33480.
(a) Subject to moneys appropriated by the Legislature for purposes of this section, the department shall administer the School Social Worker Pilot Program. Under the pilot program, the department shall provide a multiyear grant award to one school district or the governing body of a charter school in each of the Counties of Alameda, Riverside, San Benito, San Joaquin, and Shasta to fund a social worker at each eligible school within the school district or charter school, as applicable, for the 2021–22 fiscal year to the 2025–26 fiscal year, inclusive.(b) A school district or the governing body of a charter school within the Counties of Alameda, Riverside, San Benito, San Joaquin,
and Shasta may apply for the grant pursuant to subdivision
(c).
(c) The department shall develop an application process and criteria for determining grant recipients on a competitive basis, including that priority should be given to school districts and charter schools with higher pupil dropout and absenteeism rates and a higher percentage of socioeconomically disadvantaged unduplicated pupils.
(d) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the following meanings:
(1) “Eligible school” means a school offering instruction in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 8, inclusive, that
meets both of the following:
(A) The school has higher pupil dropout and absenteeism rates than the state average, as determined by the department.
(B) The school has a higher percentage of socioeconomically disadvantaged unduplicated pupils than the state average, as determined by the department.
(2) “Social worker” means a person holding a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services specializing in social work, as defined by the Commission on Teacher Credentialing pursuant to Section 44266, or a state-licensed social worker
supervised in their school-based activities by an individual holding a services credential with a specialization in pupil personnel services or a professional services credential with a specialization in administrative services.
(3)“Socioeconomically disadvantaged pupil” means a pupil who meets at
least one of the following conditions:
(A)Neither of the pupil’s parents have received a high school diploma.
(B)The pupil is eligible for free or reduced-price meals or has a direct certification for a free or reduced-price meal program.
(C)(i)The pupil is a migrant child, homeless child or youth, or foster youth.
(ii)For purposes of this subparagraph, “migrant child” means a “currently migratory child,” as defined in subdivision (a) of Section 54441.
(3) “Unduplicated pupil” has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (1) of subdivision (b) of Section 42238.02.
(e) Each governing board of a school district and governing
body of a charter school receiving a grant award under this section shall report to the department, and, on or before January 1, 2027, the department shall report to the Legislature, consistent with Section 9795 of the Government Code, changes in pupil outcomes at the schools participating in the pilot program, including, but not limited to, both all of the following:
(1) Changes in chronic absenteeism.
(2) Changes in rates of suspension and expulsion.
(3) One or more
measures of academic outcomes, as determined by the Superintendent.