ACR 166, as introduced, Atkins. Dropout Recovery Week
This measure would declare the week of August 4, 2014, to August 10, 2014, inclusive, as Dropout Recovery Week, and would state that the Legislature intends to encourage the support of dropout recovery high schools with creative teaching strategies, alternative assessments, and adequate resources.
Fiscal committee: no.
P1 1WHEREAS, The America’s Promise Alliance found, in 2014,
2that pupils drop out of high school because they are overwhelmed
3by the effects of toxic living conditions such as homelessness,
4violent surroundings, abuse or neglect, and catastrophic family
5health events; and
6WHEREAS, The 2014 Building a GradNation Report found
7that the nation cannot achieve its graduation goals without
8increasing California’s graduation rate for Latino and African
9American pupils and without providing more investment for
10dropout recovery; and
11WHEREAS, Research by the Alliance for Excellent Education
12concludes that if only one-half of the dropouts from a single year
13were to earn a diploma, the economic benefits to California would
P2 1include an additional $1.4 billion in earnings annually for the
2reengaged pupils and an annual increase in state and local tax
3revenues of $167 million; and
4WHEREAS, Research further shows that reengaged learners
5demonstrate higher levels of civic engagement, contribute to the
6cultural strength of their communities, and are significantly less
7likely to be unemployed, on public assistance, or arrested for a
8violent crime; and
9WHEREAS, Research by WestEd demonstrates the challenges
10faced by schools seeking to reengage dropouts in that one-half of
11the dropouts who return to school stay for one year or less,
12one-third of returning dropouts fail to complete even one course
13after they reenroll, and as few as 18 percent of returning dropouts
14graduate; and
15WHEREAS, Successful dropout recovery high schools in
16California are operating under Section 52052.3 of the Education
17Code in partnership with the Workforce Investment Act, the
18California Conservation Corps, and other federal and state career
19technical education partners to provide significant social, economic,
20and academic benefits for their pupils and for California’s
21population as a whole; and
22WHEREAS, These successful dropout recovery high schools
23utilize multiple strategies, including accelerated learning
24pedagogies, competency-based instruction, and open entry-open
25exit enrollment; and
26WHEREAS, These successful dropout recovery high schools
27attract and retain high-quality staff committed to transforming
28their pupils from being at risk of failure to being at promise of
29success; now, therefore, be it
30Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
31thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby declares the week
32of August 4, 2014, to August 10, 2014, inclusive, as Dropout
33Recovery Week, in honor of the schools and staff who work to
34reengage pupils who have previously dropped out of school, and
35in honor of the pupils who overcome significantly personal
36challenges to reengage in high school and become transformed
37learners in preparation for college and a future career; and be it
38further
P3 1Resolved, That the Legislature intends to encourage the support
2of dropout recovery high schools with creative teaching strategies,
3alternative assessments, and adequate resources; and be it further
4Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
5of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
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