Join a Free Out-of-School Time Policy Update

Free June 30th California Out-of-School Time Policy Update

California’s budget negotiations have seen proposals to eliminate child care programs and place proposition 49 (ASES funding) back on the ballot. The Federal Government is currently creating its 2011/2012 budget and is starting to move forward on amending and reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA: formerly No Child Left Behind). The President has proposed substantial changes to the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) funding in future years. This has also been a busy year legislatively with multiple state and federal bills that have connotations for after school programs.

The California Afterschool Network Policy Committee invites you to join a toll free telephone workshop on Wednesday June 30, 2010 from 10:00 – 11:00. This workshop will feature Brian Lee, California Deputy Director with Fight Crime Invest in Kids. Mr. Lee, also the co-chair of the Network Policy Committee, will offer a succinct overview of State and Federal policy issues affecting the out-of-school time field. To learn more about this free informational telephone workshop, click here.

After School Policy Resource Information Page

Visit the Network Policy Page
For more information on after school policy, visit the California Afterschool Network Policy page which contains up to date information about Federal and California Afterschool Policy including:

• An overview of current bills in the California Legislature and Federal Legislation that may impact after school programs.
• An overview of how the California and Federal budgets may impact after school programs.
• Access a searchable database of state and federally funded after school programs. Search for the numbers, funding level, and potential number of students served in California’s publicly funded after school programs by Region, County, School, School district, legislative district, as well as grade level, and link to data at the site level.
• Access contact information for your State and Federal Legislators, and locate members of legislative committees.
• Access to recorded policy telephone workshops outlining state and federal policy.
• Access tools and resources to advocate for after school programs and link to other policy-focused organizations in the after school arena.


To view this resource, go to http://www.afterschoolnetwork.org/policy

After School Policy Update

The California Budget:

The Budget Conference Committee considers placing Proposition 49 back on the ballot

On June 15, 2010 the Budget Conference Committee, composed of members of the Senate and Assembly charged with reconciling the Assembly and Senate budgets and reducing the budget shortfall, considered the Senate’s proposal to put proposition 49 (ASES funding) back on the ballot. Senator Denise Ducheny,(D-SD) chair of the Budget Conference Committee criticized the lack of categorical flexibility in the funding. Mark Leno (D-SF) criticized proposition 49 as ballot box autopilot spending. The Department of Finance opposed putting Proposition 49 back to the voters, stating this would be contrary to the will of the voters. Nancy Skinner (D-Berkeley) defended Proposition 49 citing high program quality and satisfaction with the program within her district. She also pointed out that putting proposition 49 back on the ballot would not result in any cost savings, and that there was still a large unmet need for after school programs in California. This item was left open until the committee reopens the budget discussion on education. To watch nearly 10 minutes of conversation regarding proposition 49 in the Budget Conference Committee, click here and scroll to 1:23:30.

The Federal Budget:

President’s Proposed Blueprint for ESEA Reauthorization and Proposed 2011 Budget would reduce federal after school funding 

On Feb. 1, 2010 the Obama Administration released its proposed FY 2011 Budget. In March 2010, the Administration released A Blueprint for Reform The Reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. 

The proposed budget contains an overall increase for Education spending in 2011, and includes an increase for the Child Development Block Grant, and funds a new Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) initiative. The budget calls for level funding of the 21st Century Community Learning Center (21st CCLC) initiative at $1.16B, but it also proposes to combine the 21st CCLC funding stream with the Full Service Community Schools program and changes the nature of the grant process, resulting in a loss of $13 million—and potentially more—from funding for 21st CCLC after school, before school, and summer programs. The text of the President’s budget and the Blueprint for ESEA reform states the Administrations goal to reforms the 21st Century Community Learning Centers program to focus funding on models that redesign and extend the school day, week, or year. These models would include extended day or extended learning time which could further dilute funding available for 21st CCLC after school programs. To access the Blueprint for ESEA reauthorization, click here.

California Legislation Impacting after school programs

AB 1025 (Conway) requires non-school employees to get activity supervisor clearance / AB 346 would delay this process for 1 year
This currently would apply to after school program staff working in school-based after school programs. This activity clearance certificate would cost $105.00 per person acquiring this certificate. AB 346 was amended on June 3, 2010 by Conway to delay this requirement until July 1, 2011, but authorize the commission to issue the certificate before the requirement is implemented. In order to delay for one year the requirement that non certificated paid and volunteer school personnel obtain an Activity Supervisor Clearance Certificate, it is necessary that this act take effect immediately. According to the author’s office, postponing the AB 1025 requirement to July 1, 2011 allows stakeholders and the author’s office to develop a proposal that ensures pupil safety without creating an unduly burdensome administrative process. This bill passed the Senate Education Committee on June 22, 2010. For more information on AB 346, click here

To read the text, history, and current version of AB 1025 (Conway), click here

AB 2178 (Torlakson) would authorize data sharing between districts and ASES providers
On February 18, 2010 Assemblymember Tom Torlakson introduced AB 2178 to the Assembly. This bill may be heard in committee on March 21, 2010. This bill, to the extent possible with Federal and State privacy laws, would authorize school districts to submit student data to After School Education and Safety (ASES) program providers. The data that this bill would authorize school districts to share with after school programs include: School day attendance records, Standardized Testing and Reporting scores, California High School Exit Exam scores, California English Language Development Test results, and California Healthy Kids Survey results. This bill also would ensure that ASES program data such as attendance and measurable outcomes is connected to the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System. This bill was passed by the Assembly and was referred to the Senate Committee on Education on June 10, 2010 with a scheduled hearing date of June 30, 2010. For more information and to read this bill as it was introduced, click here.

AB 1876 (Torlakson) would allow ASES programs to provide weekend activities
This bill, as amended would allow ASES programs to provide weekend activities for their participants. Costs associated with weekend activities would be paid from a program’s maximum grant or supplemental grant, as specified. Participation of pupils in the weekend activities would not be included in the attendance reported to the State Department of Education for the calculation of either the maximum grant amount or a supplemental grant amount. This bill would now also require that programs receiving Federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers (21st CCLC) funding that have satisfactorily met their grant requirements would receive priority funding when renewing their grant at the conclusion of the grant period. This bill was passed on the Assembly floor, and moved to the Senate. On June 23, 2010 the bill passed the Senate Education Committee. It is expected to go to a full vote on the Senate floor in late June or early July. To read the text as it was amended, click here

SB 798 (DeSaulnier) would allocate 15% of future increases to 21st CCLC funding to summer programs
The bill as it is amended would allocate 15% of increased 21st CCLC funding to summer programs serving elementary and middle school pupils (35% would go to high school programs operating during the school year, and 50% of future increases to elementary and middle school students operating in the school year). Provisions were removed to increase the daily rate, offer priority to 21st CCLC sites re-applying for funding, mandate that programs operating during the summer that are eligible to provide free summer food and snack through the summer food program do so. This bill was amended, and heard again on February 11, 2010, and passed the Assembly Committee on Education on June 23, 2010, and was re-referred to the committee on appropriations. To read the bill as it was amended and view its current status click here

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