California § 41590 - For the 2021

§ 41590. For the 2021

(a) For the 2021–22 fiscal year, the sum of five hundred forty-seven million five hundred thirteen thousand dollars ($547,513,000) is hereby appropriated from the General Fund to the Superintendent for allocation for the A–G Completion Improvement Grant Program in the manner and for the purpose set forth in this section. (b) The A–G Completion Improvement Grant Program is hereby established for the purpose of providing additional supports to local educational agencies to help increase the number of California high school pupils, particularly unduplicated pupils, who graduate from high school with A–G eligibility. (c) (1) (A) For the 2021–22 fiscal year, the Superintendent shall allocate three hundred million dollars ($300,000,000) of the sum appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a), in an equal amount for every unduplicated pupil enrolled in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, as reported in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System for the 2020–21 fiscal year Fall 1 Submission to each local educational agency that is identified by the department pursuant to subdivision (h) as having an overall A–G completion rate of less than 67 percent. A local educational agency that is otherwise eligible and is receiving concentration grant funding as of the second principal apportionment certification for the 2020–21 fiscal year shall receive a total allocation under this paragraph of not less than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000). These funds are available for expenditure through the 2025–26 fiscal year. On or before September 30, 2026, each local educational agency receiving an allocation pursuant to this subparagraph shall report final expenditures to the department, which shall initiate collection of any unexpended funds. Any local educational agency that does not submit the final expenditure report shall forfeit all funds allocated pursuant to this subparagraph. (B) The allocation under this paragraph shall be known as an A–G Access Grant. (2) (A) For the 2021–22 fiscal year, the Superintendent shall allocate one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) of the sum appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a), in an equal amount for every unduplicated pupil enrolled in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, as reported in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System for the 2020–21 fiscal year Fall 1 Submission to each local educational agency that is identified by the department pursuant to subdivision (h) as having an overall A–G completion rate of 67 percent or higher. A local educational agency that is otherwise eligible and is receiving concentration grant funding as of the second principal apportionment certification for the 2020–21 fiscal year shall receive a total allocation under this paragraph of not less than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000). These funds are available for expenditure through the 2025–26 fiscal year. On or before September 30, 2026, each local educational agency receiving an allocation pursuant to this subparagraph shall report final expenditures to the department, which shall initiate collection of any unexpended funds. Any local educational agency that does not submit the final expenditure report shall forfeit all funds allocated pursuant to this subparagraph. (B) The allocation under this paragraph shall be known as an A–G Success Grant. (d) (1) A–G Access Grants and A–G Success Grants shall be used for activities that directly support pupil access to, and successful completion of, the A–G course requirements. Eligible activities may include, but are not limited to, any of the following: (A) Providing teachers, administrators, and counselors with professional development opportunities to improve the local educational agency’s A–G completion rate. (B) Developing comprehensive advising plans and pupil supports, including tutoring programs, to improve the local educational agency’s A–G completion rate. (C) Expanding access to coursework or other opportunities to satisfy A–G course requirements to all pupils, including, but not necessarily limited to, unduplicated pupils. These opportunities may include, but shall not be limited to, course development, course review, incorporating A–G course requirements into the local educational agency’s graduation requirements, and new or expanded partnerships with other secondary or postsecondary educational institutions. (D) Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate fees for unduplicated pupils. (2) The Legislature encourages local educational agencies to direct A–G Success Grant funds towards pupils in danger of not achieving a grade of “C” or better in A–G courses. (e) (1) (A) For the 2021–22 fiscal year, the Superintendent shall allocate one hundred forty-seven million five hundred thirteen thousand dollars ($147,513,000) of the sum appropriated pursuant to subdivision (a), in an equal amount for every unduplicated pupil enrolled in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, as reported in the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System for the 2020–21 fiscal year Fall 1 Submission to each local educational agency. A local educational agency that is otherwise eligible and is receiving concentration grant funding as of the second principal apportionment certification for the 2020–21 fiscal year shall receive a total allocation under this paragraph of not less than seventy-five thousand dollars ($75,000). These funds are available for expenditure through the 2025–26 fiscal year. On or before September 30, 2026, each local educational agency receiving an allocation pursuant to this subparagraph shall report final expenditures to the department, which shall initiate collection of any unexpended funds. Any local educational agency that does not submit the final expenditure report shall forfeit all funds allocated pursuant to this subparagraph. (B) The allocation under this subdivision shall be known as an A–G Learning Loss Mitigation Grant. (2) (A) (i) A–G Learning Loss Mitigation Grants shall be used to allow pupils who receive a grade of “D,” “F,” or “Fail” in an A–G approved course in the spring semester of 2020 or the 2020–21 school year to retake those A–G courses. (ii) The method of offering pupils the opportunity to retake courses provided in clause (i) shall be determined by the local educational agency. (B) If sufficient funds are available after implementing subparagraph (A), a local educational agency may also use grant funds to offer credit recovery opportunities to all pupils to ensure pupils are able to graduate high school on time. (f) A grant recipient shall develop a plan on or before April 1, 2022, describing how the funds received under this section will increase or improve services for unduplicated pupils to improve A–G eligibility, including information about the number of pupils identified for opportunities to retake courses pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (e). The plan shall include information regarding how the plan and described services supplement, and do not supplant, those services identified in the school district’s local control and accountability plan required pursuant to Section 52060, the county superintendent of schools’ local control and accountability plan required pursuant to Section 52066, or the charter school’s local control and accountability plan required pursuant to Section 47605 or 47605.6 and Section 47606.5, and the local educational agency’s learning recovery program plan adopted pursuant to Section 43522. The plan shall also include a description of the extent to which all pupils within the local educational agency, particularly unduplicated pupils, will have access to A–G courses approved by the University of California. In order to ensure community and stakeholder input, the plan shall be discussed at a regularly scheduled meeting by the governing board of the school district, county board of education, or governing body of the charter school and adopted at a subsequent regularly scheduled meeting. The plan adopted by the governing board or body shall be submitted to the Superintendent at the same time as the reported information required pursuant to subdivision (g). (g) A grant recipient shall report to the Superintendent on or before December 31, 2023, on how they are measuring the impact of the funds received under this section on their A–G completion rate, as identified within their plan, and the outcomes based on those measurements. The department shall compile the information reported pursuant to this subdivision and submit a report to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on or before April 30, 2024, and shall update the state board on the contents of that report at a regularly scheduled meeting of the state board. A grant recipient shall report to the Superintendent on or before August 31, 2026, on final outcomes that measure the impact of the funds received under this section on their A–G completion rate. (h) The Superintendent shall annually post on the department’s internet website in an easily accessible location a list of each local educational agency’s and each individual high school’s A–G completion rate. (i) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply: (1) “A–G completion rate” means the percentage of pupils who have satisfied the A–G subject matter requirements for admission to the California State University and the University of California with a grade of “C” or better in each of the required courses upon graduation for the prior year. (2) “A–G course” means a course that may be used to satisfy the A–G subject matter requirements for admission to the California State University and the University of California. (3) “A–G eligibility” means the pupil has satisfied the A–G subject matter requirements for admission to the California State University and the University of California with a grade of “C” or better in each of the required courses. (4) “Local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school. (5) “Unduplicated pupil” has the same meaning as in Sections 42238.01 and 42238.02. (j) For purposes of making the computations required by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution, the appropriation made by subdivision (a) shall be deemed to be “General Fund revenues appropriated for school districts,” as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 41202, for the 2020–21 fiscal year, and included within the “total allocations to school districts and community college districts from General Fund proceeds of taxes appropriated pursuant to Article XIII B,” as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 41202, for the 2020–21 fiscal year.