(a) The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence is hereby established.
(b) The purpose of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence is to advise and assist school districts, county superintendents of schools, and charter schools in achieving the goals set forth in a local control and accountability plan adopted pursuant to this article.
(c) The governing board of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence shall, with the approval of the Department of Finance, contract with a local educational agency, or consortium of local educational agencies, to serve as the fiscal agent for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence. The Superintendent shall apportion funds appropriated for the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence to the fiscal agent.
(d) The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence shall be governed by a board consisting of the following five members:
(1) The Superintendent or his or her designee.
(2) The president of the state board or his or her designee.
(3) A county superintendent of schools appointed by the Senate Committee on Rules.
(4) A teacher appointed by the Speaker of the Assembly.
(5) A superintendent of a school district appointed by the Governor.
(e) At the direction of the governing board of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, the fiscal agent shall contract with individuals, local educational agencies, or organizations with the expertise, experience, and a record of success to carry out the purposes of this article. The areas of expertise, experience, and record of success shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:
(1) State priorities as described in subdivision (d) of Section 52060.
(2) Improving the quality of teaching.
(3) Improving the quality of school district and schoolsite leadership.
(4) Successfully addressing the needs of special pupil populations, including, but not limited to, English learners, pupils eligible to receive a free or reduced-price meal, pupils in foster care, and individuals with exceptional needs.
(f) The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence may, after consulting with the Superintendent, accept a request or referral to advise and assist a school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school in any of the following circumstances:
(1) If the governing board of a school district, county board of education, or governing body of a charter school requests the advice and assistance of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence.
(2) If the county superintendent of schools of the county in which the school district or charter school is located determines, following the provision of technical assistance pursuant to Section 52071 or 47607.3 as applicable, that the advice and assistance of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence is necessary to help the school district or charter school accomplish the goals described in the local control and accountability plan adopted pursuant to this article.
(3) If the Superintendent determines that the advice and assistance of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence is necessary to help the school district, county superintendent of schools, or charter school accomplish the goals set forth in the local control and accountability plan adopted pursuant to this article.
(g) The individuals with whom the fiscal agent enters into employment contracts at the direction of the governing board of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence pursuant to subdivision (e) to carry out the purposes of this article shall be deemed employees of the fiscal agent and eligible for participation in either the State Teachers’ Retirement System or the Public Employees’ Retirement System, as appropriate to the nature of the work to be performed by the employees.
(Amended by Stats. 2017, Ch. 15, Sec. 52. (AB 99) Effective June 27, 2017.)
Last modified: October 25, 2018