Bill Text: CA ACR134 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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

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Bill Title: Dropout Recovery Week.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 49-22)

Status: (Passed) 2012-06-07 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Res. Chapter 46, Statutes of 2012. [ACR134 Detail]

Download: California-2011-ACR134-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: ACR 134	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Hueso
   (Coauthors: Assembly Members Ammiano, Carter, Dickinson, and V.
Manuel Pérez)
   (Coauthor: Senator Lowenthal)

                        MARCH 20, 2012

   Relative to Dropout Recovery Week.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   ACR 134, as introduced, Hueso. Dropout Recovery Week.
   This measure would declare the week of June 4 to June 10,
inclusive, 2012, to be Dropout Recovery Week, and would state the
Legislature's intent to encourage the support of dropout recovery
high schools with creative teaching strategies, alternative
assessments, and adequate resources.
   Fiscal committee: no.



   WHEREAS, Research suggests that fewer than 70 percent of 9th grade
pupils in California, and in some school districts, fewer than 50
percent, graduate from high school; and
   WHEREAS, A 2011 survey by the Public Policy Institute of
California found that strong majorities of public school parents and
adults across political parties, regions, and demographic groups view
the dropout rate as a big problem; and
   WHEREAS, Research by the Alliance for Excellent Education
demonstrates that if only one-half of the dropouts were recovered in
California, the economic benefits to California would be staggering:
those recovered dropouts would invest an additional $394 million a
year, increase home sales by $4.5 billion during their careers,
support an additional 8,700 jobs to the midpoint of their careers,
and increase state and local tax revenues by $167 million every year;
and
   WHEREAS, Research further demonstrates that reengaged learners
demonstrate higher civic engagement, contribute to the cultural
strengths of their communities, and are significantly less likely to
be unemployed, on public assistance, or arrested for a violent crime;
and
   WHEREAS, There exist dropout recovery high schools in California
that provide significant social, economic, and academic benefits to
their pupils and to California's population as a whole; and
   WHEREAS, Dropout recovery high schools face significant challenges
in reengaging pupils into academic endeavors, including: (1)
dropouts who reenter high school often perform significantly below
grade level; (2) pupils who drop out display a gradual process of
disengagement from school that encompasses years of academic and
behavioral difficulties, absenteeism, and stressful life
circumstances; (3) reengagement into a high school setting can be
difficult and take a significant amount of time; and (4) pupils who
have dropped out once are significantly more likely to drop out
again; and
   WHEREAS, Research by WestEd found that one-half of the dropouts
who return to school stay for one year or less, one-third of
returning dropouts fail to complete even one course after they
reenroll, and only 18 percent of returning dropouts graduate; and
   WHEREAS, Successful dropout recovery high schools attract and
retain high-quality staff committed to meeting the instructional
needs of the whole pupil; and
   WHEREAS, Successful dropout recovery high schools utilize multiple
strategies to overcome these challenges, including state-of-the-art
technology, career technical education to reach a variety of learning
modalities, accelerated learning pedagogies, competency-based,
rather than seat time-based, instruction, and open entry and open
exit enrollment; and
   WHEREAS, Reengaged learners are no longer at risk of failure but
at promise of success; now, therefore, be it
   Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby declares the week of
June 4 to June 10, inclusive, 2012, to be Dropout Recovery Week, in
honor of the schools and staff who work to reengage pupils who have
previously dropped out of school, and in honor of the pupils who have
overcome significant personal challenges to reengage in high school
and become transformed learners who will continue to pursue education
to prepare for college and career in their futures; and be it
further
   Resolved, That the Legislature intends to encourage the support of
dropout recovery high schools with creative teaching strategies,
alternative assessments, and adequate resources; and be it further
   Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies of
this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.