BILL NUMBER: SB 578	AMENDED
	BILL TEXT

	AMENDED IN SENATE  MARCH 31, 2011

INTRODUCED BY   Senator Negrete McLeod

                        FEBRUARY 17, 2011

   An act to add Section 51225.2 to the Education Code, relating to
schools.



	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   SB 578, as amended, Negrete McLeod. Schools: pupils in foster
care: course credit.
   (1) Existing law requires a local educational agency to designate
a staff person as the educational liaison for foster children and
requires the liaison to assist foster children when transferring from
one school to another or from one school district to another in
ensuring proper transfer of credits, records, and grades.
   Existing law requires a school district to exempt a pupil in
foster care from graduation requirements adopted by the governing
board of the  school  district that are in addition to the
statewide coursework requirements  if the pupil,  while the
pupil is in grade 11 or 12, transfers into the  school 
district from another school district or between high schools within
the  school  district, unless the school district makes a
finding that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the additional
requirements in time to graduate from high school while he or she
remains eligible for foster care benefits pursuant to state law.
   Existing law requires a school district and county office of
education to accept for credit full or partial coursework
satisfactorily completed by a pupil while attending a public school,
juvenile court school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency.
If a pupil completes the graduation requirements of his or her school
district of residence while being detained, the school district of
residence is required to issue to the pupil a diploma from the school
the pupil last attended before detention, or in the alternative, the
county superintendent of schools is authorized to issue the diploma.

   This bill would require a school district and county office of
education to accept  the  coursework satisfactorily
completed by a pupil in foster care while attending another 
school district   public school  , a juvenile court
school, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency even if the
pupil did not complete the entire course and to award that pupil full
or partial credit for the coursework completed. The bill would
prohibit a pupil in foster care from being required to retake a
course  or portions of a course for which the school district
has provided full or partial credit   if the pupil
completed the entire course in a public school, a juvenile court
school, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency. If the pupil
did not complete the entire course, the bill would prohibit the
school district or county office of education from requiring the
pupil to retake the course or portions of the course unless the
school district or county office of education finds that the pupil is
reasonably able to   complete the requirements in time to
graduate from high school while the pupil remains eligible for foster
care  .
   The bill would encourage school districts and county offices of
education to develop, implement, or utilize credit recovery programs
that will permit a pupil in foster care to recoup the necessary
credit in the particular subject matter in order to meet graduation
requirements.
   By requiring a school district to award a pupil in foster care
full or partial credit for the coursework completed while attending
another  school district   public school  ,
a juvenile court school, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or
agency even if the pupil did not complete the entire course, the bill
would impose 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.
   Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes.
State-mandated local program: yes.


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

  SECTION 1.  Section 51225.2 is added to the Education Code, to
read:
   51225.2.  (a) For the purposes of this section, "pupil in foster
care" means any child who has been removed from his or her home
pursuant to Section 309 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, is the
subject of a petition filed under Section 300 or 602 of the Welfare
and Institutions Code, or has been removed from his or her home and
is the subject of a petition filed under Section 300 or 602 of the
Welfare and Institutions Code.
   (b) Notwithstanding any other  provision of law,
a school district and county office of education shall accept
 the  coursework satisfactorily completed by a pupil
in foster care while attending another  school district
  public school  , a juvenile court school, or a
nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency even if the pupil did not
complete the entire course and shall issue that pupil full or partial
credit for the coursework completed.
   (c) The credits accepted pursuant to subdivision (b) shall be
applied to the same subject matter as the coursework completed in the
prior  school district   public school  ,
juvenile court school, or nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency.
 A school district shall not require a pupil in foster care
to retake a course or portions of a course for which the school
district has provided full or partial credit pursuant to this
section.  
   (d) A school district or county office of education shall not
require a pupil in foster care to retake a course if the pupil
completed the entire course in a public school, a juvenile court
school, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency. If the pupil
did not complete the entire course, the school district or county
office of education shall not require the pupil to retake the course
or portions of the course unless the school district or county office
of education finds that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the
requirements in time to graduate from high school while the pupil
remains eligible for foster care.  
   (d) 
    (e)  School districts and county offices of education
are encouraged to develop, implement, or utilize credit recovery
programs that will permit a pupil in foster care to recoup the
necessary credit in the particular subject matter in order to meet
graduation requirements. 
   (e) 
    (f)  For purposes of this section, a credit recovery
program includes, but is not limited to, the following programs:
   (1) Online courses.
   (2) Electronic learning laboratories.
   (3) Computerized modules.
   (4) Independent study.
   (5) Direct instruction.
  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.