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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T

SPONSOR Sanchez, M.

ORIGINAL DATE

LAST UPDATED

2/20/2007

HB

SHORT TITLE Valencia School Suspension Alternatives

SB 825

ANALYST Aguilar

APPROPRIATION (dollars in thousands)

Appropriation

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY07

FY08

$100.0

Recurring

General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

Relates to HB-608

Relates to appropriations contained in the General Appropriations Act

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Public Education Department (PED)

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 825 appropriates $100 thousand from the general fund to the Public Education

Department for the purpose of implementing a pilot program in Valencia County that will

provide an alternative to out-of-school suspensions.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $100 thousand contained in this bill is a recurring expense to the general

fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2008 shall

revert to the general fund.

The LFC remains concerned with funding initiatives outside of the funding formula as it tends to

disequalize school funding and diverts funding away from core educational needs.

House Bill 2 contains $1 million for dropout and truancy prevention programs.

Senate Bill 825 – Page

2

SIGNIFICANT ISSUES

PED notes that Truancy is identified as one of the early warning signs for students headed for

potential delinquent activity, social isolation or educational failure via suspension, expulsion or

dropping out. It is considered one of the top 10 problems facing schools. Eighty percent of

dropouts were chronically truant before dropping out and 90% of youths in detention for

delinquent acts were chronically truant.

The program will benefit students by helping them to achieve an appropriate level of academic

performance. The program will also work on identifying high risk behaviors to which this age

group is susceptible and provide resistance education.

By completing an Alternative to Suspension Program students should be able to:

•

Reduce out-of-school suspension time

•

Have a professional evaluation/assessment

•

Explore alternatives to suspension-worthy behavior

•

Participate in a skill-building workshop.

Parents should be able to:

•

Identify risk-taking behaviors

•

Learn relevant/current information about alcohol and other substances

•

Learn to manage and provide appropriate consequences for non pro-social behavior

•

Receive support from other parents.

PA/mt