BILL NUMBER: AB 622	CHAPTERED  10/05/07

	CHAPTER  269
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  OCTOBER 5, 2007
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  OCTOBER 5, 2007
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 30, 2007
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  SEPTEMBER 4, 2007
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 19, 2007
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 11, 2007
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JUNE 1, 2007

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Mullin

                        FEBRUARY 21, 2007

   An act to amend Sections 51420 and 51423 of the Education Code,
relating to high school equivalency certificates.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 622, Mullin. High school equivalency certificates: confined
persons.
   (1) Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction
to issue a California high school equivalency certificate to any
person who passes a general educational development test approved by
the State Board of Education and administered by an approved testing
center, is a California resident or a member of the armed services
and assigned to duty in California, and is either 18 years old or
would have graduated from high school if he or she had remained in
school and followed the usual course of study toward graduation.
   This bill, in addition, would add a person who is at least 17
years old, has accumulated a certain number of units of high school
credit, and is confined to a state or county hospital or to an
institution maintained by a state or county correctional agency, to
the list of persons who are eligible to receive a high school
equivalency certificate.
   (2) Existing law authorizes the Superintendent to provide for the
administration of the general educational development test to persons
confined in certain hospitals or correctional institutions.
   This bill would authorize the Superintendent to grant a waiver to
a county office of education to provide a general educational
development test preparation program, not to exceed one hour per
schoolday, as part of any other instructional program during the
regular schoolday to a person who is at least 17 years old, has
accumulated insufficient units of high school credit to graduate from
high school by 18 years of age, and is confined to a state or county
hospital or to an institution maintained by a state or county
correctional agency.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 51420 of the Education Code is amended to read:

   51420.  The Superintendent shall issue a California high school
equivalency certificate and an official score report, or an official
score report only, to any person who has not completed high school
and who meets all of the following requirements:
   (a) Is a resident of this state or is a member of the armed
services assigned to duty in this state.
   (b) Has taken all or a portion of a general educational
development test that has been approved by the state board and that
is administered by a testing center approved by the department, with
a score determined by the state board to be equal to the standard of
performance expected from high school graduates.
   (c) Meets one of the following:
   (1) Is at least 18 years of age.
    (2) Would have graduated from high school had he or she remained
in school and followed the usual course of study toward graduation.
   (3) Is at least 17 years of age, has accumulated fewer than 100
units of high school credit, and is confined to a state or county
hospital or to an institution maintained by a state or county
correctional agency.
  SEC. 2.  Section 51423 of the Education Code is amended to read:
   51423.  (a) (1) The Superintendent may provide for the
administration of the general educational development test to persons
confined to state or county hospitals or to institutions maintained
by state or county correctional agencies.
   (2) Those agencies, upon request, shall reimburse the
Superintendent in an amount sufficient to pay the cost of
administering the test.
   (b) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Superintendent
may grant a waiver to a county office of education to provide a
general educational development test preparation program, not to
exceed one hour per schoolday, as part of any other instructional
program during the regular schoolday to a person who is at least 17
years of age, has accumulated insufficient units of high school
credit to graduate from high school by 18 years of age, and is
confined to a state or county hospital or to an institution
maintained by a state or county correctional agency.