BILL NUMBER: SB 1577	CHAPTERED  09/22/06

	CHAPTER  402
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 22, 2006
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 22, 2006
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 17, 2006
	PASSED THE SENATE  MAY 25, 2006
	AMENDED IN SENATE  MAY 2, 2006

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Romero

                        FEBRUARY 23, 2006

   An act to amend Section 35178.4 of the Education Code, relating to
schools.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 1577, Romero  Schools: accreditation.
   (1) Existing law requires a school district governing board to
give official notice at a regularly scheduled school board meeting if
a public school within the district that has elected to be
accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
or any other chartered accrediting agency loses its accreditation
status.  Existing law requires a school district, if a school loses
its accreditation status, to notify each parent or guardian of the
pupils in the school that the school has lost its accreditation
status, in writing, and requires this notice to indicate the
potential consequences of the school's loss of accreditation status.

   This bill would require this notice to also be posted on the
school district's Internet Web site and the school's Internet Web
site, if any.
   The bill would require a school district that has within its
jurisdiction a school that has elected to be accredited by WASC or
any other chartered accrediting agency to require that school to
publish all results of any inspection of the school by the
accrediting agency not later than 60 days after the results are made
available to the school. The bill would require publication to be
either by notifying each parent or guardian in writing or by posting
the information on the school district's Internet Web site or the
school's Internet Web site, or by any combination of these methods,
as determined by the school district.
   Because these requirements would impose additional duties upon
school districts and schools, the bill would establish a
state-mandated local program.
  (2) 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.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:


  SECTION 1.  Section 35178.4 of the Education Code is amended to
read:
   35178.4.  (a) A school district governing board shall give
official notice at a regularly scheduled school board meeting if a
public school within the district that has elected to be accredited
by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) or any
other chartered accrediting agency loses its accreditation status.
   (b) If a school loses its accreditation status, the school
district shall notify each parent or guardian of the pupils in the
school that the school has lost its accreditation status, in writing,
and this notice shall indicate the potential consequences of the
school's loss of accreditation status. This notice shall also be
posted on the school district's Internet Web site and the school's
Internet Web site, if any.
   (c) A school district that has within its jurisdiction a school
that has elected to be accredited by WASC or any other chartered
accrediting agency shall require that school to publish all results
of any inspection of the school by the accrediting agency not later
than 60 days after the results are made available to the school.
Publication shall be either by notifying each parent or guardian in
writing or by posting the information on the school district's
Internet Web site or the school's Internet Web site, or by any
combination of these methods, as determined by the school district.

  SEC. 2.  If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this
act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local
agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant
to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of
the Government Code.