Bill Text: CA AB2617 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Amended


Bill Title: Dropout recovery programs: funding report.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-05-25 - In committee: Set, second hearing. Held under submission. [AB2617 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB2617-Amended.html
BILL NUMBER: AB 2617	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 23, 2012

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Blumenfield

                        FEBRUARY 24, 2012

   An act to add Section 48070.7 to the Education Code, relating to
 pupil retention   dropout recovery programs
 .



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 2617, as amended, Blumenfield.  Pupil retention:
dropout   Dropout  recovery programs: funding
report.
   Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction, on
or before August 1, 2011, and annually thereafter, to submit to the
Governor, the Legislature, and the State Board of Education a report
called the Annual Report on Dropouts in California. Existing law
requires, among other things, that the report contain specified
information on dropout rates, graduation rates, and pupil promotion
rates. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that the
report be usable by schools, school districts, policymakers,
researchers, parents, and the public, for purposes of identifying and
understanding trends, causal relations, early warning indicators,
and potential points of intervention to address the high rate of
dropouts in California.
   This bill would require  , on or before May 31, 2013,
 the Superintendent, in cooperation with the state board and
the Legislative Analyst's Office, to publish  , on or before May
31, 2013,  a report and recommendations addressing the adequacy
of funding for dropout recovery programs in California, as
specified.
   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.  The Legislature finds and declares all of the
following:
   (a) The National  Governor's   Governors
 Association Center for Best Practices reviewed California and
other state programs and concluded that "States have largely focused
on dropout prevention because it is easier and cheaper to prevent
students from leaving school than to bring a dropout back to school.
Yet, no matter how effective a state's dropout prevention efforts,
students invariably fall through the cracks."
   (b) The National  Governor's   Governors
 Association study further found that quality alternatives to
traditional comprehensive high schools are lacking and that there are
too few financial incentives for dropout recovery.
   (c) Research demonstrates that dropout recovery high schools face
added costs and a number of challenges in reengaging pupils,
including:
   (1) Dropouts who reenter high school are significantly below grade
level.
   (2) Reengagement into a high school setting can be difficult and
take a significant amount of time.
   (3) Pupils typically have higher mobility and lower attendance
rates.
   (4) Pupils who have dropped out are significantly more likely to
drop out again.
   (d) Successful dropout recovery high schools utilize multiple
strategies including lower pupil-teacher ratios, state-of-the-art
technology, and career technical education to reach the variety of
learning modalities of the population that they serve.
   (e) Incentives for  dropout recovery programs would
increase the number of pupils served and   the recovery
of high school dropouts  could result in a significant return on
the state's investment as evidenced by data from the Alliance for
Excellent Education.
  SEC. 2.  Section 48070.7 is added to the Education Code, to read:
   48070.7.  On or before May 31, 2013, the Superintendent, in
cooperation with the state board and the Legislative Analyst's
Office, shall examine the adequacy of funding for dropout recovery
programs in California and publish a report with recommendations. In
preparing the report, the Superintendent shall review  successful
 dropout recovery programs in other states  ,
including, but not limited to, the Texas Dropout Recovery Pilot
Program, the Texas Optional Flexible School Day Program, and the
Arizona dropout recovery programs authorized by Section 15-901.06 of
the Arizona Revised Statutes  .  The report shall
include all of the following: 
    (a) An inventory of existing dropout recovery programs. 

    (b) The effectiveness of these programs. 
   (c) The funding streams used for purposes of these programs.

    (d) The types of services that these programs provide. 
                    
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