BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Alan Lowenthal, Chair
2011-2012 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 473
AUTHOR: Price
AMENDED: March 21, 2011
FISCAL COMM: Yes HEARING DATE: May 4, 2011
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Lynn Lorber
SUBJECT : Dropout Recovery Programs: Average Daily Attendance.
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes school districts to continue to claim average
daily attendance for pupils who have dropped out of school if the
district develops a dropout recovery program that meets specified
criteria.
BACKGROUND
A portion of funding for school districts is based upon average
daily attendance (ADA). Schools receive this funding for days of
attendance; when pupils do not attend school, ADA is not generated.
The state no longer provides ADA funding for pupils with excused
absences.
Current law allows school districts in declining enrollment to
claim, for purposes of ADA funding, the greater of either the
current or prior fiscal year ADA. (Education Code � 42238.5)
The Pupil Retention Block Grant includes funding previously
identified for the following programs:
1) Supplemental instruction.
2) Continuation high schools.
3) High-Risk Youth Education and Public Safety.
4) Tenth grade counseling.
5) Opportunity programs.
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6) Dropout prevention and recovery.
7) Early intervention for school success.
8) An at-risk youth program operated by the Los Angeles Unified
School District.
(EC � 41505)
Current law:
1) Defines a "dropout recovery high school" as a high school in
which at least 50% of the pupils have been designated as
dropouts pursuant to the exit/withdrawal codes developed by the
California Department of Education. Graduation rates for
dropout recovery high schools are not included in the API. (EC
� 52052)
2) Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to submit, by
August 1, 2011 and annually thereafter, the Annual Report on
Dropouts in California. This report is to include the
following information:
a) One-year dropout rates for each of grades 7-12.
b) Four-year cohort dropout rates for grades 9-12.
c) Two-or three-year cohort dropout rates for middle
schools.
d) Grades 9-10 promotion rates.
e) Percentage of high school pupils for each of grades
9-12 who are on track to earn sufficient credits to
graduate.
f) The average number of non-promotional school moves
that pupils make between grades 6-12.
g) "Full year" dropout rates for alternative schools,
including dropout recovery high schools.
h) An explanation of the method used to calculate "full
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year" dropout rates for alternative schools.
i) Passage rates on the high school exit exam.
j) Other available data relating to dropout or
graduation rates or pupil progress toward high school
graduation. (EC � 48070.6)
ANALYSIS
This bill allows school districts to continue to claim average daily
attendance for pupils who have dropped out of school if the district
develops a dropout recovery program that meets specified criteria.
Specifically, this bill:
1) Authorizes a local educational agency (LEA) to continue to
claim average daily attendance (ADA) for pupils who have
dropped out of school if the LEA develops a dropout recovery
program that conforms to the criteria specified in this bill.
2) Requires the dropout recovery program to include all of the
following components:
a) A strategy for the identification,
location, and enrollment of pupils who have previously
dropped out of a high school in the school district.
b) A procedure to demonstrate individual pupil
academic growth significantly beyond that which would be
expected for the pupil's time in the classroom.
c) Other meaningful criteria showing the
pupil's readiness for career preparation or postsecondary
education.
3) Requires the dropout recovery program to be approved by the
California Department of Education (CDE).
4) Authorizes the LEA to partner with another LEA, governmental
agency, apprenticeship program, or a non-profit organization
with a demonstrated history of dropout recovery.
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5) Requires CDE to develop and post on its website a list of
successful dropout recovery programs established pursuant to
this bill. The stated purpose of this list is to illustrate
potential models that a LEA may consider in developing a
dropout recovery program pursuant to this bill.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Purpose of the bill . According to the author, this bill is
necessary to provide information about opportunities school
districts are, or are not, providing to pupils who drop out of
school. Funding for dropout recovery programs is in
categorical flexibility; the state should have information
about decisions school districts make regarding funding dropout
recovery programs.
2) Author's amendments . The author wishes to amend this bill as
follows:
a) Delete the current contents of the bill.
b) Require information about the availability of dropout
recovery programs to be included in the Annual Report of
Dropouts in California.
3) Dropout report . The first submission of the Annual Report of
Dropouts in California is due August 1, 2011. This report must
include specific information about dropouts but is not required
to include any information about dropout prevention or dropout
recovery programs.
SUPPORT
California Teachers Association
OPPOSITION
None on file.
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