BILL NUMBER: SB 578 AMENDED
BILL TEXT
AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 14, 2011
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 coursework satisfactorily completed by a pupil in
foster care 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 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 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 and a county office of
education to award a pupil in foster care full or partial
credit for the coursework completed 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, 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 law, a school district and county
office of education shall accept coursework satisfactorily completed
by a pupil in foster care 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 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 public school, juvenile court school, or nonpublic,
nonsectarian school or agency.
(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.
(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.
(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.