BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    �



                                                                  AB 2481
                                                                  Page  1

          Date of Hearing:   May 21, 2014

                        ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
                                  Mike Gatto, Chair

                   AB 2481 (Bradford) - As Amended:  May 13, 2014 

          Policy Committee:                              EducationVote:7-0

          Urgency:     Yes                  State Mandated Local Program:  
          No     Reimbursable:              No

           SUMMARY  

          This bill requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction  
          (SPI), on or before December 1, 2015, to provide the Legislature  
          with a cost-benefit analysis of the length or structure of  
          school days or school years in public elementary and secondary  
          schools.  Specifically, this bill:

          1)Requires the analysis to weigh the potential benefits of these  
            improvements compared to the potential costs of the  
            improvements, including, but not limited to, increased school  
            operating costs for personnel and facilities, and may propose  
            creative solutions in this regard. 

          2)Requires the analysis to specifically consider the decline in  
            academic achievement occurring each year during the summer  
            vacation period from interruption of instruction.

          3)Requires the SPI to contract with an educational institution  
            or research organization to perform the cost-benefit analysis.

           FISCAL EFFECT  

          General Fund administrative costs to CDE of approximately  
          $200,000 to contract with an educational institution or research  
          organization to perform the cost-benefit analysis. This cost  
          range assumes the use of existing data and research. 

           COMMENTS  :   

           Purpose  . The phenomenon of "summer slide" refers to the loss of  
          academic knowledge, skills, or learning during extended period  
          of non-instruction, such as summer break. Research has shown the  








                                                                  AB 2481
                                                                  Page  2

          impact is compounded for low-income children who do not have the  
          same access to enrichment and academic programs during the  
          summer.   According to the author, this bill addresses the lack  
          of a comprehensive cost benefit analysis that can be used by the  
          Legislature or by school districts to establish a state or local  
          policy.


           Analysis Prepared by  :    Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)  
          319-2081