Bill Text: CA AB2498 | 2017-2018 | Regular Session | Amended

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

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Bill Title: School employees: School Social Worker Pilot Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-05-25 - In committee: Held under submission. [AB2498 Detail]

Download: California-2017-AB2498-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  March 15, 2018

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2017–2018 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2498

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Introduced by Assembly Member Eggman

February 14, 2018

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An act to amend Section 44874 of add and repeal Article 14 (commencing with Section 33480) of Chapter 3 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to school employees.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2498, as amended, Eggman. School employees: school psychologists and social workers. School Social Worker Pilot Program.

Existing law establishes the State Department of Education, under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and assigns to the department numerous duties relating to the financing, governance, and guidance of the public elementary and secondary schools in this state. Existing law authorizes a school district to employ and compensate psychologists and social workers who meet specified qualifications.

This bill would make nonsubstantive changes to this law.

This bill, subject to an appropriation of moneys by the Legislature, would establish a pilot program, the School Social Worker Pilot Program, under the administration of the department to provide a multiyear grant award to one school district in each of the Counties of Alameda, Riverside, San Benito, San Joaquin, and Shasta to fund a social worker at each eligible school, as defined, within the school district for the 2019–20 fiscal year to the 2023–24 fiscal year, inclusive. The bill would require the department to develop an application process and criteria for determining grant recipients on a competitive basis, as provided. The bill would make the pilot program inoperative on July 1, 2024, and would repeal it on January 1, 2025.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NOYES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

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

SECTION 1.

 Article 14 (commencing with Section 33480) is added to Chapter 3 of Part 20 of Division 2 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:

Article  14. School Social Worker Pilot Program

33480.

 (a) Subject to moneys appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of this section, the department shall administer the School Social Worker Pilot Program. Under the pilot program, the department shall provide a multiyear grant award to one school district in each of the Counties of Alameda, Riverside, San Benito, San Joaquin, and Shasta to fund a social worker at each eligible school within the school district for the 2019–20 fiscal year to the 2023–24 fiscal year, inclusive.

(b) A school district within the Counties of Alameda, Riverside, San Benito, San Joaquin, and Shasta may apply for the grant pursuant to subdivision (c).

(c) The department shall develop an application process and criteria for determining grant recipients on a competitive basis, including that priority should be given to school districts with higher pupil dropout and absenteeism rates and higher percentage of pupils eligible for free or reduced-price meals.

(d) For purposes of this section, “eligible school” means a school that meets both of the following:

(1) The school has higher pupil dropout and absenteeism rates than the state average, as determined by the department.

(2) The school has a higher percentage of pupils eligible for free or reduced-price meals than the state average, as determined by the department.

33481.

 This article shall become inoperative on July 1, 2024, and, as of January 1, 2025, is repealed.

SECTION 1.Section 44874 of the Education Code is amended to read:

44874.

The qualifications for a psychologist or a social worker are (a) a valid certificate issued by the appropriate California agency authorized by law to certify persons who practice in those fields and (b) a services credential with a specialization in health. A school district may employ and compensate psychologists and social workers meeting the foregoing qualifications.