BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 216
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CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 216 (Stone and Maienschein)
As Amended September 3, 2013
2/3 vote. Urgency
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|ASSEMBLY: |76-0 |(April 18, |SENATE: |38-0 |(September 9, |
| | |2013) | | |2013) |
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Original Committee Reference: ED .
SUMMARY : Provides that a foster youth who transfers to a new
school after completing his or her second year of high school
shall be exempt from the graduation requirements of the new
school that exceed state requirements unless the school district
makes a finding that the pupil is reasonably able to complete
the school's graduation requirements in time to graduate from
high school by the end of his or her fourth year of high school,
and provides that the pupil is not required to accept the
exemption. Requires school districts to modify procedures for
determining which pupils are exempt, notify appropriate parties,
and provide information regarding how the exemption will affect
the pupil's ability to gain admission to a postsecondary
education institution and about transfer opportunities available
through the California community colleges, and to give foster
pupils the option of attending high school for a fifth year in
order to complete the district's graduation requirements.
The Senate amendments prohibit a pupil in foster care or the
person holding the right to make educational decisions for the
pupil from requesting a transfer solely to qualify for the
exemption.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations
Committee:
1)Potential General Fund/Proposition 98 costs in excess of
$100,000 to reimburse districts for expanded mandates.
2)Likely minor increase in average daily attendance to the
extent that students in foster care do not accept the
exemption and continue to attend high school for a 5th year.
EXISTING LAW requires a school district to exempt a transfer
AB 216
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pupil in foster care from district graduation requirements that
are in addition to statewide requirements if the pupil transfers
to the school while he or she is in grade 11 or 12, unless the
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, which is up to age 21.
COMMENTS : Recently-enacted law extends eligibility for foster
care benefits to age 21, which is well beyond the normal
graduation age of 18 or 19. To prevent districts from
requiring foster youth to stay in school for this length of
time, this bill allows districts to deny an exemption from
graduation requirements only if they find that the pupil can
reasonably complete local requirements in time to graduate by
the end of his or her fourth year of high school.
Analysis Prepared by : Rick Pratt / ED. / (916) 319-2087
FN: 0002421