(a) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall select an entity (the “evaluating entity”) to conduct a long-term evaluation of the Partnership Academies conducted pursuant to this article using a random assignment of pupils into program and control groups. The participation of any school district in this long-term evaluation is voluntary.

(b) In order to qualify for participation in the evaluation of any Partnership Academy as described in subdivision (a), a school district shall demonstrate that the number of pupils seeking admission to the academy, who qualify for admission under applicable criteria, exceeds the number of openings in the academy.

(c) The evaluation shall be conducted on a basis that results in no net cost to the state or to any participating school district. The evaluating entity is responsible for obtaining, from other sources, any funding that is necessary for the purposes of subdivision (a).

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the evaluating entity shall have access to pupil records, to the extent permitted by federal law, as necessary to perform the evaluation. The evaluating entity shall ensure that all personally identifiable information regarding any pupil and his or her parent or guardian remains confidential.

(e) The evaluating entity shall coordinate its evaluation activities under subdivision (a) with the Superintendent of Public Instruction, and provide the superintendent with the results of the evaluation upon completion. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall submit the results of the evaluation to the Legislature.

(Added by Stats. 1992, Ch. 1213, Sec. 5. Effective January 1, 1993.)