California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 2111

Introduced by Assembly Member Ammiano

February 20, 2014

An act to add Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 8253) to Chapter 2 of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of, and to repeal Article 7.1 (commencing with Section 54740) of Chapter 9 of Part 29 of Division 4 of Title 2 of, the Education Code, relating to child development services.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 2111, as introduced, Ammiano. Child development services: pregnant and parenting teens: Cal-SAFE.

Existing law, the California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE), provides state funding and assistance to school districts and county superintendents of schools for the purpose of establishing comprehensive, continuous, community linked, school-based programs that focus on youth development and dropout prevention for pregnant and parenting pupils, and child care and development services for their children. Cal-SAFE requires participating entities to develop a county service coordination plan, which is required to contain specified information, including, but not limited to, the incidence of pregnant and parenting pupils receiving welfare aid by a method to be determined by the State Department of Education.

This bill would revise and recast the Cal-SAFE program. The bill would, among other things, specify that a Cal-SAFE program may provide for any or all of the supportive services for teen parents or any early learning and educational support program for the children of the teen parents. The bill would authorize a school district, charter school, or county superintendent of schools to participate in a Cal-Safe program and would authorize the above entities to use funds appropriated according to the local control funding formula for purposes of the Cal-SAFE program. The bill would require the entities, if operating an early learning and educational support program for the children of teen parents participating in the Cal-SAFE program, to adhere to certain health, safety, and quality requirements, including that each child have a developmental profile.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.  

Article 9.5 (commencing with Section 8253) is
added to Chapter 2 of Part 6 of Division 1 of Title 1 of the Education Code, to read:

 

Article 9.5.  California School Age Family Education Program

 

8253.  

This article shall be known, and may be cited, as the
California School Age Families Education Program (Cal-SAFE).

8253.1.  

(a) The Legislature hereby finds and declares that
school-based programs for pregnant and parenting teens and their
children offering a wide range of educational and support services,
including early learning and educational support services, which
begin during pregnancy and continue after childbirth, have been
successful in increasing school enrollment and high school
graduation rates, and reducing the incidence of low birth weight
babies and repeat pregnancies.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to encourage the operation
of comprehensive, continuous, and community linked school-based
programs that focus on youth development and dropout prevention
for pregnant and parenting pupils and on early learning and
educational support services for their children for the purpose of
improving results for pupils and their children.

(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that these programs achieve
all the following goals:

(1) Pupils served who receive program services for one or more
years will earn a high school diploma or its equivalent or
demonstrate progress toward completion of educational goals.

(2) Pupils served who graduate will transition to postsecondary
education, including a technical school, or into the world of work.

(3) Pupils served and their children will not live their lives in
poverty.

(4) Pupils served will demonstrate effective parenting skills.

(5) Pupils served will not have a repeat birth or father a repeat
pregnancy before graduation from high school.

(6) Pregnant pupils served will not have a low birth weight baby.

(7) Children of enrolled teen parents in early learning and
educational support programs will receive services based upon the
assessed developmental and health needs of each child.

(8) Children of enrolled teen parents served will receive health
screening and immunizations except when the custodial parent
annually provides a written request for an exemption pursuant to
Section 49451 and Section 120365 of the Health and Safety Code.

(9) Children of enrolled teen parents served will have enhanced
school readiness, and demonstrate progress toward meeting their
assessed developmental goals.

(d) It is the intent of the Legislature that Cal-SAFE programs
should be integrated with any local Adolescent Family Life
programs and Cal-Learn programs in a manner that avoids
duplication of services.

8253.2.  

For the purposes of this article, the following
definitions have the following meanings:

(a) “Cal-SAFE” means the California School Age Families
Education Program.

(b) “Children” or “child” means the children or child of a teen
parent from the time of the child’s birth until enrollment either in
transitional kindergarten or kindergarten.

(c) “Early learning and educational support program” means
developmentally appropriate learning activities for the children of
teen parents that are provided when the child's teen parent is, or
parents are, enrolled in and participating in a school-approved
activity during the school day.

(d) “Local Control Funding Formula” means the funding
provided to county superintendents of schools, school districts,
and charter schools as provided pursuant to Chapter 12.5
(commencing with Section 2574) of Part 2 and Article 2
(commencing with Section 42238.02) of Chapter 7 of Part 24 of
Division 3 of Title 2.

(e) “Teen parent” means a female who is pregnant or a male
who voluntarily identifies himself as the parent of an unborn child,
or who is the parent of a child, and is a minor or a dependent adult,
and who is enrolled in the school district or charter school that
provides services.

8253.3.  

(a) As provided for in this article, a Cal-SAFE program
may provide any or all of the supportive services for teen parents
set forth in Section 8253.4 and may provide an early learning and
educational support program for the children of teen parents.

(b) Participation by a school district, charter school, or county
superintendent of schools in a Cal-SAFE program is voluntary and
may be paid for with local control funding formula funds
appropriated to the school district, charter school, or county
superintendent of schools.

(c) Any school district, charter school, or county superintendent
of schools choosing to provide early learning and educational
support program services located on or near the schoolsite for the
children of teen parents participating in the Cal-SAFE program
using funds received pursuant to the local control funding formula,
or any other funds, shall adhere to all of the following health,
safety, and quality requirements:

(1) Each child shall have a health evaluation form signed by a
physician, or the physician’s designee, before the child is allowed
on the school campus or is enrolled in an early learning and
educational support program. Health screening and immunization
shall not be required when the custodial parent annually files a
written request as provided for in Section 49451 and Section
120365 of the Health and Safety Code.

(2) Each child shall have a developmental profile as specified
in subdivision (b) of Section 8203.5. This profile shall be used by
the program staff to design a program that meets the developmental
needs of the child.

(3) The child care site environment shall be safe, healthy, and
comfortable for children and staff, easily maintained, and
appropriate for meeting the developmental needs of the individual
child. Child care sites shall meet the health and safety requirements
specified in Chapter 1 (commencing with Section 101151)
including Subchapter 2 (commencing with Section 101351) of
Division 12 of Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations.

(4) The early learning and educational support component of
the Cal-SAFE program shall operate pursuant to applicable sections
of this chapter. In addition to meeting requirements of Section
8360, teachers shall have at least three semester units, or the
equivalent number of quarter units, of coursework related to the
care of infants and toddlers.

(5) The child care site shall be available as a laboratory for
parenting or related courses that are offered by the funded agency
with priority given to pupils whose children are enrolled in the
Cal-SAFE early learning and educational support program.

8253.4.  

(a) In addition to providing an academic program that
meets applicable standards, school districts, charter schools, and
county superintendents of schools may provide supportive services
to teen parents, including, but not limited to the following services:

(1) Parenting education and life skills instruction.

(2) Perinatal education and care, including childbirth
preparation.

(3) Safe home-to-school transportation.

(4) Case management services.

(5) Comprehensive health education, including reproductive
health.

(6) Nutrition education, counseling, and meal supplements.

(7) School safety and violence prevention strategies targeted to
expectant and parenting teens and their children.

(8) Academic support and youth development services, such as
tutoring, mentoring, and community service internships.

(9) Career counseling, preemployment skills, and job training.

(10) Substance abuse prevention education, counseling, and
treatment services.

(11) Mental health assessment, interventions, and referrals.

(12) Crisis intervention counseling services, including suicide
prevention.

(13) Peer support groups and counseling.

(14) Family support and development services, including
individual and family counseling.

(15) Child and domestic abuse prevention education, counseling,
and services.

(16) Enrichment and recreational activities, as appropriate.

(17) Services that facilitate transition to postsecondary
education, training, or employment.

(18) Support services for grandparents, siblings, and fathers of
children not enrolled in the Cal-SAFE program.

(19) Outreach activities to identify eligible pupils and to educate
the community about the realities of teen pregnancy and parenting.

(b) School districts, charter schools, and county superintendents
of schools may collaborate with local Adolescent Family Life
programs, Cal-Learn programs, or other local programs, regardless
of fund source, to provide the services in subdivision (a).

SEC. 2.  

Article 7.1 (commencing with Section 54740) of
Chapter 9 of Part 29 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code
is repealed.