UndertheDome: Year-end legislative wrap-up

Under the Dome: Year-end legislative wrap-up

The Legislature adjourned for the year on Sept. 12. In the month that followed, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger acted on 964 bills that the Legislature had sent to him. Of the 10 bills that CSBA is sponsoring or co-sponsoring this session, two made it to the governor's desk but were vetoed (see below); two more are legislative resolutions that do not require action by the governor, and six are two-year bills still awaiting legislative action.

The governor signed the following bills that CSBA took positions on or tracked; these bills will become law Jan. 1 unless otherwise noted:

AB 347 (Nava, D-Santa Barbara) Pupils: high school exit examination: intensive instruction and services
This bill funds intensive instruction and services for an additional two years for 12th grade students who have not passed the California High School Exit Exam. This bill contains an urgency clause and so takes effect immediately.
Chapter No. 526, Statutes of 2007
CSBA position: no formal stance on the final version of this bill

SB 20 (Torlakson, D-Antioch) Charter schools
This bill requires the state Board of Education to base a finding of statewide benefit on substantial evidence, and it provides $18 million to the Charter School Facilities Grant Program.
Chapter No. 215, Statutes of 2007
CSBA position: no formal stance on the final version of this bill

SB 219 (Steinberg, D-Sacramento) Pupil achievement: Academic Performance Index: alternative education
This bill requires that the Academic Performance Index include additional information regarding test scores and other accountability data of pupils who were referred by the school or school district to an alternative education program, as well as school and school district dropout rates.
Chapter No. 731, Statutes of 2007
CSBA position: Oppose

SB 405 (Steinberg, D-Sacramento) Schools: curriculum: opportunities for pupils
This bill expands the Middle and High School Supplemental Counseling Program requirements to include individualized review of a pupil’s career goals, the academic and career-related opportunities available to the pupil, and an explanation of the coursework and academic progress required for eligibility for admission to a four-year college.
Chapter No. 732, Statutes of 2007
CSBA position: Approve in concept

The governor vetoed the following bills that CSBA took positions on or tracked:

AB 400 (Nunez, D-Los Angeles): Public school accountability
This bill would have incorporated additional academic indicators in the Academic Performance Index, including high school graduation rates and rates by which pupils are offered and complete certain courses.
CSBA position: Oppose
Governor’s message: While I agree with the author that what the state measures in its accountability system sends a powerful message to schools and to the public about the outcomes we value, this bill still needs refinement.

AB 438 (Price, D-Inglewood): Schools: accountability
This bill would have aligned exit criteria for the Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program and the High Priority Schools Grant Program by requiring schools to meet or exceed Academic Performance Index growth targets averaged over three years for HPSGP and two years for II/USP to exit the state accountability programs.
CSBA position: Support
Governor’s message: Adjusting the exit criteria so that the average score is used will undermine the goal of achieving academic improvement for our state's struggling schools.

AB 1281 (Soto, D-Pomona) Charter schools: special education
This bill would have required a charter school petition to define and demonstrate that the petitioners have the ability and training to develop a special education program and the capacity to serve the needs of special education pupils.
Position: Co-sponsor
Governor’s message: This bill would unnecessarily impose additional reporting and notification requirements on charter schools. Current law already requires charter petitioners to present a sound educational program for the pupils who would enroll in the charter school and include the qualifications to be met by individuals who would be employed by the school. Furthermore, both federal and state law prohibit charter schools from discriminating against any pupil on the basis of a disability.

AB 1379 (Brownley, D-Santa Monica) High schools: requirements for graduation
This bill would have required the state superintendent of public instruction, in consultation with the secretary for education and the High School Exit Examination Standards Panel, to identify alternative criteria and measures by which high school pupils, who are regarded as proficient but unable to pass the high school exit examination, may demonstrate their competence and receive a high school diploma.
Position: Co-sponsor
Governor’s message: Current law already requires the state board, in consultation with the superintendent of public instruction, to study the appropriateness of other criteria by which highly proficient pupils who are unable to pass the California High School Exit Exam can demonstrate their competency and receive a high school diploma. The state board determined that no other criteria are appropriate. I do not want to undermine the intent of the law that all high school graduates demonstrate satisfactory proficiency.

SB 909 (Simitian, D-Palo Alto) School districts: governing board members: compensation
This bill would have doubled the compensation amount that may be prescribed for each average daily attendance category of school districts.
Position: Support
Governor’s message: Current law already provides reasonable flexibility to governing boards to increase their own compensation, by not more than 5 percent annually, beyond the limits already established in statute.

SB 964 (Romero, D-Los Angeles) Local agencies
This bill would have prohibited a majority of members of a local agency's legislative body from using a series of communications of any kind, directly or through intermediaries, to discuss, deliberate or take action on any item of business that is within the subject matter jurisdiction of the legislative body.
CSBA position: Oppose
Governor’s message: This bill imposes an impractical standard for compliance on local officials and could potentially prohibit communication among officials and agency staff outside of a public meeting.

Related link:
Find a link to CSBA’s positions on current legislation @ http://www.csba.org/LegislationAndLegal.aspx.