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Take Action to Support Legislation for Children Two bills to help low-income children are stuck in the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and we need your help to make sure they move on the full Assembly floor! AB 549 (Jones-Sawyer) will promote effective school safety strategies that support a healthy school climate and student achievement by requiring school safety plans to better define the role of police officers on campus. Additionally, the bill takes measures to address California's alarming student-to-counselor ratio of 810-to-1 by encouraging schools to use school safety funding for school counselors and administrators before police officers. More information» AB 814 (Bradford), will eliminate the double attendance penalty unjustly imposed upon low-income families receiving CalWORKs, thereby assisting parents in providing for their children and getting them on the road to self-sufficiency. The bill will also address the problem of youth unemployment by requiring counties to assist students who have dropped out of school in obtaining academic certificates, degree completion, and career planning. More information» The Assembly Appropriations Committee will vote on these bills this afternoon. Call Chairman Mike Gatto at (916) 319 - 2043 and urge him to support AB 549 and AB 814» LAUSD Adopts School Climate Bill of Rights
Last Tuesday, after mounting pressure from students and youth advocates, the Los Angeles School Board passed the School Climate Bill of Rights! The landmark resolution, written by the Brother's, Sons, Selves Coalition and introduced by LA School Board President Monica Garcia, establishes progressive policies aimed at rolling back "zero tolerance" discipline and replacing it with resource-based alternatives proven to increase safety and improve academic achievement. The resolution also seeks to address the school-to-prison pipeline by redefining the role of police officers on campus, and limiting their involvement in school discipline actions. We are also working closely with the Every Student Matters campaign in their own student right's struggle in Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD). The Every Student Matters campaign is a youth led, youth organized campaign to build supportive LBUSD schools and promote alternative discipline policies that keep students in school. Learn more and get involved» Health Benefits Fair Supports Children's Health Coverage On May 10th, we joined Senator Ed Hernandez, Assemblymember Ed Chau, El Monte Union High School District, and health clinics and non-profit organizations from across El Monte for a Health Benefits Fair. The health fair, which was hosted by the Cleaver Family Wellness Clinic in El Monte, provided a fun and lighthearted opportunity for parents to learn about free and low cost health insurance for their children, affordable medical and dental services, and low cost energy savings programs. Children and parents alike were treated to host of activities, including a bouncing castle, clown face-painting, and two raffles. Check out pictures from the afternoon» The fair was part of a nationwide effort made possible by the Children’s Health Insurance Program Re-authorization Act (CHIPRA) to enroll eligible children with free and low-cost health insurance. Since 2012, the Children's Defense Fund-California has teamed up with two school districts in El Monte to identify uninsured students and to link them with health insurance. Visit our website for more information» May Revise Fails to Recognize Children Last week, Governor Brown released his May Revision budget proposal. While we appreciate the Governor taking steps to expand Medi-Cal, and holding fast to his commitment to institute a more equitable school funding formula that directs more money to the children who need it most, the revised budget falls significantly short for California children by failing to restore dramatic cuts made to critical safety net services for low-income families over the past five years. California needs a budget built on revenue solutions that protects and invests in our children, and begins to repair our tattered social safety net. Read our response to the Governor's proposal and learn more about how the budget impacts children»
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