(a) A local educational agency that receives a grant shall use the grant funds for planning, implementation, and evaluation of activities in support of evidence-based, nonpunitive programs and practices to keep the state’s most vulnerable pupils in school. These activities shall complement or enhance the actions and services identified to meet the local educational agency’s goals as identified in its local control and accountability plan pursuant to Section 47606.5, 52060, or 52066, as applicable. These activities may include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(1) Establishing a community school, as defined in Section 33435.
(2) Implementing activities or programs to improve attendance and reduce chronic absenteeism, including, but not limited to, early warning systems or early intervention programs.
(3) Implementing restorative practices, restorative justice models, or other programs to improve retention rates, reduce suspensions and other school removals, and reduce the referral of pupils to law enforcement agencies.
(4) Implementing activities that advance social-emotional learning, positive behavior interventions and supports, culturally responsive practices, and trauma-informed strategies.
(5) Establishing partnerships with community-based organizations or other relevant entities to support the implementation of evidence-based, nonpunitive approaches to further the goals of the program.
(6) Adding or increasing staff within a local educational agency whose primary purpose is to address ongoing chronic attendance problems, including, but not necessarily limited to, conducting outreach to families and children currently, or at risk of becoming, chronically truant.
(b) In selecting grant recipients pursuant to this article, the department shall give priority to a local educational agency that meets any of the following criteria:
(1) (A) Has a high rate of chronic absenteeism, out-of-school suspension, or school dropout for the general pupil population or for a numerically significant pupil subgroup, as identified in a local control and accountability plan pursuant to paragraphs (2) and (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 52052.
(B) For purposes of this paragraph, “high rate” means a rate that exceeds the state average.
(2) Is located in a community with a high crime rate.
(3) Has a significant representation of foster youth among its pupil enrollment.
(c) A local educational agency that receives a grant shall provide a local contribution of matching expenditures equal to at least 20 percent of the total grant award. This local contribution can be from cash expenditures or in-kind contributions. A local educational agency is encouraged to exceed the 20-percent match requirement to enable the local educational agency to sustain the activities or programs established under this article beyond the three-year grant period.
(d) A local educational agency that receives a grant shall use the grant funds to increase or improve services that the local educational agency currently provides for purposes specified in this article.
(e) A local educational agency shall not use grant funds to pay for law enforcement activities, including personnel or equipment.
(Added by Stats. 2016, Ch. 533, Sec. 2. (SB 527) Effective January 1, 2017. Section conditionally operative as provided in Section 33436.)