Under The Dome

The legislative session is moving at a frenetic pace. CSBA has adopted positions on the following bills:

AB 477 (Levine) Pupils: Dropout definition
This bill would codify the California Department of Education’s current reporting definition of a “dropout.” While schools are familiar with this definition, new questions concerning its application would arise if it were to be reported through the Academic Performance Index and used in determining school and district accountability.
CSBA Position: Oppose unless amended to ensure that all students are appropriately counted

AB 1236 (Mullin) Compulsory school attendance: Kindergarten readiness program
This bill would change from Dec. 2 to Sept. 1 the date by which a child is required to be 5 years old for admission to kindergarten and would make kindergarten attendance mandatory. It would also establish a Kindergarten Readiness Program and require all school districts to make access to the program available to all students.
CSBA Position: Support if amended to provide school districts with sufficient time to build capacity and ensure implementation does not occur during a Test 1 year under Proposition 98

AB 1403 (Arambula) Local educational agencies: Administration
This bill would establish the San Joaquin Valley District Improvement Pilot Program and authorize a San Joaquin Valley county superintendent of schools to participate in the pilot program, which would involve assessing, monitoring, and improving the academic achievement of certain school districts, schools, and pupils he or she governs. The bill would also require the state superintendent of public instruction to apportion specified categorical block grant funds to each participating school district. The district receiving the funds would have specified flexibility in their use.
CSBA Position: Oppose

AB 1663 (Evans and Lieber) Special education: Conformance to federal law
This bill would make various revisions generally conforming state law to federal requirements relating to pupil identification, assessment and eligibility; Individualized Education Program development, including notice, implementation and review; procedural safeguards, including due process hearing procedures and requirements; and pupil information confidentiality. To the extent that these revisions would impose new duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
CSBA Position: Support if amended to ensure that revisions bring the state into compliance with federal law without exceeding the federal mandates

SB 219 (Steinberg) Pupil achievement: Academic Performance Index
This bill would require the state superintendent of public instruction, with approval of the state Board of Education, to revise the API to include additional information regarding school and school district dropout rates, high school graduation rates, and outcomes related to college and career readiness. While this bill might be well intentioned, it is inappropriate to place these new tracking requirements into the API.
CSBA Position: Oppose

SB 564 (Ridley-Thomas) Public School Health Center Support Program
The bill would require the state Department of Public Health, to the extent that funds are appropriated to the department for implementation of the Public School Health Center Support Program, to establish grants to assist school districts in planning for, establishing and sustaining school health centers, and for technical assistance.
CSBA Position: Support