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| SPONSOR: | Martinez | DATE TYPED: | 03/05/99 | HB | 572 | ||
| SHORT TITLE: | Dropout Prevention Program | SB | |||||
| ANALYST: | Fernandez/Dunbar | ||||||
| Recurring
or Non-Rec |
Fund
Affected | ||||
| FY99 | FY2000 | FY99 | FY2000 | ||
| $ 246.0 | Rec | GF | |||
(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)
Duplicates/Conflicts with/Companion to/Relates to
SUMMARY
Synopsis of Bill
The bill appropriates $246.0 from the general fund to the State Department of Education (SDE) for expenditure in FY2000 to support a pilot project that would install telephones in classrooms of the ten public high schools with the highest dropout rate. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of fiscal year 2000 reverts to the GF.
Significant Issues
The bill requires parents to provide their home or work telephone numbers to the school. Teachers can report any absence directly to the parents. The bill instructs SDE to seek a partnership with the telephone companies to secure favorable installation rates. SDE must report annually on changes in the dropout rate.
Currently many schools have systems in place for contacting parents when students are absent. These include computer calling programs.
The proposed system will provide a more personalized process and could be more effective in dealing with an unexcused absence immediately. However, teachers will have to spend some time on the phone which will impact on classroom instructional time.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS
According to SDE the top ten schools with the highest dropout rate have 880 classrooms. The connection cost, including outlets, is $95. Each additional line is $53.95. The average cost per telephone is $130 per unit. The total cost amounts to $245,476.0.
ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS
SDE will be required to distribute the funds, establish partnerships with phone companies and record and report results.
CF:BD/njw