BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1390
Page 1
Date of Hearing: January 5, 2000
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Kerry Mazzoni, Chair
AB 1390 (Havice) - As Amended: January 3, 2000
SUBJECT : Bullying prevention.
SUMMARY : Expands the grades eligible for funding pursuant to
the Carl Washington School Safety and Violence Prevention Act
and establishes the Bullying Prevention Grant Program for Grades
5 and 6. Specifically, this bill :
1)Expands the Carl Washington School Safety and Violence
Prevention Act (act) to include grades 6 and 7.
2)Establishes the Bullying Prevention Grant Program for Grades 5
and 6. Authorizes a school district that has jurisdiction
over schools maintaining grades 5 and 6 to apply to the State
Department of Education (SDE) for a grant to implement a
2-year bullying prevention program, subject to an
appropriation being made for this purpose.
3)Provides the maximum amount of a grant is $5,000 for a 2-year
program. Authorizes grant funds to be expended to implement a
locally designed program or to purchase existing bullying
prevention materials and programs.
4)Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
develop criteria by which grant recipients will be selected.
5)Appropriates $150,000 from the General Fund to SDE for
implementation of the Bullying Prevention Grant Program for
Grades 5 and 6.
EXISTING LAW
1)Establishes the Carl Washington School Safety and Violence
Prevention Act. Requires the SPI to administer the act and
provide funds to school districts serving students in grades
8-12 to promote school safety and reduce schoolsite violence.
2)Requires funds to be allocated to school districts on the
basis of enrollment of students in grades 8-12 for one or more
of the following purposes:
AB 1390
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a) Providing schools with personnel, including, but not
limited to, licensed or certificated school counselors,
school social workers, school nurses, and school
psychologists, who are trained in conflict resolution.
Requires any law enforcement personnel hired pursuant to
the act to be trained and sworn peace officers;
b) Providing effective and accessible on-campus
communication devices and other school safety
infrastructure needs;
c) Establishing an in-service training program for school
staff to learn to identify at-risk students, to communicate
effectively with those students, and to refer those
students to appropriate counseling;
d) Establishing cooperative arrangements with local law
enforcement agencies for appropriate school-community
relationships; or
e) Any other purpose that the school or school district
determines that would materially contribute to meeting the
goals and objectives of current law in providing for safe
schools and preventing violence among students.
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriates $150,000 from the General Fund and
provides that grants are subject to an appropriation.
COMMENTS :
Need for this bill . According to the author, "Studies have
shown that bullying peaks during grades 5-7 and gradually
decreases from there. Schools need the resources to combat this
problem early on."
Bullying prevention programs . The Center for the Study and
Prevention of Violence, based at the University of Colorado,
Boulder, Institute of Behavioral Science, reviewed and evaluated
over 450 violence prevention programs that are being, or have
been, implemented in various regions of the United States. Of
those, only 10 programs were selected as being particularly
effective. One of the selected programs is the Bullying
Prevention Program, which was found to (a) substantially reduce
boys' and girls' reports of bullying and victimization; (b)
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significantly reduce students' reports of general antisocial
behavior such as vandalism, fighting, theft and truancy; and (c)
significantly improve the "social climate," as reflected in
students' reports of improved order and discipline, more
positive social relationships, and a more positive attitude
toward schoolwork and school.
State endorsed bullying prevention programs . The SDE does not
have guidelines or model curriculum for bullying prevention
programs. This bill authorizes grant funds to be expended to
implement a locally designed program or to purchase existing
bullying prevention materials and programs. This bill also
requires the SPI to develop criteria by which grant recipients
will be selected. Assuming the SPI will use the quality of each
program as part of the criteria, the SDE would be required to
research these programs to determine their quality.
Carl Washington School Safety and Violence Prevention Act .
Expanding the eligibility to receive funds pursuant to this act
to grades 6 and 7 without increasing the funding for that act
will reduce the funds available for grades 8-12. It appears the
author does not intend to authorize the grants for bullying
prevention programs to be eligible for funding pursuant to the
act because this bill provides that grants are subject to an
appropriation.
Related legislation . The Senate Republicans recently announced
plans to introduce legislation that expands the Carl Washington
School Safety and Violence Prevention Act to kindergarten and
grades 1-7. This bill has not yet been introduced.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION : (as of 12/17/99)
Support
None on file.
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Lynn Lorber / ED. / (916)319-2087