(a) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall contract for a four-year independent review of the effectiveness of the newly funded California Partnership Academies. Preliminary results shall be reported after the 1994-95 fiscal year and a final evaluation shall be performed after the 1996-97 fiscal year. The independent review shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) An analysis of the extent and degree of success of business and industry involvement, including in-kind contributions, mentor services, summer jobs, and assistance in job placement.
(2) The number of students obtaining employment, entering advanced training programs, and enrolling in postsecondary institutions after graduation.
(3) Attendance rates and credits achieved.
(4) The number of students completing their high school education and graduating.
(5) An analysis of the extent to which components of the partnership program have been incorporated into the regular program of the school.
(b) The Legislature finds that each new academy requires technical assistance for the academy team, administrators, teachers, and private sector participants in the multiple aspects of the academy program that differ from the standard high school program. To provide for the transfer of the experiences gained in the operation of currently successful academies to new academies, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall develop a technical assistance team whose members have prior involvement in successful academy operation and make their expertise available, as necessary, to each new academy during its first two years of operation.
(Amended by Stats. 2001, Ch. 745, Sec. 26.)