AB 379 — Foster youth: homeless children or youth: complaint of noncompliance: exemption from local graduation requirements.

Summary

(1) Existing law requires certain pupils placed in a licensed children's institution or foster family home to attend programs operated by the local educational agency unless a specified condition applies. Existing law authorizes certain foster children living in emergency shelters to receive educational services at the emergency shelter as necessary for short periods of time for specified reasons. Existing law requires that all educational and school placement decisions be based on the best interests of the child. This bill would authorize the filing of a complaint of noncompliance with these provisions to be filed with the local educational agency under the Uniform Complaint Procedures set forth in the California Code of Regulations. The bill would require, if a local educational agency finds merit in a complaint or the Superintendent of Public Instruction finds merit in an appeal, the local educational agency to provide a remedy to the affected pupil. The bill would also require information regarding the requirements of these provisions relating to educational and school placements of certain foster youth to be included in a specified annual notification. By imposing additional requirements on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law requires each local educational agency, as defined, to designate a staff person as the educational liaison for foster children, as defined. Existing law requires the educational liaison to ensure and facilitate the proper educational placement, enrollment in school, and checkout from school of foster children, and to assist foster children when transferring from one school to another school or from one school district to another school district in ensuring the proper transfer of credits, records, and grades. This bill would authorize the filing of a complaint of noncompliance with these provisions to be filed with the local educational agency under the Uniform Complaint Procedures set forth in the California Code of Regulations. The bill would require, if a local educational agency finds merit in a complaint or the Superintendent of Public Instruction finds merit in an appeal, the local educational agency to provide a remedy to the affected pupil. The bill would also require information regarding the requirements of these provisions relating to educational and school placements of certain foster youth to be included in a specified annual notification. By imposing additional requirements on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law establishes procedures for the transfer of pupils in foster care between schools and, among other things, requires the local educational agency from which the pupil is transferring to compile the complete educational record of the pupil, including, among other things, full or partial credits earned and current classes and grades, and to deliver the educational information and records of the pupil to the next educational placement. This bill would authorize the filing of a complaint of noncompliance with these provisions to be filed with the local educational agency under the Uniform Complaint Procedures set forth in the California Code of Regulations. The bill would require, if a local educational agency finds merit in a complaint or the Superintendent of Public Instruction finds merit in an appeal, the local educational agency to provide a remedy to the affected pupil. The bill would also require information regarding the requirements of these provisions relating to the transfer of pupils in foster care between schools to be included in a specified annual notification. By imposing additional requirements on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) Existing law requires a school district, except as provided, to exempt a pupil in foster care, as defined, or a pupil who is a homeless child or youth, as defined, who transfers between schools any time after the completion of the pupil's 2nd year of high school from all coursework and other requirements adopted by the governing board of the school district that are in addition to certain statewide coursework requirements. Existing law requires the school district to notify specified individuals, including a pupil in foster care or a pupil who is a homeless child or youth, within 30 calendar days of the date that the pupil who may qualify for the exemption from local graduation requirements transfers into a school, that the pupil qualifies for that exemption. Existing law requires, if a pupil in foster care is exempted from local graduation requirements, that the exemption continue to apply after the termination of the court's jurisdiction over the pupil while he or she is enrolled in school or if the pupil transfers to another school or school district. This bill would, if the school district fails to provide the required notification, declare the affected pupil eligible for the exemption from local graduation requirements once notified, even if that notification is received after the termination of the court's jurisdiction over the pupil or after the pupil is no longer a homeless child or youth, as applicable, if the pupil otherwise qualifies for the exemption. This bill would require, if a pupil who is a homeless child or youth is exempted from local graduation requirements, that the exemption continue to apply after the pupil is no longer a homeless child or youth while he or she is enrolled in school or if the pupil transfers to another school or school district. This bill would authorize the filing of a complaint of noncompliance with these provisions to be filed with the local educational agency under the Uniform Complaint Procedures set forth in the California Code of Regulations. The bill would require, if a local educational agency finds merit in a complaint or the Superintendent of Public Instruction finds merit in an appeal, the local educational agency to provide a remedy to the affected pupil. The bill would also require information regarding the requirements of these provisions relating to exempting certain pupils from specified coursework to be included in a specified annual notification. By imposing additional requirements on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (5) Existing law requires a school district and county office of education to accept coursework satisfactorily completed by a pupil in foster care or a pupil who is a homeless child while attending another public school, a juvenile court school, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency even if the pupil did not complete the entire course and requires the school district and county office of education to issue the pupil full or partial credit for the coursework completed. Existing law requires those credits accepted to be applied to the same or equivalent course, if applicable, as the coursework completed in the prior public school, juvenile court school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency. This bill would authorize the filing of a complaint of noncompliance with these provisions to be filed with the local educational agency under the Uniform Complaint Procedures set forth in the California Code of Regulations. The bill would require, if a local educational agency finds merit in a complaint or the Superintendent of Public Instruction finds merit in an appeal, the local educational agency to provide a remedy to the affected pupil. The bill would also require information regarding the requirements of these provisions relating to the requirement that local educational agencies accept coursework satisfactorily completed by certain pupils, as specified, to be included in a specified annual notification. By imposing additional requirements on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (6) This bill would incorporate changes to Sections 48853 and 48853.5 of the Education Code proposed by both this bill and AB 224, which would become operative only if both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2016, and this bill is chaptered last. (7) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.

Bill Text

• Chaptered 10/11/15 - Chaptered Current pdf October 11, 2015
• Enrolled 09/16/15 - Enrolled pdf September 16, 2015
• Amended 09/04/15 - Amended Senate pdf September 04, 2015
• Amended 06/17/15 - Amended Senate pdf June 17, 2015
• Amended 05/28/15 - Amended Assembly pdf May 28, 2015
• Amended 04/07/15 - Amended Assembly pdf April 07, 2015
• Amended 03/17/15 - Amended Assembly pdf March 17, 2015
• Introduced 02/18/15 - Introduced pdf February 18, 2015
• AB379 View text html

Action History

1. October 11, 2015

   Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 772, Statutes of 2015.

2. October 11, 2015

   Approved by the Governor.

3. September 23, 2015

   Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4 p.m.

4. September 11, 2015

   Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 3139.).

5. September 10, 2015

   In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

6. September 10, 2015

   Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 40. Noes 0. Page 2693.).

7. September 08, 2015

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

8. September 04, 2015

   Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

9. August 31, 2015

   Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

10. August 27, 2015

    From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 27).

11. July 06, 2015

    In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

12. June 24, 2015

    From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

13. June 17, 2015

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on ED.

14. June 11, 2015

    Referred to Com. on ED.

15. June 02, 2015

    In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.

16. June 02, 2015

    Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0. Page 1801.)

17. June 01, 2015

    Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

18. May 28, 2015

    Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

19. May 28, 2015

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 17. Noes 0.) (May 28).

20. April 22, 2015

    In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

21. April 08, 2015

    Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

22. April 07, 2015

    Read second time and amended.

23. April 06, 2015

    From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (March 25).

24. March 18, 2015

    Re-referred to Com. on ED.

25. March 17, 2015

    From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ED. Read second time and amended.

26. March 05, 2015

    Referred to Com. on ED.

27. February 19, 2015

    From printer. May be heard in committee March 21.

28. February 18, 2015

    Read first time. To print.

Sponsors

• Gordon · Primary

Votes

Subjects