2005 California Education Code Sections 52055.600-52055.662 Article 3.5. High Priority Schools Grant Program ..

52055.600.  (a) The High Priority Schools Grant Program is hereby
established. Participation in this program is voluntary.
   (b) From funds made available for purposes of this article, the
Superintendent shall allocate a total of four hundred dollars ($400)
per pupil, including funds received pursuant to Section 52054.5 or
for the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program (Public Law
105-78), to eligible schools for implementation of a school action
plan approved pursuant to this article.
   (c) It is the intent of the Legislature that federal funding
provided pursuant to the Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration
Program (P.L. 105-78) supplement, not supplant, funding received
pursuant to this article.
   (d) Funds received pursuant to this article may not be used to
match funds received pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section
52053).
   (e) The school district shall keep fiscal records available for
inspection that affirm allocation to schoolsites in accordance with
this section and shall allocate resources in a manner that does not
delay their use.
52055.605.  (a) The Superintendent, with the approval of the State
Board of Education, shall identify schools ranked in deciles 1 to 5,
inclusive, on the Academic Performance Index (API).
   (b) The Superintendent shall invite schools identified pursuant to
subdivision (a) to participate in the High Priority Schools Grant
Program. Notwithstanding subdivision (h) of Section 52053, in order
to be eligible for funding from the High Priority Schools Grant
Program, a school shall also participate in the Immediate
Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program. A school participating
in both programs may elect to submit only one application and one
plan for both programs. A school participating in the Immediate
Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program before the date of the
enactment of the act adding this section is also eligible for
participation in the High Priority Schools Grant Program.
   (c) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and if funds are
available for this purpose, the Superintendent shall invite a second
cohort of schools identified pursuant to subdivision (a) to
participate in the High Priority Schools Grant Program beginning in
the 2005-06 fiscal year. In order to be eligible for funding pursuant
to this section, these schools shall not be required to also
participate in the Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools
Grant Program.
   (d) First priority for participation in the High Priority Schools
Grant Program shall be given to schools ranked on the API in decile
1. Second priority shall be given to schools in decile 2. Third
priority shall be given to schools in decile 3. Fourth priority shall
be given to schools in decile 4. Fifth priority shall be given to
schools in decile 5. Within each decile, priority shall be given to
the lowest ranked schools. Schools that are receiving or have
received funding pursuant to Section 52053, 52054.5, or 52055.600 are
ineligible to participate in a second cohort of schools funded
pursuant to subdivision (c).
   (e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, and if funds are
available for this purpose, the number of schools within the
designated cohorts of the Immediate Intervention/Underperforming
Schools Program pursuant to Section 52053 may exceed the maximum
numbers specified in that section in order to participate in the
program established pursuant to this article.
   (f) If a school ranked in decile 1 of the API completes the action
plan required as part of the application to participate in the
federal Comprehensive School Reform Demonstration Program (P.L.
105-78), but there are insufficient funds to allow that school to
participate in that program, so long as the action plan meets the
requirements of subdivisions (d) and (e) of Section 52054, that
school shall be automatically approved to the extent funding is
available for participation in the Immediate
Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program and shall be deemed to
have complied with the requirements of Section 52054.
   (g) The State Board of Education may allow continuation high
schools to apply for and receive funding pursuant to this article if
those continuation high schools report pupil performance that is
equivalent to that of high schools ranked in deciles 1 and 2 on the
API and the board determines that the state will be able to
adequately determine growth in pupil performance in a valid and
reliable manner for the purpose of accountability pursuant to this
article.  The State Board of Education may establish a limit on the
number of continuation high schools that may be funded to reflect
their proportion of high-priority pupils in grades 9 to 12,
inclusive, and may adopt criteria limiting the eligibility for
funding, pursuant to this article, of continuation high schools with
a high level of per pupil funding from the continuation high school
revenue limit add-on.
52055.610.  (a) The Superintendent shall establish a procedure that
is consistent with this article for the approval of applications and
school action plans.
   (b) Notwithstanding the existing application process established
pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 52053), in developing
an action plan to be submitted with the application for funding
pursuant to this article, a school may choose from the following
options:
   (1) A school district on behalf of an eligible school under its
jurisdiction may elect to receive fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) as
a planning grant from funds appropriated for purposes of this
article. These planning grant funds shall be used for technical
assistance in the development of the school action plan. Technical
assistance includes assistance provided by school district personnel,
county offices of education, universities, a state approved external
evaluator, or any other entity that has proven successful expertise
specific to the challenges inherent in high-priority schools. If the
school action plan is approved, the Superintendent shall provide
funding for its implementation. Planning grant funds, as well as
other funds available to school districts pursuant to this article,
may be used for ongoing technical assistance throughout the
implementation of the action plan and continued participation in the
program established pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section
52053) and the program established pursuant to this article.
   (2) A school district, on behalf of an eligible school under its
jurisdiction, may elect to forego the fifty thousand dollars
($50,000) planning grant and immediately submit its application and
school action plan. If a school chooses this option, the
Superintendent shall take one of the following actions:
   (A) Recommend approval of the application by the State Board of
Education and action plan and provide funding for implementation of
the school action plan.
   (B) Request additional clarification and technical changes, after
which the school and district shall resubmit the application and
school action plan with the clarifications and changes for approval.
If the application and school action plan is approved, the
Superintendent shall provide funding for implementation of the school
action plan.
   (C) Disapprove the plan in which case a school district on behalf
of an eligible school under its jurisdiction shall receive a fifty
thousand dollar ($50,000) planning grant that shall be used for
technical assistance in the redevelopment of the school action plan
according to the department's recommendations. Technical assistance
includes assistance provided by school district personnel, county
offices of education, universities, a state approved external
evaluator, or any other entity that has proven expertise specific to
the challenges inherent in high-priority schools.
   (c) The following deadlines apply to the first cohort of schools
in the 2001-02 fiscal year:
   (1) A school district on behalf of an eligible school under its
jurisdiction shall submit the application and school action plan to
the Superintendent for review and approval by May 15, 2002.
   (2) The Superintendent shall make a recommendation to the State
Board of Education regarding approval or disapproval of applications
and school action plans by June 15, 2002. The State Board of
Education shall approve or disapprove the application and action plan
by June 30, 2002. Upon approval by the State Board of Education, the
department shall allocate funding to schools for the implementation
of the action plan. If the State Board of Education fails to approve
or disapprove the application and school action plan by June 30,
2002, the recommendation of the Superintendent shall be deemed to be
adopted and funding for implementation of the action plan shall be
allocated.
   (3) If the Superintendent takes the action specified in
subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the school and
school district shall resubmit the application and school action plan
with the clarifications and changes for approval by August 1, 2002,
and the Superintendent shall make a recommendation to the State Board
of Education regarding approval or disapproval by September 1, 2002.
The State Board of Education shall approve or disapprove the
application and action plan by September 30, 2002. If the action plan
is approved, the department shall allocate funding to the school
district on behalf of an eligible school under its jurisdiction for
implementation of the action plan. If the State Board of Education
fails to approve or disapprove the application and school action plan
by September 30, 2002, the recommendation of the Superintendent
shall be deemed to be adopted and funding for implementation of the
action plan is to be allocated.
   (4) A school district may request, and the State Board of
Education may waive, the deadlines set forth in this subdivision.
   (d) The following deadlines apply for the second cohort of schools
in the 2005-06 fiscal year:
   (1) A school district, on behalf of an eligible school under its
jurisdiction, shall submit the application and school action plan to
the Superintendent for review and approval by March 15, 2006.
   (2) (A) The Superintendent shall make a recommendation to the
State Board of Education regarding approval or disapproval of
applications and school action plans by June 15, 2006.
   (B) The State Board of Education shall approve or disapprove the
application and action plan by June 30, 2006.  Upon approval by the
State Board of Education, the department shall allocate funding to
schools for the implementation of the school action plan. If the
State Board of Education fails to approve or disapprove the
application and school action plan by June 30, 2006, the
recommendation of the Superintendent shall be deemed to be adopted
and funding for implementation of the school action plan shall be
allocated.
   (3) If the Superintendent takes the action specified in
subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (b), the school
district shall resubmit the application and school action plan with
the clarifications and changes for approval by August 1, 2006, and
the Superintendent shall make a recommendation to the State Board of
Education regarding approval or disapproval by September 1, 2006. The
State Board of Education shall approve or disapprove the application
and the school action plan by September 30, 2006. If the school
action plan is approved, the department shall allocate funding to the
school district on behalf of an eligible school under its
jurisdiction for implementation of the school action plan. If the
State Board of Education fails to approve or disapprove the
application and school action plan by September 30, 2006, the
recommendation of the Superintendent shall be deemed to be adopted
and funding for implementation of the school action plan shall be
allocated.
   (4) A school district may request a waiver of, and the State Board
of Education may waive, the deadlines established in this
subdivision.
   (e) If a school receives implementation funding during the same
fiscal year it receives a fifty thousand dollar ($50,000) planning
grant, the planning grant shall be deducted from the amount of
implementation funding provided to the school pursuant to subdivision
(b) of Section 52055.600.
   (f) Notwithstanding the deadlines specified in this section, if
funding is made available for this purpose, the State Board of
Education may approve additional applications in the 2002-03 and
2003-04 fiscal years from school districts that comply with the
requirements of this article.
52055.615.  (a) If the Superintendent of Public Instruction invites
a school to participate in the High Priority Schools Grant Program,
the governing board of the school district shall hold a public
hearing at a regularly scheduled meeting to discuss whether or not to
apply for participation in this program and how to address the needs
of the school and pupils.
   (b) If a school district, on behalf of an eligible school under
its jurisdiction, decides not to accept the invitation to participate
in the High Priority Schools Grant Program, the governing board of
the school district shall hold a public hearing at a regularly
scheduled meeting to discuss the reasons and rationale for not
accepting the invitation and explain how the district intends to
address the needs of the school and pupils.  This section does not
apply to school districts with jurisdiction over schools for which
the Superintendent of Public Instruction has indicated that funding
would not be available.  The governing board shall not place the
discussion required pursuant to this subdivision on the consent
calendar of the hearing.
   (c) The governing board shall notify, in writing, the following
persons and entities of the public hearings required pursuant to
subdivisions (a) and (b):
   (1) Representative parent organizations at the schoolsite,
including the parent-teacher association, parent-teacher clubs, and
schoolsite councils.  The district is encouraged also to notify
parents directly through appropriate means.  Notifications to parents
shall comply with Article 4 (commencing with Section 48985) of
Chapter 6 of Part 27.
   (2) All local major media outlets.
   (3) The local mayor.
   (4) All members of the city council.
   (5) All members of the county board of supervisors.
   (6) County superintendents of schools.
   (7) County board of education.
52055.620.  (a) As a condition of the receipt of funds, a school
action plan shall be based upon the following:
   (1) It shall be based on scientifically based research, effective
practices, and be data driven.
   (2) It shall include ongoing data gathering for the purposes of
this program so that progress can be measured and verified and the
plan can be modified based on the data.
   (3) It shall be grounded in the findings from an initial needs
assessment.
   (4) It shall evidence a commitment by the school community to
implement the plan.  The plan shall describe how this commitment will
be evidenced.
   (5) It shall make clear that there is a heightening of
expectations on the part of all personnel associated with the
schoolsite that all children can learn and every school can succeed.
   (6) It shall ensure that an environment that is conducive to
teaching and learning is provided at the schoolsite.
   (7) It shall identify additional human, financial, and other
resources available to the school to be used in the implementation of
the school action plan.
   (b) (1) The action plan shall be developed, in partnership with
the school district, by the schoolsite council, as defined in Section
52012, or if the school does not have a schoolsite council, by a
schoolwide advisory group or school support group that conforms to
the requirements of Section 52012 and whose members are
self-selected.
   (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a school participating in the
Immediate Intervention/Underperforming Schools Program prior to the
effective date of the act adding this section may continue using its
school action team for purposes of developing an action plan pursuant
to this article.
   (c) In developing a school action plan, the school and school
district shall use the technical assistance from school district
personnel, county offices of education, universities, a state
approved external evaluator, or any other person or entity that has
proven successful expertise specific to the challenges inherent in
high-priority schools.  In addition, the school and district may
include an individual to facilitate the activities related to the
development of this plan.
   (d) The action plan shall include a strategy, jointly developed by
the school district and the exclusive bargaining representative of
the certificated employees of the district, for addressing the
distribution of experienced credentialed teachers throughout the
district, including an agreement by the district and the exclusive
bargaining representative of the certificated staff on how they are
going to achieve a balance in that distribution.  This collaboration
shall take place outside of collective bargaining and shall strive to
develop a strategy that will attract and retain equal ratios of
credentialed teachers at each school in the district.  This
collaboration shall include discussions on ways to maximize current
options to recruit credentialed teachers to the district, use of
regional recruitment centers, ensuring that newly hired credentialed
teachers are assigned in alignment with the goal of even distribution
of credentialed teachers, and ensuring that high-priority schools
provide a necessary teaching and learning environment to retain a
fully credentialed teaching staff.
   (e) The action plan may include any existing plan a school may
have developed for another program, that may include existing
strategies that meet the requirements of the essential components of
a school action plan specified in Section 52055.625.
52055.625.  (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the lists
contained in paragraph (2) of subdivisions (c), (d), (e), and (f) be
considered options that may be considered by a school in the
development of its school action plan and that a school not be
required to adopt all of the listed options as a condition of funding
under the terms of this section.  Instead, this listing of options
is intended to provide the opportunity for focus and strategic
planning as schools plan to address the needs of high-priority
pupils.
   (b) (1) As a condition of the receipt of funds, a school action
plan shall include each of the following essential components:
   (A) Pupil literacy and achievement.
   (B) Quality of staff.
   (C) Parental involvement.
   (D) Facilities, curriculum, instructional materials, and support
services.
   (2) As a condition of the receipt of funds, a school action plan
for a school initially applying to participate in the program on or
after the 2004-05 fiscal year, shall include each of the following
essential components:
   (A) Pupil literacy and achievement.
   (B) Quality of staff, including highly qualified teachers, as
required by the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (20 U.S.C.
Sec. 6301 et seq.), and appropriately credentialed teachers for
English learners.
   (C) Parental involvement.
   (D) Facilities maintained in good repair as specified in Sections
17014, 17032.5, 17070.75, and 17089, curriculum, instructional
materials that are, at a minimum, consistent with the requirements of
Section 60119, and support services.
   (c) (1) The pupil literacy and achievement component shall contain
a strategy to focus on increasing pupil literacy and achievement,
with necessary attention to the needs of English language learners.
At a minimum, this strategy shall include a plan to achieve the
following goals:
   (A) Each pupil at the school will be provided appropriate
instructional materials aligned with the academic content and
performance standards adopted by the State Board of Education as
required by law.
   (B) Each significant subgroup at the school will demonstrate
increased achievement based on API results by the end of the
implementation period.
   (C) English language learners at the school will demonstrate
increased performance based on the English language development test
required by Section 60810 and the achievement tests required pursuant
to Section 60640.
   (2) To achieve the goals in paragraph (1), a school in its action
plan may include, among other things, any of the following options:
   (A) Selective class size reduction in key curricular areas
provided this does not result in a decrease in the proportion of
experienced credentialed teachers at the schoolsite.
   (B) Increased learning time in key curricular areas identified as
needing attention, including mathematics.
   (C) Targeted intensive reading instruction utilizing reading
capacity-level materials that may include, but are not limited to,
the following strategies:
   (i) The development of a reading competency program for pupils in
grades 5 to 8, inclusive, whose reading scores are at or below the
40th percentile or in the two lowest performance levels, as adopted
by the State Board of Education, on the reading portion of the
achievement test, authorized by Section 60640.  This program may
include direct instruction in reading at grade level utilizing the
English language arts content standards adopted pursuant to Section
60605.  Additionally, this program may offer specialized intervention
that utilizes state approved instructional materials adopted
pursuant to Section 60200.  It is the intent of the Legislature, as a
recommendation, that this curriculum consist of at least one class
period during the regular schoolday taught by a teacher trained in
the English language arts standards pursuant to Section 60605.  It is
also the intent of the Legislature, as a recommendation, that
periodic assessments throughout the year be conducted to monitor the
progress of the pupils involved.
   (ii) The use of a library media teacher to work cooperatively with
every teacher and principal at the schoolsite to develop and
implement an independent and free reading program, help teachers
determine a pupil's reading level, order books that have been
determined to meet the needs of pupils, help choose books at pupils'
independent reading levels, and assure that pupils read a variety of
genres across all academic content areas.  For purposes of this
article, "library media teacher" means a classroom teacher who
possesses or is in the process of obtaining a library media teacher
services credential consistent with Section 44868.
   (D) Mentoring programs for pupils.
   (E) Community, business, or university partnerships with the
school.
   (d) (1) The quality of staff component shall contain a strategy to
attract, retain, and fairly distribute the highest quality staff at
the school, including teachers, administrators, and support staff.
At a minimum, this strategy shall include a plan to achieve the
following goals:
   (A) An increase in the number of credentialed teachers working at
that schoolsite.
   (B) An increase in or targeting of professional development
opportunities for teachers related to the goals of the action plan
and English language development standards adopted by the State Board
of Education aligned with the academic content and performance
standards, including, but not limited to, participation in
professional development institutes established pursuant to Article 2
(commencing with Section 92220) of Chapter 5 of Part 65.
   (C) By the end of the implementation period, successful completion
by the schoolsite administrators of a program designed to maximize
leadership skills.
   (2) To achieve the goals in paragraph (1) a school may include in
its action plan, among others, any of the following options:
   (A) Incentives to attract credentialed teachers and quality
administrators to the schoolsite, including, but not limited to,
additional compensation strategies similar to those authorized
pursuant to Section 44735.
   (B) A school district preintern or intern program within which
eligible emergency permit teachers located at the schoolsite would be
required to participate, unless those individuals are already
participating in another teacher preparation program that leads to
the attainment of a valid California teaching credential.
   (C) Common planning time for teachers, administrators, and support
staff focused on improving pupil achievement.
   (D) Mentoring for site administrators, peer assistance for
credentialed teachers, and support services for new teachers,
including, but not limited to, the Beginning Teacher Support and
Assessment System.
   (E) Providing assistance and incentives to teachers for completion
of professional certification programs and toward attaining BCLAD or
CLAD certification.
   (F) Increasing professional development in state academic content
and performance standards, including English language development
standards.
   (e) (1) The parental involvement component shall contain a
strategy to change the culture of the school community to recognize
parents and guardians as partners in the education of their children
and to prepare and educate parents and guardians in the learning and
academic progress of their children.  At a minimum, this strategy
shall include a commitment to develop a school-parent compact as
required by Section 51101 and a plan to achieve the goal of
maintaining or increasing the number and frequency of personal parent
and guardian contacts each year at the schoolsite and school-home
communications designed to promote parent and guardian support for
meeting state standards and core curriculum requirements.
   (2) To achieve the goals in subdivision (a), a school may in its
action plan include, among others, any of the following options:
   (A) Parent and guardian homework support classes.
   (B) A program of regular home visits.
   (C) After school and evening opportunities for parents, guardians,
and pupils to learn together.
   (D) Training programs to educate parents and guardians about state
standards and testing requirements, including the high school exit
examination.
   (E) Creation, maintenance, and support of parent centers located
on schoolsites to educate parents and guardians regarding pupil
expectations and provide support to parents and guardians in their
efforts to help their children learn.
   (F) Programs targeted at parents and guardians of special
education pupils.
   (G) Efforts to develop a culture at the schoolsite focused on
college attendance, including programs to educate parents and
guardians regarding college entrance requirements and options.
   (H) Providing more bilingual personnel at the schoolsite and at
school related functions to communicate more effectively with parents
and guardians who speak a language other than English.
   (I) Providing an opportunity for parents to monitor online, if the
technology is available, and in compliance with applicable state and
federal privacy laws, the academic progress and attendance of their
children.
   (f) (1) The facilities, curriculum, instructional materials, and
support services component shall contain a strategy to provide an
environment that is conducive to teaching and learning and that
includes the development of a high-quality curriculum and instruction
aligned with the academic content and performance standards adopted
pursuant to Section 60605 and the standards for English language
development adopted pursuant to Section 60811 to measure progress
made towards achieving English language proficiency.  At a minimum,
this strategy shall include the goal of providing adequate logistical
support including, but not limited to, curriculum, quality
instruction, instructional materials, support services, and supplies
for every pupil.
   (2) To achieve the goal specified in paragraph (1), a school in
its action plan may include, among others, any of the following
options:
   (A) State and locally developed valid and reliable assessments
based on state academic content standards.
   (B) Increased learning time in key curricular areas identified as
needing attention, including mathematics.
   (C) The addition of more pupil support services staff, including,
but not limited to, paraprofessionals, counselors, library media
teachers, nurses, psychologists, social workers, speech therapists,
audiologists, and speech pathologists.
   (D) Pupil support centers for additional tutoring or homework
assistance.
   (E) Use of most current standards-aligned textbooks adopted by the
State Board of Education, including materials for English language
learners.
   (F) For secondary schools, offering advanced placement courses and
courses that meet the requirements for admission to the University
of California or the California State University.
   (g) A school action plan to improve pupil performance that is
developed for participation in the program established pursuant to
this article shall meet the requirements of subdivisions (d) and (e)
of Section 52054 and this article.
52055.630.  (a) Before a school action plan is submitted to the
Superintendent of Public Instruction, the plan shall be presented at
a regularly scheduled public meeting of the governing board of the
school district.
   (b) In addition to involving the teachers in the development of
the action plan, the school district shall certify that it has met
and consulted with the exclusive representative of certificated
employees on the action plan.  The governing board of the school
district shall approve the plan and certify that the plan contains
all of the essential components required pursuant to subdivision (a)
of Section 52055.625.
   (c) This program and an action plan for any schools participating
in the program shall not be deemed to supersede conflicting language
in the collective bargaining contracts of that school's district.
All matters within the scope of collective bargaining continue to be
subject to it.
52055.640.  (a) As a condition of the receipt of funds for the
initial and each subsequent year of funding pursuant to this article
and to ensure that the school is progressing towards meeting the
goals of each of the essential components of its school action plan,
each year the school district shall submit a report to the
Superintendent that includes the following:
   (1) The academic improvement of pupils within the participating
school as measured by the tests under Section 60640 and the progress
made towards achieving English language proficiency as measured by
the English language development test administered pursuant to
Section 60810.
   (2) The improvement of distribution of experienced teachers
holding a valid California teaching credential across the district.
Commencing with the 2004-05 fiscal year, for a school district with a
school initially applying to participate in the program on or after
July 1, 2004, the report shall include whether at least 80 percent of
the teachers assigned to the school are credentialed and the number
of classes in which 20 percent or more pupils are English learners
and assigned to teachers who do not possess a certificate issued
pursuant to Section 44253.3, 44253.4, or 44253.7 or have not
completed training pursuant to Section 44253.10, or are not otherwise
authorized by statute to be assigned to those classes. This
paragraph does not relieve a school district from complying with
state or federal law regarding teachers of English learners.
   (3) The availability of instructional materials in core content
areas that are aligned with the academic content and performance
standards, including textbooks, for each pupil, including English
language learners. For a school district that initially applies to
participate in the High Priority Schools Grant Program during the
2004-05 fiscal year, or any fiscal year thereafter, the definition of
"sufficient textbooks or instructional materials" contained in
subdivision (c) of Section 60119 applies to this paragraph.
   (4) The number of parents and guardians presently involved at each
participating schoolsite as compared to the number participating at
the beginning of the program.
   (5) The number of pupils attending after school, tutoring, or
homework assistance programs.
   (6) For participating secondary schools, the number of pupils who
are enrolled in and successfully completing advanced placement
courses, by type, and requirements for admission to the University of
California or the California State University, including courses in
algebra, biology, and United States or world history.
   (b) The report on the pupil literacy and achievement component
shall be disaggregated by numerically significant subgroups, as
defined in Section 52052, and English language learners and have a
focus on improved scores in reading and mathematics as measured by
the following:
   (1) The Academic Performance Index, including the data collected
pursuant to tests that are part of the Standardized Testing and
Reporting Program and the writing sample that is part of that
program.
   (2) The results of the primary language test pursuant to Section
60640.
   (3) Graduation rates, when the methodology for collecting this
data has been confirmed to be valid and reliable.
   (4) In addition, a school may use locally developed assessments to
assist it in determining the pupil progress in academic literacy and
achievement.
   (c) The report on the quality of staff component shall include,
but not be limited to, the following information:
   (1) The number of teachers at the schoolsite holding a valid
California teaching credential or district or university intern
certificate or credential compared to those teachers at the same
schoolsite holding a preintern certificate, emergency permit, or
waiver.
   (2) The number and ratio of teachers across the district holding a
valid California teaching credential or district or university
intern certificate or credential compared to those holding a
preintern certificate, emergency permit, or waiver.
   (3) The number of principals having completed training pursuant to
Article 4.6 (commencing with Section 44510) of Chapter 3 of Part 25.
   (4) The number of principals by credential type or years of
experience and length of time at the schoolsite by years.
   (d) The report on the parental involvement component shall include
explicit involvement strategies being implemented at the schoolsite
that are directly linked to activities supporting pupil academic
achievement and verification that the schoolsite has developed a
school-parent compact as required by Section 51101.
   (e) All comparisons made in the reports required pursuant to this
section shall be based on baseline data provided by the district and
schoolsite in the action plan that is certified and submitted with
the initial application.
   (f) To the extent that data is already reported to the
Superintendent, a school district need not include the data in the
reports submitted pursuant to this section.
   (g) Before submitting the reports required pursuant to this
section, the school district shall, at a regularly scheduled public
meeting of the governing board, review a participating school's
progress towards achieving those goals.
52055.645.  (a) For the purpose of evaluating academic growth in
core curriculum areas and determining the efficacy of the school
action plan, schools are strongly encouraged to assess the academic
progress of pupils on an annual basis and to evaluate the results in
order to determine whether changes to the schoolsite plan are needed.
   (b) In conducting these annual assessments, a school shall use the
English language development test, administered pursuant to Section
60810 to measure progress towards achieving English language
proficiency, where appropriate and the tests that are part of the
Standardized Testing and Reporting Program.  In addition, a school
may use any curriculum-based achievement test to assess pupil growth
if the test is proven to be valid and reliable.
   (c) The results of these annual assessments shall be reported
annually to the school district.  The State Board of Education may
use these results as quantifiable measurements of significant growth
when determining whether to grant a waiver for an additional year of
funding.
52055.647.  As a condition of funding, a school shall certify that
the eligible teachers and administrators assigned to a participating
school will participate in the programs established pursuant to
Assembly Bill 466 of the 2001-02 Regular Session and Article 4.6
(commencing with Section 44510) of Chapter 3 of Part 25.
52055.650.  (a) Section 52055.5 does not apply to a school
participating in the High Priority Schools Grant Program.
   (b) Twenty-four months after receipt of funding for implementation
of the action plan pursuant to Sections 52054.5 and 52055.600, a
school that has not met its growth targets each year shall be subject
to review by the State Board of Education. This review shall include
an examination of the school's progress relative to the components
and reports made pursuant to Section 52055.640. The Superintendent,
with the approval of the State Board of Education, may direct that
the governing board of a school take appropriate action and adopt
appropriate strategies to provide corrective assistance to the school
in order to achieve the components and benchmarks established in the
school's action plan.
   (c) Thirty-six months after receipt of funding to implement a
school action plan, a school that has met or exceeded its growth
target each year shall receive a monetary or nonmonetary award, under
the Governor's Performance Award Program, as set forth in Section
52057. Funds received pursuant to that section may be used at the
school's discretion.
   (d) Thirty-six months after receipt of funding to implement a
school action plan, a school that has not met its growth targets each
year, but demonstrates significant growth, as determined by the
State Board of Education, shall continue to participate in the
program and receive funding as specified in Sections 52054.5 and
52055.600.
   (e) Notwithstanding any other law, the Superintendent, with the
approval of the State Board of Education, shall follow the course of
action prescribed by paragraph (1) or (2) with respect to a school
that does not meet its growth targets within the periods described in
either subdivision (c) or (d), as applicable, and has failed to show
significant growth, as determined by the State Board of Education.
   (1) Require the district to enter into a contract with a school
assistance and intervention team.
   (A) Team members should possess a high degree of knowledge and
skills in the areas of school leadership, curriculum, and instruction
aligned to state academic content and performance standards,
classroom management and discipline, academic assessment,
parent-school relations, and evaluation and research-based reform
strategies and have proven successful expertise specific to the
challenges inherent in high-priority schools.
   (B) The team shall provide intensive support and expertise to
implement the school reform initiatives in the plan. Decisions about
interventions shall be data driven. A school assistance and
intervention team shall work with school staff, site planning teams,
administrators, and district staff to improve pupil literacy and
achievement by assessing the degree of implementation of the current
action plan, refining and revising the action plan, and making
recommendations to maximize the use of fiscal resources and personnel
in achieving the goals of the plan. The district shall provide
support and assistance to enhance the work of the team at the
targeted schoolsites.
   (C) Not later than 60 days after the school's API becomes public,
the team shall complete an initial report. The report shall include
recommendations for corrective actions chosen from a range of
interventions, including the reallocation of district fiscal
resources to ensure that appropriate resources are targeted to those
specific interventions identified in the recommendations of the team
for the targeted schools and other changes deemed appropriate to make
progress toward meeting the school's growth target. Not later than
90 days after the API is made public, the governing board of the
school district shall adopt the team's recommendations at a regularly
scheduled meeting of the governing board. The governing board may
not place the adoption on the consent calendar. The report shall be
submitted to the Superintendent and the State Board of Education.
   (D) No less than three times during the year, the school district
and schoolsite shall present the team with data regarding progress
toward the goals established by the team's initial assessment. The
data shall be presented to the governing board of the school district
at a regularly scheduled meeting. The team shall, to the extent
possible, utilize existing site data. The data shall also be provided
to the Superintendent and the State Board of Education.  Every
effort shall be made to report this data in a manner that minimizes
the length and complexity of the reporting requirement in order to
maximize the focus on improving pupil literacy and achievement.
   (E) An action taken pursuant to this paragraph shall not increase
local costs or require reimbursement by the Commission on State
Mandates.
   (2) The Superintendent shall assume all the legal rights, duties,
and powers of the governing board with respect to the school. The
Superintendent, in consultation with the State Board of Education and
the governing board of the school district, shall reassign the
principal of that school subject to the findings in subdivision (i).
In addition to reassigning the principal, the Superintendent, in
consultation with the State Board of Education, shall,
notwithstanding any other provision of law, do at least one of the
following:
   (A) Revise attendance options for pupils to allow them to attend
any public school in which space is available.  If an additional
attendance option is made available, this option may not require
either the sending or receiving school district to incur additional
transportation costs.
   (B) Allow parents or guardians to apply directly to the State
Board of Education for the establishment of a charter school and
allow parents or guardians to establish the charter school at the
existing schoolsite.
   (C) Under the supervision of the Superintendent, assign the
management of the school to a college, university, county office of
education, or other appropriate educational institution. However, the
Superintendent may not assume the management of the school.
   (D) Reassign other certificated employees of the school.
   (E) Renegotiate a new collective bargaining agreement at the
expiration of the existing collective bargaining agreement.
   (F) Reorganize the school.
   (G) Close the school.
   (f) In addition to the actions listed in subdivision (e), the
Superintendent, in consultation with the State Board of Education,
may take any other action considered necessary or desirable against
the school district or the school district governing board, including
appointment of a new superintendent or suspension of the authority
of the governing board with respect to a school that does not meet
its growth targets within the periods described in either subdivision
(b) or (c), as applicable, and has failed to show significant
growth, as determined by the State Board of Education.
   (g) Before the Superintendent may take any action against a
principal pursuant to subdivision (e), the Superintendent or a
designee of the Superintendent shall hold a public hearing on the
matter in the school district and make both of the following
findings:
   (1) A finding that the principal had the authority to take
specific enumerated actions that would have helped the school meet
its performance goals.
   (2) A finding that the principal failed to take specific
enumerated actions pursuant to paragraph (1).
   (h) An action taken pursuant to subdivision (e), (f), or (g) shall
not increase local costs or require reimbursement by the Commission
on State Mandates.
   (i) An action taken pursuant to subdivision (e), (f), or (g) shall
be accompanied by specific findings by the Superintendent and the
State Board of Education that the action is directly related to the
identified causes for continued failure by a school to meet its
performance goals.
   (j) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a school participating in
the High Priority Schools Grant Program that received a planning
grant pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 52053 in the 1999-2000
fiscal year is eligible to receive funding pursuant to Section
52055.600 in the 2002-03 fiscal year only.
   (2) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a school participating in the
High Priority Schools Grant Program that received a planning grant
pursuant to subdivision (l) of Section 52053 in the 2000-01 fiscal
year is eligible to receive funding pursuant to Section 52055.600 in
the 2002-03 and 2003-04 fiscal years only.
   (3) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a school participating in the
High Priority Schools Grant Program that received a planning grant
pursuant to subdivision (l) of Section 52053 in the 2001-02 fiscal
year is eligible to receive funding pursuant to Section 52055.600 in
only the 2002-03, 2003-04, and 2004-05 fiscal years.
   (k) Notwithstanding the growth target timelines set forth in
subdivisions (b), (c), (d), and (e), for a school that receives funds
pursuant to Section 52055.600 during the 2002-03 or 2003-04 fiscal
year, the growth target deadline for subdivision (b) is December 31,
2004, and the growth target deadline for subdivisions (c), (d), and
(e) is December 31, 2005.
   (l) A school that receives funds pursuant to Section 52055.600
during the 2005-06 or 2006-07 fiscal year shall meet the growth
target specified in subdivision (b) no later than December 31, 2007,
and the growth target specified in subdivisions (c), (d), and (e) no
later than December 31, 2008.
52055.655.  (a) Notwithstanding subdivision (c) of Section
52055.650, a school participating in the High Priority Schools Grant
Program that meets or exceeds its API growth target shall continue to
receive funding under this program in the amount specified in
Sections 52054.5 and 52055.600 for one additional year of
implementation, less the amount received pursuant to Section 52057.
   (b) From funds made available to the department pursuant to
Chapter 749 of the Statutes of 2001, the department shall conduct a
study on the issue of sustainability of funding for high-priority
schools.  The issues to be addressed in this study shall include, but
are not limited to, the following:
   (1) An objective rather than a comparative view of the necessity
of sustaining supplemental funding over time to address the ongoing
needs of high-priority pupils, and the impact of policies that only
provide funding over a specified period of time.
   (2) A description of the ongoing needs of high-priority schools,
as identified in needs assessments submitted pursuant to paragraph
(3) of subdivision (a) of Section 52055.620 and the sources of
funding schools used to meet these needs.
   (3) An analysis of the use of funds provided pursuant to this
article and the effectiveness of that use in meeting the continued or
changing needs of communities served by high-priority schools.  This
analysis shall include an evaluation of the growth in academic
achievement realized by participating schools and the ability of
those schools to sustain growth in academic achievement if funding is
continued.
   (4) An assessment of whether local, state, and federal resources
are likely to be sufficient to sustain all or some of the academic
improvements made in high-priority schools after this state subsidy
expires, taking into account prospects for the subsequent pupil
population's incidence of poverty and low socioeconomic status.
52055.656.  (a) Each school district with schools participating in
the High Priority Schools Grant Program established pursuant to
Section 52055.600 shall submit to the Superintendent of Public
Instruction an evaluation of the impact, costs, and benefits of the
program as it relates to the school district and the schools under
its jurisdiction that are participating in the program and whether or
not the schools met their growth targets, with an analysis of the
reasons why the schools have or have not met those growth targets.
Costs to develop and submit the evaluation shall be funded with
resources provided pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section
52053).  The evaluation shall be submitted by November 30, subsequent
to the first full year of action plan implementation by
participating schools, and on November 30, of each year thereafter.
   (b) By January 15, 2003, the Superintendent of Public Instruction
shall develop, and the State Board of Education shall approve, the
guidelines for a request for proposal for an independent evaluator as
described in this subdivision.  By June 30, 2003, the Superintendent
of Public Instruction shall contract with an independent evaluator
to prepare a multiyear comprehensive evaluation of the
implementation, impact, costs, and benefits of the High Priority
Schools Grant Program.  The preliminary results of the multiyear
evaluation shall be disseminated to the Legislature, the Governor and
interested parties no later than June 30, 2004.  An interim report
shall be disseminated to the Legislature, the Governor, and
interested parties no later than June 30, 2005.  The final
comprehensive evaluation shall be disseminated to the Legislature,
the Governor, and interested parties no later than June 30, 2006.
The final report shall include recommendations for necessary or
desirable modifications to the programs established pursuant to this
chapter.
   (c) The evaluations shall consider all of the following:
   (1) Pupil performance data, including, but not limited to, results
of assessments used to determine whether or not schools have made
significant progress towards meeting their growth targets.
   (2) Program implementation data, including, but not limited to, a
review of startup activities, community support, parental
participation, staff development activities associated with
implementation of the program, percentage of fully credentialed
teachers, percentage of teachers who hold emergency credentials,
percentage of teachers assigned outside their subject area of
competence, the accreditation status of the school if appropriate,
average size per grade level, and the number of pupils in a
multitrack year-round educational program.
   (3) (A) Pupil performance data, and its impact on the API, for
each of the following subgroups:
   (i) English language learners.
   (ii) Pupils with exceptional needs.
   (iii) Pupils that qualify for free or reduced price meals and are
enrolled in schools that receive funds under Chapter 1 of the federal
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, as amended by the
Augustus F.  Hawkins-Robert T. Stafford Elementary and Secondary
School Improvement Amendments of 1988 (P.L. 100-290).
   (B) Information concerning individual pupils may not be disclosed
in the process of preparing pupil performance data pursuant to this
subdivision.
52055.660.  Notwithstanding any provision of this article, for the
2001-02 fiscal year, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall
allocate funds for the program established by this article as
specified in the Budget Act of 2001, as amended by legislation
enacted during the 2001-02 Third Extraordinary Session.
52055.662.  It is the intent of the Legislature to appropriate any
savings achieved as a result of schools being phased out of the
Immediate Intervention Underperforming School Program and the High
Priority Schools Grant Program to provide High Priority Schools Grant
awards to eligible schools, pursuant to Section 52055.605, that have
not previously received a grant under this program.