BILL NUMBER: SB 461	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  628
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  OCTOBER 8, 2011
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  OCTOBER 8, 2011
	PASSED THE SENATE  SEPTEMBER 2, 2011
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  SEPTEMBER 1, 2011
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  JULY 13, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Blakeslee

                        FEBRUARY 16, 2011

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


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 461, Blakeslee. High school equivalency certificates.
   Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to
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 specified
requirements, including, among others, that the person meets any of
the following: is at least 18 years of age; would have graduated from
high school had he or she remained in school and followed the usual
course of study toward graduation; or, 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.
   This bill would add being at least 17 years of age, having
accumulated fewer than 100 units of high school credit before
enrollment in the academic program of a dropout recovery high school,
as defined, and successfully completing the academic program of a
dropout recovery high school, as an additional option that a person
could meet to satisfy that requirement.


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.
   (4) (A) Is at least 17 years of age, has accumulated fewer than
100 units of high school credit prior to enrollment in the academic
program described in this paragraph, and has successfully completed
the academic program offered by a dropout recovery high school that
provides the pupil with all of the following:
   (i) Instruction aligned to state academic content standards.
   (ii) The opportunity to complete the requirements for a high
school diploma.
   (iii) At least one year of instruction or instruction followed by
services related to the academic program.
   (B) For purposes of this paragraph, "dropout recovery high school"
has the same meaning as set forth in subparagraph (D) of paragraph
(4) of subdivision (a) of Section 52052.