The Learning Communities For School Success Program - State Department Of Education - CA Education

Section § 33430

This law sets up the Learning Communities for School Success Program to help schools create safe environments through the use of grants. It supports local school districts in adopting non-disciplinary, research-based strategies that align with their goals for students. This program is part of the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, which was approved by voters as Proposition 47 in 2014.

The Learning Communities for School Success Program is hereby established for the purpose of implementing, pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 7599.2 of the Government Code, the K–12 education portion of the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act, as approved as Proposition 47 by the voters at the November 4, 2014, statewide general election. Through this program, the department shall administer grants and coordinate assistance to local educational agencies to support the local educational agencies in identifying and implementing evidence-based, nonpunitive programs and practices that are aligned with the goals for pupils contained in each of the local educational agency’s local control and accountability plan pursuant to Section 47606.5, 52060, or 52066, as applicable.

Learning Communities for School Success Program grants local educational agencies Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act Proposition 47 nonpunitive programs evidence-based strategies local control and accountability plan student goals support for schools school safety K-12 education pupil outcomes implementation support educational grants

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 533, Sec. 2. (SB 527) Effective January 1, 2017. Section conditionally operative as provided in Section 33436.)

Section § 33431

This law allows local educational agencies in California to apply for grants to receive funding. To apply, agencies must submit an application detailing their student and school needs, planned activities with the grant, how these activities align with their goals, and how they will measure success. Applications cover three years of potential funding, and the agency must meet specific requirements each year to continue receiving funds. Grant eligibility and funding distribution are based on factors like student needs, the number and type of schools, and challenges faced by small or rural districts. The department must reach out to agencies likely to receive priority and provide application help if requested. Guidelines for applications will include evaluation criteria for assessing program effectiveness. The department must consult with various stakeholders for input on the application process but cannot involve them in deciding who gets grants.

(a) A local educational agency that chooses to apply for funding pursuant to this article shall submit an application to the department to receive a grant, in a format and by a date determined by the department. An application submitted to the department by a local educational agency shall include, at a minimum, all of the following:

(1) Information about the pupil and school needs within the local educational agency.

(2) The activities the local educational agency will undertake with the grant funding.

(3) How the activities specified in paragraph (2) support the local educational agency’s goals for pupils contained in its local control and accountability plan.

(4) How the local educational agency will measure outcomes associated with the activities specified in subdivision (e) and metrics reported in the local educational agency’s local control and accountability plan.

(b) An application shall be for three years of grant funding. Consistent with the provisions of this article, the department may establish requirements for grantees to meet at the end of the first and second years of funding in order to receive funding for the remaining grant period.

(c) The department shall determine eligibility for grants and the distribution of grant funding based on all of the following factors:

(1) Pupil and school needs the local educational agency will address with the grant funds.

(2) Number of pupils to be served with the grant funds.

(3) Number, size, and type of participating schools within the local educational agency.

(4) Any challenges the local educational agency experiences in building capacity for fulfilling the purposes of this article.

(5) The unique characteristics of small school districts, given their challenges with economies of scale and access to services in rural locations.

(d)

(1) Before the initial application deadline, the department shall conduct targeted outreach to local educational agencies that are likely to be given priority pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 33432 and shall offer the local educational agencies technical assistance as they develop their grant applications.

(2) The department may provide technical assistance with application development to any local educational agency that requests assistance. This may include assistance from external entities the department may contract with as part of the training and technical assistance structure established pursuant to Section 33433.

(e) The department shall issue application guidelines that include, at a minimum, information about the department’s plans for overall evaluation of the program considering the objectives identified in Section 33434. For purposes of facilitating program evaluation, the department, in consultation with the executive director of the state board, shall identify a set of measures and associated data sources that are deemed valid and reliable for measuring pupil and school outcomes and assessing the benefits of the program.

(f) In meeting the requirements of this section, the department shall consult with stakeholders, including, but not limited to, representatives of local educational agencies, teachers and other school personnel, parents, advocacy organizations with experience working with target vulnerable populations, and parent- and youth-serving community-based organizations. It the intent of the Legislature that stakeholders provide input to the department on the design of the application and review process, including the size of the grant awards. The stakeholders shall not be involved in determining who will be awarded grants.

local educational agency grant funding application requirements student needs planned activities local control and accountability plan measure outcomes grant eligibility small school districts rural challenges technical assistance evaluation guidelines stakeholder consultation grant awards priority outreach

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 533, Sec. 2. (SB 527) Effective January 1, 2017. Section conditionally operative as provided in Section 33436.)

Section § 33432

This law allows local educational agencies in California that receive certain grants to use the funds for developing programs to support vulnerable students and keep them in school. Grants should be spent on evidence-based and nonpunitive programs, like community schools, efforts to improve attendance, restorative practices, and social-emotional learning activities. Agencies must invest their own resources by matching at least 20% of the grant. Funds cannot be used for law enforcement activities or staff. Priority in grant selection is given to agencies with high rates of absenteeism or dropout, those in high-crime areas, or those with many foster youth.

(a) A local educational agency that receives a grant shall use the grant funds for planning, implementation, and evaluation of activities in support of evidence-based, nonpunitive programs and practices to keep the state’s most vulnerable pupils in school. These activities shall complement or enhance the actions and services identified to meet the local educational agency’s goals as identified in its local control and accountability plan pursuant to Section 47606.5, 52060, or 52066, as applicable. These activities may include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Establishing a community school, as defined in Section 33435.

(2) Implementing activities or programs to improve attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism, including, but not limited to, early warning systems or early intervention programs.

(3) Implementing restorative practices, restorative justice models, or other programs to improve retention rates, reduce suspensions and other school removals, and reduce the referral of pupils to law enforcement agencies.

(4) Implementing activities that advance social-emotional learning, positive behavior interventions and supports, culturally responsive practices, and trauma-informed strategies.

(5) Establishing partnerships with community-based organizations or other relevant entities to support the implementation of evidence-based, nonpunitive approaches to further the goals of the program.

(6) Adding or increasing staff within a local educational agency whose primary purpose is to address ongoing chronic attendance problems, including, but not necessarily limited to, conducting outreach to families and children currently, or at risk of becoming, chronically truant.

(b) In selecting grant recipients pursuant to this article, the department shall give priority to a local educational agency that meets any of the following criteria:

(1)

(A) Has a high rate of chronic absenteeism, out-of-school suspension, or school dropout for the general pupil population or for a numerically significant pupil subgroup, as identified in a local control and accountability plan pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 52052.

(B) For purposes of this paragraph, “high rate” means a rate that exceeds the state average.

(2) Is located in a community with a high crime rate.

(3) Has a significant representation of foster youth among its pupil enrollment.

(c) A local educational agency that receives a grant shall provide a local contribution of matching expenditures equal to at least 20 percent of the total grant award. This local contribution can be from cash expenditures or in-kind contributions. A local educational agency is encouraged to exceed the 20-percent match requirement to enable the local educational agency to sustain the activities or programs established under this article beyond the three-year grant period.

(d) A local educational agency that receives a grant shall use the grant funds to increase or improve services that the local educational agency currently provides for purposes specified in this article.

(e) A local educational agency shall not use grant funds to pay for law enforcement activities, including personnel or equipment.

grant funds local educational agency evidence-based programs vulnerable pupils community school chronic absenteeism restorative practices social-emotional learning culturally responsive practices trauma-informed strategies community partnerships matching expenditures attendance improvement foster youth no law enforcement funding

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 533, Sec. 2. (SB 527) Effective January 1, 2017. Section conditionally operative as provided in Section 33436.)

Section § 33433

This law section outlines how a department should use a portion of its funds for administrative costs related to implementing programs under the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act. It allocates no more than 5% of the department's annual funding for these costs, which include things like managing grant awards and providing training and evaluation. The department must also create a support structure to help grant recipients by offering regional workshops and expert assistance on issues such as student engagement, improving school climate, reducing truancy, and aiding at-risk students. Additionally, the department can partner with experts to assist both grantees and other educational agencies as they implement similar practices using alternate funding.

(a) The department shall use the funding the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act authorizes for administrative costs pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 7599.2 of the Government Code, which is no more than 5 percent of the annual funding the department receives from the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund, for the administrative costs of implementing this article, including, but not limited to, administering grant awards, coordinating the training and technical assistance structure described in subdivision (b), and completing the evaluation pursuant to Section 33434.

(b) The department shall establish a structure to deliver training and technical assistance to grantees using regional workshops and technical assistance providers that have expertise on pupil engagement, school climate, truancy reduction, and supporting pupils who are at risk of dropping out of school or who are victims of crime. The department may contract with those providers to assist the grantees as well as to serve as a resource for other local educational agencies that may use their own funding sources to engage in this community of practice. Technical assistance provided pursuant to this subdivision shall be consistent with the technical assistance provided to a local educational agency by the county superintendent of schools or the Superintendent, as appropriate, in the development of the local control and accountability plan.

Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act administrative costs grant awards training and technical assistance pupil engagement school climate truancy reduction at-risk students crime victims regional workshops technical assistance providers local educational agencies community of practice local control and accountability plan county superintendent of schools

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 533, Sec. 2. (SB 527) Effective January 1, 2017. Section conditionally operative as provided in Section 33436.)

Section § 33435

This law defines what a community school is in California. A community school is a public school that works with local organizations and partnerships to offer a wide range of services, such as educational and health services, to students, families, and community members at the school. It also defines a 'local educational agency' as a school district, county education office, or charter school.

For purposes of this article, the following definitions apply:

(a) “Community school” means a public school that participates in a community-based effort to coordinate and integrate educational, developmental, family, health, and other comprehensive services through community-based organizations and public and private partnerships with one or more community partners for the delivery of community services that may be provided at a schoolsite to pupils, families, and community members.

(b) “Local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school.

community school public school community-based effort educational services developmental services family services health services community partners schoolsite services local educational agency school district county office of education charter school community services partnerships

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 533, Sec. 2. (SB 527) Effective January 1, 2017. Section conditionally operative as provided in Section 33436.)

Section § 33436

This section says that the rules and plans laid out in the article will only go into effect if money is specifically allocated to the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund through California's budget or another law.

This article shall not become operative unless funds are appropriated in the annual Budget Act or another statute to the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund in accordance with the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act for the purposes specified in this article.

Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund fund allocation annual Budget Act Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act appropriation requirements funding conditions California budget statutory funding operative conditions conditional implementation budget allocation schools funding neighborhood safety state fund requirements fiscal appropriations

(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 533, Sec. 2. (SB 527) Effective January 1, 2017. Note: Operational condition applies to Article 10, commencing with Section 33430.)