September 9, 2005
Schools Chief Jack O'Connell Announces Bills to Improve
High Schools and Enhance Student Health and Nutrition
Approved by the Legislature, Await Governor's Signature
Superintendent's Sponsored Bill Package Overwhelmingly Approved
SACRAMENTO — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell today announced that nearly his entire sponsored bill package for 2005 was approved by the Legislature in the 2005 Legislative session.
"I am gratified that the Legislature took action on so many measures that will improve public education in California," O'Connell said. "I urge Governor Schwarzenegger to sign these bills so that students in our state can benefit from improved instruction, more standards aligned instructional materials, and improved nutrition and fitness programs."
In his annual State of Education address in January, Superintendent O'Connell outlined his top priorities for K-12 education. Those priorities — improving high schools, helping to improve student health and nutrition, and reducing the burden of data collection for schools — are reflected in his package of sponsored legislation. Nine bills from his sponsored bill package are currently on the Governor's desk; three have already been signed into law.
Improving High Schools
"I am glad to see my proposals to improve and expand teacher and school administrator training were approved with such strong bipartisan support," O'Connell said. "I also appreciate Senator Betty Karnette's leadership in creating a program to improve instructional materials for high schools. These initiatives will help our high schools better prepare the next generation to compete in the global economy of the 21st century."
AB 430 by Assembly Member Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara) reauthorizes California's Principal Training Program from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2012 and renames the program, “The Administrator Training Program.” The program will include training on instruction of students with disabilities and English language learners. The measure was sent to the Governor on September 7, 2005.
AB 564 by Assembly Member Betty Karnette (D-Long Beach) will help high schools select standards-aligned instructional materials. The measure authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction to work with county offices of education and local education agencies to develop reports on the extent to which these high school basic instructional materials are aligned to the content standards adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE). The measure was sent to the Governor on September 6, 2005.
SB 414 by Senator Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara) reauthorizes the Mathematics and Reading Professional Development Program for teachers from July 1, 2006 to July 1, 2012 to improve instruction for all California students. The Legislature approved this measure on September 6, 2005.
Improving Student Health and Nutrition
"Healthy, active, and well-nourished students are more likely to attend school and are more prepared and motivated to learn," O'Connell said. "These measures will give students access to more nutritious food and will help teach students how to stay fit and healthy."
AB 689 by Assembly Member Pedro Nava (D-Santa Barbara) requires the State Board of Education, based on recommendations from the Superintendent of Public Instruction, to adopt model content standards for health education by March 1, 2008. This measure was sent to the Governor on September 2, 2005.
AB 1392 by Assemblymember Tom Umberg (D-Santa Ana) ensures that economically disadvantaged children have access to nutritious meals during summer school programs. This measure was approved by the Legislature on September 7, 2005.
SB 567 by Senator Tom Torlakson (D-Antioch) was approved and sent to the Governor on September 8, 2005. It requires local educational agencies that participate in federal school lunch programs to establish and implement a local school wellness policy that complies with federal and state requirements.
Reducing the Burden of Data Collection
AB 110 by Assembly Member Ira Ruskin (D-Redwood City), which was signed into law last month, will reduce the paperwork burden for school districts by deleting certain redundant and duplicative data collection and reporting requirements contained in existing law, and modifying procedures that apply to data collection and reporting relating to pupil expulsions.
Other bills in O'Connell's sponsored legislative package are:
AB 831 by the Assembly Committee on Education is one of two annual education omnibus bills that corrects errors, resolves conflicts in code sections, deletes obsolete references, and makes other noncontroversial changes to the Education Code. It was signed into law last month.
AB 953 by Assemblymember Joe Coto (D-San Jose) will improve intervention services that assist school districts designated as "Program Improvement" by clarifying requirements of the Local Educational Agency Intervention Program. It also will ensure that the use of Federal intervention funds are prioritized based on the academic performance of each district's socioeconomically disadvantaged students. This bill was approved by the Legislature on September 8, 2005.
AB 1071 by Assemblymember Judy Chu (D-Monterey Park ) increases the amount of funding that may be used for the School Assistance and Intervention Team to $17,648,050. The measure ensures that 17 specified schools will receive sufficient funds to implement academic interventions. This measure has been signed into law.
AB 1610 by Assemblymember Lois Wolk (D-Davis) ensures that students who leave a charter school without graduating or completing the school year for any reason do not fall through the cracks by requiring charter schools to notify the district of residence of pupils who are expelled or leave the charter school, and, upon request, provide a copy of the cumulative record of that pupil. It requires charter petitions to include a description of procedures to be used if the charter schools were to close. The measure also extends charter schools' ability to seek waivers directly from the State Board of Education, even if the school was chartered by a district or county office of education. This measure was sent to the Governor on September 7, 2005.
AB 1642 by Assemblymember Simon Salinas (D-Salinas) streamlines the process for school district reorganizations. This measure was approved by the Legislature on August 25, 2005.
AB 1662 by Assemblymember Sally Lieber (D-Mountain View) conforms state law to the new federal Individual with Disabilities Education Act Reauthorization 2004 provisions, as required by the U.S. Department of Education. This measure ensures that California will not lose $1.3 billion in federal special education funds, California's projected share of funds in the 2005-2006 fiscal year. This measure was approved by the Legislature on September 8, 2005.
SB 512 by the Senate Committee on Education is the second of two annual education omnibus bills and corrects errors, resolves conflicts in code sections, deletes obsolete references, and makes other noncontroversial changes to the Education Code. This measure was approved and sent to the Governor on September 7, 2005.
The Legislature failed to approve AB 1758 by Assembly member Tom Umberg (D-Garden Grove) which would have created exit criteria for the High Priority Schools Grant Program and provided $60 million for California's lowest performing schools. It would also have provided $4.1 million in federal NCLB funds that are available to districts with schools in Program Improvement.
"I am deeply disappointed that students at some of our most challenged schools will not benefit from these funds which could have been used to improve instruction and purchase new instructional materials," O'Connell said. "It was the clear intent of NCLB and the Williams settlement that these funds be made available to our most needy schools. I will take this issue back to the Legislature as soon as they reconvene to ensure that students at these eligible schools receive the benefit of these funds as quickly as possible."
Additional measures O'Connell is sponsoring that are two-year bills include AB 1246 by Assemblymember Lois Wolk (D-Davis) which authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop preschool learning standards and develop curriculum guides in early literacy and early numeracy, history/social science, and science, and AB 1032 by Assemblymember Dave Jones (D-Sacramento) that would provide professional learning opportunities for preschool classroom teachers and paraprofessionals on those preschool learning standards. O'Connell also supports SCA 8 by Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) which would make it easier for local communities to raise funds for local school operations by lowering the approval threshold to 55 percent for local communities to impose a parcel tax.
