Bill Text: CA AB1518 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Military: National Guard: youth challenge program.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-1)

Status: (Passed) 2014-09-27 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 648, Statutes of 2014. [AB1518 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB1518-Amended.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1518	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 23, 2014

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Eggman
   (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Olsen)
   (Principal coauthor: Senator Galgiani)

                        JANUARY 16, 2014

   An act to amend Section 532 of the Military and Veterans Code,
relating to the military.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 1518, as amended, Eggman. Military: National Guard: youth
challenge program.
   Existing law authorizes the Adjutant General of the California
Military Department to establish a military academy to be operated as
a charter school or existing alternative education option available
under the Education Code, to provide a structured, disciplined
environment that is conducive to learning and developing academic
skills, leadership, self-esteem, and a strong sense of community.
Existing law provides that a new California National Guard Youth
Program, except for the California Cadet Corps, may be established as
provided by this section only if funds are appropriated for purposes
of the new program in the annual Budget Act or any other act.
   This bill would, subject to this condition, authorize the Adjutant
General, subject to an appropriation for this purpose, to establish
a National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program which would provide at least
a 22-week residential program and a 12-month post-residential
mentoring period to improve life skills and employment potential of
participants. The program would accept federal funding, and the
Military Department would be required to enter into a memorandum of
agreement with an appropriate school district or county office of
education for the purpose of providing educational services. The
school district or county office of education would be responsible
for ensuring compliance with any applicable requirements imposed
pursuant to the Education Code.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no.
State-mandated local program: no.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
   
  SECTION 1.    The Legislature finds and declares
all of the following:
   (a) The National Guard ChalleNGe Program's mission is to intervene
and reclaim the lives of 16- to 18-year old high school dropouts.
ChalleNGe programs across the nation are producing graduates with the
values, life skills, education, and self-discipline necessary to
succeed as productive citizens. ChalleNGe programs are funded with a
75 percent annual investment by the federal government and a matching
25 percent investment from the state. A study by the Rand
Corporation determined that the National Guard's Youth ChalleNGe
Program is the most effective program of its type in the country,
with a return on investment of $2.33 for every dollar spent.
   (b) California has two of the most decorated National Guard Youth
ChalleNGe Programs in the country, routinely winning national awards
for effectiveness and achievement. California's first Youth ChalleNGe
program, the Grizzly Youth Academy, was established in 1998 at Camp
San Luis Obispo. The program was established as a partnership between
the California Military Department and the San Luis Obispo County
Office of Education and operates as a charter public high school.
Building on the success of the Grizzly Youth Academy, California's
second Youth ChalleNGe program, the Sunburst Youth Academy was
established in 2007 at the Joint Forces Training Base at Los Alamitos
as a partnership between the California Military Department and the
Orange County Department of Education and operates as a public
community high school. These academies serve at-risk youth from
southern California and the central coast, a majority of whom come
from predominantly inner city neighborhoods. The two ChalleNGe
programs graduate an average of 800 teens per year.
   (c) When a student drops out of high school it is a great personal
loss, in terms of missed potential, potential lifetime earnings, and
is also a loss for society. A person who has dropped out of high
school will earn an average of half as much as their peers who
graduated, faces a current joblessness rate of 50 percent, and is
three times more likely to serve a prison sentence than they would
have had they graduated. The public cost, calculated over the working
life of each person who dropped out of high school, is more than
$292,000 in lower tax revenues, higher cash and in-kind transfer
costs, and imposed incarceration costs relative to an average high
school graduate.
   (d) The correlation between high rates of dropout and crime is
clearly demonstrated in communities of need. For example, the high
school dropout rate in San Joaquin County is 15.4 percent, exceeding
the statewide average of 13.1 percent. San Joaquin County also leads
the state's other counties in youth and young adult homicides, with a
per capita rate nearly three times California's overall rate. This
is an enormous and tragic cost in lives, and it is imperative to
respond with all effective measures to stanch this loss.
   (e) It is the intent of the Legislature to implement a California
National Guard ChalleNGe program to serve at-risk teens. 
   SEC. 2.   SECTION 1.   Section 532 of
the Military and Veterans Code is amended to read:
   532.  (a) (1) Subject to subdivision (b), the Adjutant General may
enter into a cooperative agreement with the governing board of a
school district or a county office of education for the purpose of
establishing, pursuant to existing statutory authority in the
Education Code, a military academy to be operated as a charter
school, pursuant to Part 26.8 (commencing with Section 47600) of
Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, or as one of the
existing alternative education options, available under the Education
Code. The program would provide a structured, disciplined
environment that would be conducive to learning in a college
preparatory environment. In addition to academic skills, students
would develop leadership, self-esteem, and a strong sense of
community. An academy established pursuant to this section shall
comply with the Education Code.
   (2) Pursuant to Section 509 of Title 32 of the United Stated Code
and subject to subdivision (b), the Adjutant General shall conduct a
civilian youth opportunities program, to be known as the "National
Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program," which shall consist of at least a
22-week residential program and a 12-month post-residential mentoring
period. The program shall serve at risk teens in areas of the state,
including, but not limited to, the San Joaquin Valley and Northern
California, and shall be subject to all of the following:
   (A) The program shall seek to improve life skills and employment
potential of participants by providing military-based leadership
development, promoting fellowship and community service, developing
life-coping skills and job skills, improving physical fitness,
providing health and hygiene training, and assisting participants to
receive a high school diploma or its equivalent.
   (B) The Adjutant General may accept federal funding to implement a
National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. The Adjutant General may
appoint a director and other service members and employees, permanent
or temporary, to operate the program.
   (C) The Military Department shall enter into a memorandum of
agreement with an appropriate school district or a county office of
education for the purpose of providing educational services for
students enrolled in a National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program. The
school district or county office of education with which the
department contracts shall be responsible for ensuring compliance
with any applicable requirements imposed by the Education Code.
   (b) A new program, except for the California Cadet Corps, may only
be established as provided in subdivision (a) if funds are
appropriated for purposes of the program in the annual Budget Act or
any other act.