Educational Innovation Pilot Program.

Existing law establishes various programs and procedures for the purposes of identifying and assisting low-performing schools and school districts. This bill would establish the Educational Innovation Pilot Program for the purposes of promoting and implementing innovative research-based practices within selected schools in the state. School districts with specified low-performing schools would be eligible to apply for grants to establish an innovation program, commencing with the 2013–14 school year, within the school. The Superintendent of Public Instruction would be required to administer the pilot program, and to award grants to applicants based on certain criteria relating to the proposed innovation program. The program would be funded by existing state and federal resources, and the Superintendent would be authorized to accept financial assistance from public and private sources for purposes of administering the program. Each school district that is awarded a grant would be required to annually evaluate its innovation program pursuant to an evaluation developed by the Superintendent. The bill would require the State Department of Education to maintain, on its Internet Web site, a database consisting of descriptions of effective innovation programs developed pursuant to these provisions, as specified. The bill would require the department to submit to the Legislature an interim report, and a final report, based on the evaluations of the innovation programs, by March 1, 2015, and March 1, 2017, respectively.