California Promise Neighborhoods Act of 2019.

Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state, and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law establishes the State Department of Education, under the administration of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and assigns to the department numerous duties relating to the financing, governance, and guidance of the public elementary and secondary schools in this state. This bill would enact the California Promise Neighborhoods Act of 2019. The bill would establish the California Promise Neighborhood Grant Program, to be administered by the department, to award grants, on a competitive basis, except as specified, to eligible entities to implement a comprehensive, integrated continuum of cradle-to-college-to-career solutions through a pipeline of coordinated services based on the best available evidence in neighborhoods with high concentrations of low-income families, schools identified for differentiated assistance or intensive intervention, and other indicators of at-risk youth or high need. The bill would require the department to develop an application process for eligible entities to apply to become Promise Neighborhoods consistent with specified criteria. The bill would require the department to establish performance standards to measure progress on indicators and results relevant to the evaluation of the grant program, including prescribed results and indicators. The bill would require the department to competitively award grants, each not to exceed $5,000,000, to up to 20 eligible entities across the state. The bill would require each grant recipient to contribute matching funds in an amount equal to not less than 100% of the grant award, with at least 10% coming from private sources, except as specified. The bill would require each grant recipient to prepare and submit an annual report to the department that includes specified information relating to the expenditures and outcomes of programs provided by the grant recipient. The bill would provide that the operation of the provisions of the act are contingent on the enactment of an appropriation in the annual Budget Act for these purposes.