Bill Text: CA AB2241 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Pupils: Transitioning Youth for Success Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-05-25 - In committee: Set, second hearing. Held under submission. [AB2241 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB2241-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 2241	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Dickinson
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Alejo)
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Perea and Swanson)

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2012

   An act to add Article 4 (commencing with Section 48680) to Chapter
4 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code,
relating to pupils.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2241, as introduced, Dickinson. Pupils: Transitioning Youth for
Success Program.
   Existing law provides for the administration and operation of
public schools in juvenile halls, juvenile homes, day centers,
juvenile ranches, juvenile camps, regional youth educational
facilities, and certain group homes. The public schools or classes
offered in these facilities are known as juvenile court schools.
Existing law states that the Legislature encourages each county
superintendent of schools or governing board of a school district, as
specified, and the county chief probation officer to enter into a
memorandum of understanding or equivalent mutual agreement to support
a collaborative process for meeting the needs of wards of the court
who are receiving their education in juvenile court schools with the
purpose of developing a collaborative model that will foster an
educational and residential environment that nurtures the whole child
and consistently supports services that will meet the educational
needs of the pupils.
   This bill would establish the Transitioning Youth for Success
Program for the purpose of prioritizing the use of specified federal
funds for neglected, delinquent, or at-risk pupils. The bill would
require a county office of education or a school district to submit
an application to the State Department of Education to receive
funding under this program. Participating school districts and county
offices of education would provide programs and services that focus
on the special needs of youth who are or have been confined to a
facility where a juvenile court school or classes are authorized to
be offered. The purpose of the programs and services would be to
ensure that these youth make a successful transition from the
juvenile facility to further schooling or employment and are provided
a support system to ensure their continued education. The bill would
require a comprehensive transition plan to be developed and
implemented for pupils served by the program. The bill would require
the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in consultation with the
Board of Corrections and county offices of education, by December 1,
2013, to develop consistent measures by which to evaluate the success
of programs and services funded under this program. The bill would
require the State Board of Education to amend California's
consolidated state application for the federal No Child Left Behind
Act of 2001, as necessary, so that the application adequately
reflects the requirements and provisions of the program.
   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.  (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (1) Juvenile justice youth are one of the most academically
"at-risk" pupil groups enrolled in California schools. Researchers
have found that many of these youth perform well below grade level
and have a history of truancy and school discipline. Experts confirm
that juvenile justice youth experience a high rate of special
education identification, with a disproportionate number identified
as having learning disabilities and emotional or behavioral
disorders.
   (2) Research on this population in other jurisdictions has found
that the provision of a comprehensive educational program can have a
profound positive impact on juvenile recidivism rates. However, the
transition from juvenile detention facilities to a regular school
setting presents major challenges. Research confirms that most youth
do not reengage with the educational system after leaving
confinement. It is reported that two-thirds of high school-aged
juvenile offenders in New York do not return to school upon release.
Kentucky showed a 95 percent dropout rate for similar youth.
California's juvenile court schools, which serve youth in the
juvenile justice system, have the highest dropout rate of all schools
in the state.
   (3) Youth released from institutions often face barriers to
reenrollment in comprehensive regular schools, which often leads to
their eventual abandonment of the educational system altogether.
Barriers to enrollment often result from lack of knowledge about
their educational rights and misapplication of the law by educational
authorities. The federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency
Prevention found that "the criminal justice system and education
systems often seem to work at cross-purposes. Judges mandate school
attendance, but the community lacks an effective system for
reenrolling students." The alternative educational placements to
which these pupils are relegated too often do not have the resources
to address their unique needs nor do they facilitate high school
graduation, reentry into a regular school setting, or enrollment in
college. Experts have concluded that these alternative schools have
become the dumping grounds for the "problem students" who school
administrators no longer want.
   (4) A recent study by the Center for Juvenile Justice Reform
confirmed that the "lack of transition planning for juveniles makes
successful reentry and integration into the community extremely
difficult" and that "d]ue to a lack of interdisciplinary
collaboration, service providers are often unprepared to provide
appropriate transition services."
   (b) Accordingly, it is intent of the Legislature that funds be
made available to provide programs to address the transition needs of
California's juvenile justice youth so that the number of youth who
are successfully engaged in school, work, and constructive community
activities increases. Notwithstanding the unique educational
challenges facing this high-risk pupil group, education is one of the
most critical factors in reducing recidivism rates and assuring
successful transition to a self-sufficient adulthood.
  SEC. 2.  Article 4 (commencing with Section 48680) is added to
Chapter 4 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code,
to read:

      Article 4.  Transitioning Youth for Success


   48680.  There is hereby established the Transitioning Youth for
Success Program for the purpose of prioritizing the use of funds
allocated by the department under Title I Part D of the federal No
Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.). A school
district or county office of education that receives funds pursuant
to this article shall use those funds to provide programs and
services that focus on the special needs of youth who are or have
been confined to a facility where a juvenile court school or classes
are authorized to be offered. The purpose of these programs and
services shall be to ensure that these youth successfully transition
from those facilities to further schooling or employment and are
provided a support system to ensure their continued education.
   48683.  (a) For purposes of this article, "eligible youth" means a
juvenile who is or has been confined to a facility where a juvenile
court school or classes are authorized to be offered.
   (b) For purposes of this article, "juvenile facility" means a
facility where a juvenile court school or classes are authorized to
be offered pursuant to Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 48645).
   48685.  (a) To receive funding pursuant to this article, a county
office of education and a school district shall submit an application
to the department that includes a description of the manner in which
the services or programs to be funded promote the successful
transition of eligible youth released from juvenile facilities to
further schooling or employment.
   (b) The application also shall include all of the following:
   (1) The appointment of a transition specialist or coordinator who
shall perform all of the following:
   (A) Develop and coordinate individualized transition plans for all
eligible youth.
   (B) Develop transition portfolios for each eligible youth.
   (C) Coordinate the seamless and immediate enrollment of eligible
youth and transfer of educational records across sending and
receiving agencies.
   (D) Coordinate increased interagency linkages and communication.
   (E) Coordinate with other agencies, community and employment
agencies, and subsequent educational placements to ensure seamless
continuum of services upon release of an eligible youth.
   (F) Serve as an advocate for eligible youth as they transition
from a juvenile facility to ensure that all subsequent educational
and school placements are based on the best interests of the youth.
   (G) Serve as an advocate for eligible youth so they can overcome
barriers to reenrollment in a regular comprehensive public school and
that any subsequent educational placement provides educational
stability and the opportunity to be educated in the least restrictive
educational setting necessary to achieve academic progress.
   (H) Establish a tracking system to monitor the engagement or
recidivism of all youth participating in the program established
pursuant to this article.
   (2) A description of the characteristics, including learning
disabilities, below grade level achievement, substance abuse
problems, mental health issues, language access issues, family
issues, and other special needs, of the eligible youth who will be
transitioning out of juvenile facilities and participate in the
program.
   (A) For county offices of education, the description shall include
an assessment of enrollment data for juvenile court schools
currently operated by a county office of education. The assessment
shall include all of the following information:
   (i) The average length of stay for all youth.
   (ii) The number of youth identified as special needs pupils.
   (iii) The number of youth identified as English learners or fluent
English proficient.
   (iv) The drop-out and graduation rate of each juvenile court
school and community schoolsite operated by the county office of
education.
   (v) The number of youth who were able to reenroll in their school
of origin upon release.
   (vi) The number of youth enrolled in a county community school
upon release.
   (vii) The number of youth enrolled in another alternative school
program operated by either a county office of education or school
district upon release.
   (B) For school districts, the description shall include an
assessment of enrollment data for youth transferring from juvenile
court schools into schools operated by a school district during the
past two years. The assessment shall include all of the following
information:
   (i) The number of youth who have transferred from the school
district to a juvenile court school during the past two years.
   (ii) The number of those youth who have transferred from the
school district to a juvenile court school during the past two years
and reenrolled in the district.
   (iii) For those youth who reenrolled in the district, the type of
educational placement.
   (iv) The number of youth identified as special needs pupils.
   (v) The number of youth identified as English learners or fluent
English proficient.
   (vi) The drop-out and graduation rate for special needs pupils,
English learners, and fluent English-proficient pupils.
   (3) An assessment and inventory of existing education, probation,
mental health, health, social services, substance abuse prevention
and treatment, and youth services resources, including
employment-related resources, that will be available to specifically
target eligible pupils transitioning from juvenile facilities. The
assessment shall indicate to the extent to which the services and
treatment address the cultural and linguistic needs of eligible
youth.
   (4) A description of the manner in which the school district or
county office of education will coordinate with existing social,
health, and other services to meet the needs of transitioning
eligible youth. The description shall describe the extent to which
interagency and intersystem collaboration is established among all
relevant entities to ensure that all specific transition and
aftercare services are, in fact, provided to eligible youth. The
application shall specify the role, responsibilities, and agreements
of all participating entities involved in the transition process,
including detention and probation staff, health and mental health
services, community-based organizations, local businesses, other
educational agencies, and employment providers.
   (5) Specific transition strategies of response to be implemented,
which may include any of the following:
   (A) Individual pupil prerelease planning that occurs during the
eligible youth's confinement and case management plans involving
pupils, parents or legal guardians or care givers, teachers, and
probation officers that specify academic and behavioral goals and
needed services. This planning shall include consideration of special
education and language access needs.
   (B) Mentoring and structured after-school programs in academic
enrichment, peer mediation, conflict resolution, victim awareness,
victim and offender reconciliation, gang abatement, violence
reduction, restitution, community service, and cultural awareness.
   (C) Prerelease training in social skills and independent living
skills.
   (D) School-linked comprehensive counseling services and other
appropriate services for pupils and families.
   (E) School-linked substance abuse treatment and education
services.
   (F) A comprehensive system of career interest assessment,
preemployment skills training, job training, supervised work
experience, and job placement.
   (G) Maintenance of contact with the eligible youth and his or her
family or care giver by the transition specialist for at least six
months after release to minimize the risk of recidivism.
   (H) Resources and services that encourage preparation for, and
matriculation into, higher education options.
   (I) Transportation.
   (J) A parenting education program.
   (6) A description of the manner in which the county office of
education or school district will ensure that eligible youth
transitioning from a juvenile facility will overcome barriers that
prevent them from reenrollment in their school of origin or another
appropriate comprehensive regular school and that they will be given
the opportunity to be educated in the least restrictive educational
setting necessary to achieve academic progress.
   (7) A description of the manner in which the program will involve
parents in efforts to improve the educational achievement of their
children, assist in transition out of the institution, and prevent
the involvement of their children in delinquent activities.
   (8) A data and information sharing system to ensure that the
actions identified in the transition plan are fully coordinated and
to provide data for measuring the success of programs and services
funded.
   (9) An expenditure plan.
   48690.  (a) A comprehensive transition plan shall be developed and
implemented for each eligible youth and include, but not be limited
to, all of the following elements:
   (1) Thorough review of the youth's academic records and
transcripts. To the extent transcripts have not been already
obtained, they shall be immediately requested and any gaps shall be
reviewed to determine the need for any follow-up requests.
   (2) Interview with the youth to determine the youth's academic,
vocational, employment, and other goals for incorporation into the
plan.
   (3) Screening for eligibility of special education services. If a
youth is already identified as a special needs pupil, the
individualized education program shall be obtained.
   (4) School credit analysis to determine amounts of credit earned
and credits needed for graduation and to recover any lost credits.
   (5) Vocational assessment.
   (6) Assessment to determine if the youth is an English learner or
fluent English proficient and the language status of the youth's
parent or guardian.
   (7) Assessment to determine the educational placement that would
best address the youth's academic needs once released from the
institution.
   (8) If expelled from his or her school of origin, an assessment to
determine the status of the pupil's rehabilitation plan.
   (9) Identification of services and resources that are available to
the youth to prepare for and accomplish a successful transition to
the community once released.
   (b) The transition plan shall be developed for each eligible youth
with the collaboration and in consultation with other educational
staff, the youth's probation officer, the youth and, whenever
possible, a youth's parent, guardian, or educational decisionmaker.
   (c) A copy of the transition plan and a portfolio with the
following information shall be given to the eligible youth and his or
her family:
   (1) School transcripts.
   (2) Individualized education program, if applicable, and any
child-find evaluation.
   (3) Credit analysis.
   (4) Vocational assessment.
   48693.  By December 1, 2013, the Superintendent, in consultation
with the Board of Corrections and county offices of education, shall
develop consistent measures for determining how to evaluate the
success of programs and services funded under this program. The
measures shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
   (a) Reenrollment in a regular comprehensive school.
   (b) Attendance rates.
   (c) Graduation and drop-out rates.
   (d) Passage rates on the high school exit examination.
   (e) The numbers of suspensions and expulsions.
   (f) Indicators of academic performance and achievement.
   (g) Placement in job training programs and paid employment.
   (h) Placement in institutions of higher education.
   48695.  The state board shall amend California's consolidated
state application for the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
(20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.), as necessary, so that it adequately
reflects the requirements and provisions of this article with respect
to the state's implementation of Part D of Title I of that federal
act.