schwarzenegger, et al. case.
The QEIA program authorizes school districts and other LEAs to
apply for funding for eligible schools, and authorizes the
appropriations beginning in fiscal year 2007-08 through the
2013-14 fiscal year. In enacting SB 1133, the Legislature
provided funds for eligible schools to use in hiring staff to
improve school conditions and pupil outcomes, and outlined
specified goals of the QEIA program including, but not limited
to:
1)Overall improvement of academic instruction and pupil
achievement given a pupil's educational needs and poverty
levels;
2)Developing 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,
3)Focusing school resources, including all categorical funds
solely on instructional improvement and services to pupils.
Current law requires an evaluation of the implementation of the
QEIA program and to make recommendations to continue, modify, or
terminate the program by January 1, 2014, based upon the
effectiveness of strategies used by schools to implement the
program and meet its specified accountability requirements.
This bill seeks to require, as part of this evaluation,
consideration be given to the impact pupil-to-counselor ratios
have had on the following:
1)School and district dropout rates;
2)CAHSEE performance;
3)Number of pupils graduating with a postsecondary education or
career plan; and
4)School and district APIs.
While research has suggested that school counselors and other
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student support service personnel can play an important role in
improving pupil academic outcomes, it is unclear as to whether
evidence can be generated to make a causal connection between
pupil-to-counselor ratios and student achievement outcomes.
QEIA requires a 300:1 pupil-to-counselor ratio at participating
high schools, and this bill would ensure consideration is given
to the impact this required ratio has on various indicators.
However, this bill focuses on the ratios rather than on the
quality of the counseling programs themselves.
It is likely that the information that the evaluation yields may
not provide a good indication of which QEIA-funded strategies
actually made the greatest impact on student outcomes. It may
be prudent for this bill to also require for the identification
of strategies that resulted in QEIA schools meeting
accountability requirements pursuant to the program, rather than
limiting the bill to the question of impact of
pupil-to-counselor ratios on the specified indicators. Most of
the indicators included in this bill are high school-specific,
and therefore identifying effective strategies may be
particularly of interest since the QEIA funds were allocated to
all school types and not just high schools. A more
comprehensive approach to the evaluation may provide
policymakers more helpful information. The author may wish to
consider amending the bill to include a requirement for the QEIA
evaluation to also identify effective strategies that made the
greatest impact on student outcomes.
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 implemented. SB 1191 seeks
to implement the criteria, which is consistent with adopted
educational counseling guidelines."
The Careers Project : The California Research Bureau (CRB)
published a Careers Project research study which was requested
by a bipartisan group of members of the Legislature. Some of
the key findings in the report relevant to this bill show that
about 20% of schools in the school survey sample reported not
having a school counselor. Only 70% of counselors and 60% of
principals indicated that school counselors provide career
guidance to students in addition to academic and personal/social
issues. Additionally, the study reports that school counselors
that participated in focus groups suggested that career
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development counseling was not a priority at their schools, and
several parents commented that there were not enough counselors
available to provide career guidance to their children,
particularly given other priorities related to student academic
progress. Due to the recent budget cuts, districts are becoming
increasingly more selective in deciding which programs to
continue providing and several programs, including counseling
programs have experienced reductions.
Suggested technical amendments : Although California currently
uses the CAHSEE as the high school exit exam required to be
administered to high school pupils, the state is not required to
use CAHSEE as its assessment tool. The state could choose to
use a different test in the future. To remain consistent with
the Education Code, which does not reference the CAHSEE, staff
recommends an amendment on page 2, lines 20-21, to strike
"California High School Exit Examination performance" and insert
"performance on the high school exit examination adopted
pursuant to Section 60850." Additionally, the bill should be
amended on page 2, line 23, to delete "Indices" and insert
"Index of schools and districts," so as to avoid implying that a
school or a district has more than one index.
Previous legislation : SB 272 (Wiggins) of 2009 authorizes
school districts that choose to provide an educational
counseling program to include in that program specific academic,
career and vocational counseling; provides that professional
development shall include strategies for pupils about
educational and career options; and, states legislative intent
regarding the role and responsibilities of counselors. SB 272
was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger with the following veto
message: "School district governing boards already have the
authority to include the specified program requirements within
its comprehensive educational counseling program. Nothing under
current law prohibits a district from doing so. As a result,
this bill is unnecessary.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
California Association of Leaders of Career Preparation
California Association of Regional Occupational Centers and
Programs
California Association of School Counselors
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California Teachers Association
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Marisol Avi?a / ED. / (916) 319-2087