Authorizing Law
Model Curriculum
Resources
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César Chávez Day
was established by legislation authored by Senator Richard Polanco and
signed by Governor Gray Davis on August 18, 2000. Provisions of the law
are contained in the California Education Code, Section 37220-37223.
37220.5. (a) In addition to the holidays prescribed in Section
37220, public schools may be closed on March 31, known as "César Chávez Day," or the appropriate Monday or Friday following or
preceding that date, if the governing board, pursuant to a memorandum
of understanding reached pursuant to Chapter 10.7 (commencing with
Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code, agrees
to close schools for that purpose.
(b) On March 31 or on the day determined by the governing board,
public schools and educational institutions throughout the state may
include exercises, funded through existing resources, commemorating
and directing attention to the history of the farm labor movement in
the United States and particularly the role therein of César Chávez .
The State Board of Education shall adopt a model curriculum guide to
be available for use by public schools for exercises related to
César Chávez Day.
37220.6. (a) There is hereby created the César Chávez Day of Service and Learning program to promote service to the communities of
California in honor of the life and work of César Chávez . The
program shall be administered by the California Commission on
Improving Life Through Service in collaboration with the California
Conservation Corps.
(b) The California Commission on Improving Life Through Service
may make grants to local and state operated Americorps or
Conservation Corps programs that submit proposals to engage pupils
through their schools and school districts in community service that
qualifies as instructional time on César Chávez Day, pursuant to
Section 37220.5, and that honors the life and work of César Chávez .
The programs shall be created and organized in consultation with
community groups. The Americorps or Conservation Corps programs may
implement or administer the programs in collaboration with community
groups and nonprofit organizations. The proposals shall demonstrate
all of the following:
(1) The ways and extent to which the program will be a
collaborative effort between schools and the Americorps program or
Conservation Corps program.
(2) The ways that the service will be connected to instruction on
the life and work of César Chávez provided on César Chávez Day.
(3) The way in which the service provided will make a meaningful
contribution to the community.
(c) Grants made pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be in the amount
of one dollar ($1) for each participating pupil, or two hundred
fifty dollars ($250) for each school, whichever is greater. The
California Commission on Improving Life Through Service may, at its
discretion, adjust the grant amount to account for school district
size, the size of the project, and the demand on existing funding.
Under no circumstances may the amount granted exceed the amount of
funding appropriated to carry out this section.
(d) In order for the community service performed under this
program to be counted as instructional time, the service shall be
performed under the supervision of a teacher, as defined in
subdivision (a) of Section 46300.
(e) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall develop or
revise, as needed, a model curriculum on the life and work of César Chávez and submit the model curriculum to the State Board of
Education for adoption pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section
37220.5. Upon adoption, the Superintendent of Public Instruction
shall distribute the model curriculum to each school.
(f) It is the intent of the Legislature that nothing in this
section, or in the act that adds this section, shall be construed to
impose a mandate on school districts.
(g) For the purposes of this section, "school district" includes
school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education.
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