After school programs.

The After School Education and Safety Program Act of 2002, enacted by initiative statute, establishes the After School Education and Safety Program to serve pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 9, inclusive, at participating public elementary, middle, junior high, and charter schools. The act provides a formula for determining an amount to be continuously appropriated from the General Fund to the State Department of Education to provide grants to schools participating in the program. The existing act authorizes the Legislature to amend certain of its provisions to further its purposes by majority vote of each house. This bill would require a program plan to describe the manner in which the program will support English language development and acquisition for English learners if English learners comprise 25% or more of the pupils enrolled in a program. The plan would be required to include strategies that increase knowledge and usage of the English language and methods for training and professional development of staff that are designed to support English language development and acquisition for English learners. The After School Education and Safety Program Act of 2002 requires the State Department of Education to provide technical assistance to new programs and programs that are not meeting goals and request assistance. This bill would require technical assistance provided by the department to include training and professional development for support in English language development and acquisition for English learners. This bill would set forth a legislative finding and declaration that the proposed amendments further the purposes of the existing act.