SECTIONS 58920-58923 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 58920-58923

58920. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature to contract for an
independent evaluation of education restructuring implemented
pursuant to this chapter.
(b) The purposes of evaluation shall include, but need not be
limited to: (1) an assessment of the nature, scope, and quality of
implementation of education restructuring; (2) recommendations
regarding any needed modifications in state statutes, policies, or
procedures in order to support and assist implementation of local
education restructuring; and (3) assessments of the effectiveness of
each of the restructuring elements in shifting from a rule-oriented
to a pupil performance-oriented accountability system for public
education measured by authentic measures of pupil performance, and in
pupil, parent, and school employee satisfaction with pupil learning,
school organization, and governance and management.
(c) The evaluation shall include all the following:
(1) A measure of pupil progress in attaining subject matter
standards assessed. The evaluation shall determine any changes in
learning outcomes of pupils in participating schools and school
districts, and in particular, the learning outcomes for pupils
performing below their potential and for all pupils by race,
ethnicity, gender, linguistic, and socioeconomic background, and any
other appropriate characteristic.
(2) An assessment of the nature and quality of instruction to
pupils in participating schools and school districts.
(3) An assessment of the school environment, as measured by school
attendance, discipline, and dropout data.
(4) Information regarding any changes in roles or responsibilities
among participating individuals, including teachers, administrators,
other school staff, parents, pupils, and participating entities,
such as businesses, colleges and universities, and educational
organizations.
(5) An assessment of the degree of implementation, and measures of
effectiveness, of restructuring components implemented, particularly
as implementation affects measures of pupil learning and pupil,
parent, teacher, administrator, and community satisfaction with
participating schools.
(6) An assessment of the funding level required to support the
restructuring, including identification of an appropriate funding
level to support both initial planning and ongoing costs, an
assessment of whether and to what extent existing resources may fund
ongoing costs of restructuring, and an evaluation of the use and
integration of federal, state, local, and private funding to support
restructuring.
(d) The demonstration of restructuring in education shall be
deemed to be effective for the purposes of this section if there is a
sustained increase in the learning outcomes of pupils for pupils of
all levels of achievement and pupil, parent, and staff satisfaction
with participating schools.
(e) It is the intent of the Legislature that the evaluation
commence upon the implementation of the demonstration of
restructuring in education, and continue for the five-year
demonstration period.

58921. The Legislative Analyst, in consultation with
representatives from the State Department of Education and the
Department of Finance, shall select an independent contractor to
conduct the evaluation. The Legislative Analyst shall direct the
management of the evaluation.

58923. (a) It is the intent of the Legislature that local
evaluations of the demonstration of restructuring in education enable
the local school community to hold schools and school districts
accountable for significant improvement in the learning outcomes of
pupils from all racial, ethnic, linguistic, gender, and socioeconomic
backgrounds during the demonstration period.
(b) Each school district and consortium of school districts
participating in the demonstration of restructuring in education
shall assess the success of their pupils in meeting curriculum
standards adopted by the school district.