BILL ANALYSIS Ó AB 1806 Page 1 Date of Hearing: April 9, 2014 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS Mike Gatto, Chair AB 1806 (Bloom) - As Introduced: February 18, 2014 Policy Committee: EducationVote:6-0 Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: Yes SUMMARY This bill makes policies and procedures for suspension, expulsion, graduation requirements and completed coursework for homeless youth comparable to existing law as it relates to foster youth. Specifically, this bill: 1)Requires each Local Educational Agency (LEA), when recommending expulsion or suspension of a pupil who has exceptional needs, to notify the LEA's liaison for homeless children and youth of a manifestation determination meeting, a suspension hearing, or an expulsion hearing of a homeless youth. (A manifestation determination is a decision as to whether the pupil's violation of the school code of conduct is determined to be a manifestation of the child's disability.) 2)Exempts homeless pupils from completing graduation requirements in excess of the state graduation requirements if the homeless pupil transfers after his or her second year of high school. 3)Requires, if a homeless pupil transfers schools, the LEA to award partial or full credit, as specified, for courses completed at a pupil's previous school. FISCAL EFFECT Minor, absorbable, GF/98 state reimbursable mandated costs to LEAs, as these policies and procedures are already in place for foster youth. COMMENTS AB 1806 Page 2 1)Purpose . This bill attempts to remove some of the barriers that may hinder homeless children and youth from achieving in school. The proposed changes mirror existing law as it relates to foster youth. 2)Background . For the 2011-12 school year, California reported 248,904 homeless children and youth enrolled in school. During the 2012-13 fiscal year, 82 LEAs received grant money under the McKinney-Vento Homeless Act in amounts ranging from $220 to $24,308. Yet, in an independent survey conducted by the California Research Bureau, three quarters of California's homeless youth were not in school. In this same survey, most of the 54 youth surveyed were between 17 and 24, yet only six had graduated from high school or attained a GED. At the same time, a majority of California youth surveyed expressed the desire to return to school and had life goals (such as becoming a teacher, social worker, or working in the medical field) that require extensive education to achieve. Analysis Prepared by : Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916) 319-2081