Bill Text: CA AB396 | 2019-2020 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: School employees: School Social Worker Pilot Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)

Status: (Failed) 2020-02-03 - From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56. [AB396 Detail]

Download: California-2019-AB396-Amended.html

Amended  IN  Assembly  March 04, 2019

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2019–2020 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill No. 396


Introduced by Assembly Member Eggman
(Coauthor: Senator Caballero)

February 06, 2019


An act to 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 396, as amended, Eggman. School employees: 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, 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 department, to provide a multiyear grant award to one school district or the governing body of a charter school 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 or charter school, as applicable, for the 2021–22 fiscal year to the 2025–26 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 require each governing board of a school district and governing body of a charter school receiving a grant award to report to the department, and would require the department, on or before January 1, 2027, to report to the Legislature, changes in pupil outcomes at the schools participating in the pilot program, including changes in chronic absenteeism and changes in rates of suspension and expulsion. The bill would make the pilot program inoperative on July 1, 2026, 2027, and would repeal it on January 1, 2027. 2028.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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 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 or the governing body of a charter school 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 or charter school, as applicable, for the 2021–22 fiscal year to the 2025–26 fiscal year, inclusive.
(b) A school district or the governing body of a charter school 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 and charter schools with higher pupil dropout and absenteeism rates and a higher percentage of socioeconomically disadvantaged pupils.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Eligible school” means a school offering instruction in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 8, inclusive, that meets both of the following:
(A) The school has higher pupil dropout and absenteeism rates than the state average, as determined by the department.
(B) The school has a higher percentage of socioeconomically disadvantaged pupils than the state average, as determined by the department.
(2) “Social worker” means a person holding a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services specializing in social work, as defined by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing pursuant to Section 44266, or a state-licensed social worker supervised in their school-based activities by an individual holding a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services or a professional services credential with a specialization in administrative services.
(3) “Socioeconomically disadvantaged pupil” means a pupil who meets at least one of the following conditions:
(A) Neither of the pupil’s parents have received a high school diploma.
(B) The pupil is eligible for free or reduced-price meals or has a direct certification for a free or reduced-price meal program.
(C) (i) The pupil is a migrant child, homeless child or youth, or foster youth.
(ii) For purposes of this subparagraph, “migrant child” means a “currently migratory child,” as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 54441.
(e) Each governing board of a school district and governing body of a charter school receiving a grant award under this section shall report to the department, and, on or before January 1, 2027, the department shall report to the Legislature, consistent with Section 9795 of the Government Code, changes in pupil outcomes at the schools participating in the pilot program, including, but not limited to, both of the following:
(1) Changes in chronic absenteeism.
(2) Changes in rates of suspension and expulsion.

33481.
  This article shall become inoperative on July 1, 2026, 2027, and, as of January 1, 2027, 2028, is repealed.

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