AB 2354

AB2354:v98#DOCUMENT

Bill Start

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 2354

An act to amend Section 1 51475 of the Education Code, relating to education. pupil instruction, and making an appropriation therefor.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 2354, as amended, Gabriel. Education. Pupil instruction: California Serves Program.

Existing law establishes the California Serves Program under the administration of the State Department of Education, in collaboration with CaliforniaVolunteers, for purposes of promoting access to effective service learning for pupils in grade 12 who are enrolled at participating local educational agencies. Existing law requires the department, in partnership with CaliforniaVolunteers, to review available evidence on ways to incorporate effective service learning for pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, and provide recommendations to the Legislature on, and post on the department’s and CaliforniaVolunteers’ internet websites information related to, evidence-based strategies to expand access to high-quality service learning programs, as provided. Existing law, commencing with the 2022–23 fiscal year, appropriates $5,000,000 from the General Fund, each fiscal year, to the department to award grants of up to $500,000 annually to local educational agencies in which at least 55% of enrolled pupils are unduplicated pupils, as defined, to be used for, among other things, the purchase of instructional materials and participation and personnel costs, as provided.This bill would expand the California Serves Program to promote access to effective service learning for pupils in grades 6 to 12, inclusive, who are enrolled at participating local educational agencies. By expanding the purposes of ongoing appropriations, the bill would make an appropriation. The bill would require the department, in partnership with CaliforniaVolunteers, on or before January 1, 2028, to (1) review available evidence on ways to incorporate effective service learning for pupils in grades 6 to 12, inclusive, and (2) provide recommendations to the Legislature on, and post on the department’s and CaliforniaVolunteers’ internet website information related to, evidence-based strategies to expand access to high-quality service learning programs for grades 6 to 12, inclusive, as provided.

Existing law establishes the Education Code, which addresses, among other subjects, elementary and secondary education, postsecondary education, and adult education.

This bill would make a nonsubstantive change to the provision naming that code.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NOYES Fiscal Committee: NOYES Local Program: NO

Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

Section 51475 of the Education Code is amended to read:

51475.

(a) The California Serves Program is hereby established under the administration of the department, in collaboration with CaliforniaVolunteers, for purposes of promoting access to effective service learning for pupils in grade 12 grades 6 to 12, inclusive, who are enrolled at participating local educational agencies, with the goal of expanding access for high school graduates in obtaining a State Seal of Civic Engagement through service learning.

(b) The department, in partnership with CaliforniaVolunteers, shall do all of the following:

(1) Review the available evidence on ways to incorporate effective service learning for pupils in grades 9 6 to 12, inclusive, and, on or before January 1, 2024, 2028, provide recommendations to the Legislature, consistent with Section 9795 of the Government Code and consistent with the recommended criteria and implementation guidance for the State Seal of Civic Engagement pursuant to this article, on evidence-based strategies to expand access to high-quality service learning programs in California high schools local educational agencies serving grades 6 to 12, inclusive, and promote equitable access to these programs.

(2) On or before January 1, 2024, 2028, develop and post on the department’s and CaliforniaVolunteers’ internet websites evidence-based strategies for expanding access to high-quality service learning programs that may be used by teachers and local educational agencies. agencies for grades 6 to 12, inclusive.

(3) Develop model uniform metrics, based on the recommended criteria for the State Seal of Civic Engagement, for the measurement of pupil progress toward academic, civic engagement, and other learning objectives. Civic learning objectives shall include the final goal of awarding of the State Seal of Civic Engagement pursuant to this article.

(4) Use the evidence, recommendations, and metrics identified pursuant to paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, in the administration of the California Serves Program.

(c) (1) Commencing with the 2022–23 fiscal year, the sum of five million dollars ($5,000,000) is hereby appropriated, each fiscal year, from the General Fund to the department for annual awards to local educational agencies for California Serves Program grants pursuant to this section.

(2) The department, in collaboration with CaliforniaVolunteers, shall establish the California Serves Program grant program, develop criteria for the awarding of grants and an application process, request necessary data from participating local educational agencies, and award grants consistent with this section.

(d) In order for a local educational agency to be eligible for a grant under this section, at least 55 percent of the pupils enrolled in the applicant local educational agency shall be unduplicated pupils as defined in Section 2574 or 42238.02, as applicable.

(e) Eligible local educational agencies who receive grants pursuant to this grant program shall receive an amount of up to five hundred thousand dollars ($500,000) annually.

(f) Allowable uses for funding allocated pursuant to this grant program include all of the following:

(1) Paid planning time for teachers to increase the use of service learning in their instruction.

(2) Professional development for school and local educational agency administrators and classroom teachers on service learning.

(3) Purchase of instructional materials to aid in the use of service learning in instruction.

(4) Participation costs of pupils and school personnel, including any materials or travel expenses related to service learning activities.

(5) Personnel costs for coordination of service learning at a local educational agency or a schoolsite of a local educational agency.

(6) Participation costs associated with grant program evaluation.

(g) Notwithstanding Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, on or before November 5, 2024, and annually thereafter, the department, in partnership with CaliforniaVolunteers, shall submit a report on the program to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature, consistent with Section 9795 of the Government Code. The report shall include an evaluation of the program using the model uniform metrics established by the department in partnership with CaliforniaVolunteers pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b), and shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following information:

(1) The number of participating pupils, pupils by grade, schools, and local educational agencies, and the grant awards for each grantee.

(2) The demographics of pupils engaged in service learning as a result of the grant.

(3) The impact of the service performed by pupils and school staff as a result of the grant.

(4) Pupil outcomes in the academic, civic engagement, and other learning objectives measured by the model uniform metrics identified by the department in partnership with CaliforniaVolunteers pursuant to paragraph (3) of subdivision (b), including, but not limited to, obtaining the State Seal of Civic Engagement.

(h) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “CaliforniaVolunteers” means CaliforniaVolunteers as established by Executive Order No. S-24-06.

(2) “Local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school.

(3) “Program” means the California Serves Program established pursuant to subdivision (a).

(4) “Service learning” means an educational approach that intentionally combines meaningful community service activities with instruction and reflection to support pupil progress toward academic and civic engagement learning objectives while meeting societal needs.

(i) For purposes of making the computations required by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution, the appropriations made by subdivision (c) shall be deemed to be “General Fund revenues appropriated for school districts,” as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 41202, for the fiscal year in which the appropriation is made, and included within the “total allocations to school districts and community college districts from General Fund proceeds of taxes appropriated pursuant to Article XIII B,” as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 41202, for the fiscal year in which the appropriation is made.

SECTION 1.Section 1 of the Education Code is amended to read:

1.

This code shall be known, and may be cited, as the Education Code.