Amended in Senate July 9, 2015

Amended in Assembly May 28, 2015

Amended in Assembly April 20, 2015

Amended in Assembly March 26, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 58

Introduced by Assembly Member Rodriguez

December 2, 2014

An act to amend Sections 32280, 32281, 32282, 32286, 32288, and 47605 of, and to add Sections 32286.1 and 32288.1 to, the Education Code, relating to school safety.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 58, as amended, Rodriguez. School safety plans.

(1) Existing law provides that school districts and county offices of education are responsible for the overall development of a comprehensive school safety plan for each of their constituent schools. Existing law requires the schoolsite council of a school to write and develop the school safety plan relevant to the needs and resources of the particular school. Existing law requires a schoolsite council or school safety planning committee, before adopting a school safety plan, to hold a public meeting at the schoolsite, as specified. Existing law requires schools to forward copies of their school safety plans to the school district or county office of education for approval. Existing law requires school districts and county offices of education annually to notify the State Department of Education regarding schools that fail to adopt a school safety plan.

This bill would revise and recast those procedures. The bill would require the comprehensive school safety plan to include procedures related to individuals with guns on school campuses and at school-related functions, as provided. The bill would require, no later than October 15, 2016, and every year thereafter, each superintendent of a school district and county office of education to provide written notification to the Superintendent of Public Instruction certifying that each school within the school district and the county has complied with the requirement to adopt a comprehensive school safety plan. The bill would require certain school administrators to keep and maintain a copy of the most recent comprehensive school safety plan, as provided, and would require each principal to ensure that an updated copy of the comprehensive school safety plan is readily available to staff members, law enforcement, first responders, and the public. By requiring school and local educational agency officers to perform additional duties, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The Charter Schools Act of 1992 allows one or more persons seeking to establish a charter school within a school district to circulate a petition to that effect. The act provides that a petition for the establishment of a charter school may be denied by the governing board of a school district upon a finding that the petition does not contain a reasonably comprehensive description of the procedures that the school will follow to ensure the health and safety of pupils and staff, including a requirement that each employee of the school furnish the school with a criminal record summary. The renewal of a charter is also governed by these criteria.

This bill, in addition, would add the development of a school safety plan, which includes specified topics, and that is annually reviewed and updated by the school, to the procedures that the school will follow to ensure the health and safety of pupils and staff that are to be described in a petition for the establishment of, or application for the renewal of a charter of, a charter school.

(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 32280 of the Education Code is amended
to read:

32280.  

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that all California
public schools, in kindergarten, and grades 1 to 12, inclusive,
operated by school districts, in cooperation with local law
enforcement agencies, community leaders, parents, pupils, teachers,
administrators, and other persons who may be interested in the
prevention of campus crime and violence, develop a comprehensive
school safety plan that addresses the safety concerns identified
through a systematic planning process. For the purposes of this
section, law enforcement agencies include local police departments,
county sheriffs’ offices, school district police or security
departments, probation departments, and district attorneys’ offices.
For purposes of this section, a “safety plan” means a plan to
develop strategies aimed at the prevention of, and education about,
potential incidents involving crime and violence on the school
campus.

(b) For purposes of Sections 32281 and 32282, “principal”
includes the principal’s designee or administrator in charge of a
school for charter schools without a principal.

SEC. 2.  

Section 32281 of the Education Code is amended to
read:

32281.  

(a) Each school district and county office of education
is responsible for the overall development of all comprehensive
school safety plans for its schools operating kindergarten or any
of grades 1 to 12, inclusive.

(b) (1) Except as provided in subdivision (d) with regard to a
small school district, the schoolsite council established pursuant
to former Section 52012, as it existed before July 1, 2005, or
Section 52852 shall write and develop a comprehensive school
safety plan relevant to the needs and resources of that particular
school.

(2) The schoolsite council may delegate this responsibility to a
school safety planning committee made up of the following
members:

(A) The principal.

(B) One teacher who is a representative of the recognized
certificated employee organization.

(C) One parent whose child attends the school.

(D) One classified employee who is a representative of the
recognized classified employee organization.

(E) Other members, if desired.

(3) The schoolsite council shall consult with a representative
from a law enforcement agency in the writing and development
of the comprehensive school safety plan.

(4) In the absence of a schoolsite council, the members specified
in paragraph (2) shall serve as the school safety planning
committee.

(c) This article does not limit or take away the authority of
school boards as guaranteed under this code.

(d) (1) Subdivision (b) shall not apply to a small school district,
as defined in paragraph (2), if the small school district develops a
districtwide comprehensive school safety plan that is applicable
to each schoolsite.

(2) As used in this article, “small school district” means a school
district that has fewer than 2,501 units of average daily attendance
at the beginning of each fiscal year.

(e) (1) If a principal verifies through local law enforcement
officials that a report has been filed of the occurrence of a violent
crime on the schoolsite of an elementary or secondary school at
which he or she is the principal, the principal may send to each
pupil’s parent or legal guardian and each school employee a written
notice of the occurrence and general nature of the crime. If the
principal chooses to send the written notice, the Legislature
encourages the notice be sent no later than the end of business on
the second regular workday after the verification. If, at the time
of verification, local law enforcement officials determine that
notification of the violent crime would hinder an ongoing
investigation, the notification authorized by this subdivision shall
be made within a reasonable period of time, to be determined by
the local law enforcement agency and the school district. For
purposes of this section, an act considered a “violent crime” shall
meet the definition of Section 67381 and is an act for which a pupil
could or would be expelled pursuant to Section 48915.

(2) This subdivision does not create any liability in a school
district or its employees for complying with paragraph (1).

(f) (1) Notwithstanding subdivision (b), a school district or
county office of education may, in consultation with law
enforcement officials, elect to not have its schoolsite council
develop and write those portions of its comprehensive school safety
plan that include tactical responses to criminal incidents that may
result in death or serious bodily injury at the schoolsite. The
portions of a school safety plan that include tactical responses to
criminal incidents may be developed by administrators of the
school district or the county office of education in consultation
with law enforcement officials and with a representative of an
exclusive bargaining unit of employees of that school district or
county office of education, if he or she chooses to participate. The
school district or county office of education may elect not to
disclose those portions of the comprehensive school safety plan
that include tactical responses to criminal incidents.

(2) As used in this article, “tactical responses to criminal
incidents” means steps taken to safeguard pupils and staff, to secure
the affected school premises, and to apprehend the criminal
perpetrator or perpetrators.

(3) (A) Tactical responses to criminal incidents shall include
procedures related to individuals with guns on school campuses
and at school-related functions. Drills to prepare for active shooters
or other armed assailants shall be based on the specific needs and
context of each school and community. Schools shall consider the
most cost-effective method of preparing pupils and staff for an
active shooter situation while balancing the physical and
psychological risks associated with these drills. Regardless of the
nature of the drills a school chooses, the school resource officer
and school-employed mental health professionals shall be integrally
involved in the planning and evaluation process to ensure
appropriate implementation.

(B) As used in this subparagraph, “active shooter” means an
individual who is actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill
people in a confined and populated area.

(4) This subdivision does not preclude the governing board of
a school district or county office of education from conferring in
a closed session with law enforcement officials pursuant to Section
54957 of the Government Code to approve a tactical response plan
developed in consultation with those officials pursuant to this
subdivision. A vote to approve the tactical response plan shall be
announced in open session following the closed session.

(5) This subdivision does not reduce or eliminate the
requirements of Section 32282.

SEC. 3.  

Section 32282 of the Education Code is amended to
read:

32282.  

(a) The comprehensive school safety plan shall include,
but not be limited to, both of the following:

(1) Assessing the current status of school crime committed on
school campuses and at school-related functions.

(2) Identifying appropriate strategies and programs that will
provide or maintain a high level of school safety and address the
school’s procedures for complying with existing laws related to
school safety, which shall include the development of all of the
following:

(A) Child abuse reporting procedures consistent with Article
2.5 (commencing with Section 11164) of Chapter 2 of Title 1 of
Part 4 of the Penal Code.

(B) Disaster procedures, routine and emergency, including
adaptations for pupils with disabilities in accordance with the
federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec.
12101 et seq.). The disaster procedures shall also include, but not
be limited to, both of the following:

(i) Establishing an earthquake emergency procedure system in
every public school building having an occupant capacity of 50
or more pupils or more than one classroom. A school district or
county office of education may work with the Office of Emergency
Services and the Seismic Safety Commission to develop and
establish the earthquake emergency procedure system. The system
shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:

(I) A school building disaster plan, ready for implementation
at any time, for maintaining the safety and care of pupils and staff.

(II) A drop procedure whereby each pupil and staff member
takes cover under a table or desk, dropping to his or her knees,
with the head protected by the arms, and the back to the windows.
A drop procedure practice shall be held at least once each school
quarter in elementary schools and at least once a semester in
secondary schools.

(III) Protective measures to be taken before, during, and
following an earthquake.

(IV) A program to ensure that pupils and both the certificated
and classified staff are aware of, and properly trained in, the
earthquake emergency procedure system.

(ii) Establishing a procedure to allow a public agency or
nongovernmental organization, including the American Red Cross,
to use school buildings, grounds, and equipment for mass care and
welfare shelters during disasters or other emergencies affecting
the public health and welfare. The school district or county office
of education shall cooperate with the public agency or
nongovernmental organization in furnishing and maintaining the
services as the school district or county office of education may
deem necessary to meet the needs of the community.

(C) Policies pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 48915 for
pupils who committed an act listed in subdivision (c) of Section
48915 and other school-designated serious acts that would lead to
suspension, expulsion, or mandatory expulsion recommendations
pursuant to Article 1 (commencing with Section 48900) of Chapter
6 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2.

(D) Procedures to notify teachers of dangerous pupils pursuant
to Section 49079.

(E) A discrimination and harassment policy consistent with the
prohibition against discrimination contained in Chapter 2
(commencing with Section 200) of Part 1.

(F) The provisions of any schoolwide dress code, pursuant to
Section 35183, that prohibits pupils from wearing “gang-related
apparel,” if the school has adopted that type of a dress code. For
those purposes, the comprehensive school safety plan shall define
“gang-related apparel.” The definition shall be limited to apparel
that, if worn or displayed on a school campus, reasonably could
be determined to threaten the health and safety of the school
environment. Any schoolwide dress code established pursuant to
this section and Section 35183 shall be enforced on the school
campus and at any school-sponsored activity by the principal of
the school. For purposes of this paragraph, “gang-related apparel”
shall not be considered a protected form of speech pursuant to
Section 48950.

(G) Procedures for safe ingress and egress of pupils, parents,
and school employees to and from school.

(H) A safe and orderly environment conducive to learning at
the school.

(I) The rules and procedures on school discipline adopted
pursuant to Sections 35291 and 35291.5.

(b) It is the intent of the Legislature that schools develop
comprehensive school safety plans using existing resources,
including the materials and services of the School/Law
Enforcement Partnership Program, pursuant to this chapter. It is
also the intent of the Legislature that schools use the handbook
developed and distributed by the School/Law Enforcement
Partnership Program entitled “Safe Schools: A Planning Guide for
Action” and the report by the National Association of School
Psychologists and the National Association of School Resource
Officers on “Best Practice Considerations for Schools in Active
Shooter and Other Armed Assailant Drills” in conjunction with
developing their plan for school safety.

(c) Each schoolsite council or school safety planning committee
in developing and updating a comprehensive school safety plan
shall, where practical, consult, cooperate, and coordinate with
other schoolsite councils or school safety planning committees.

(d) As comprehensive school safety plans are reviewed and
updated, the Legislature encourages all plans, to the extent that
resources are available, to include policies and procedures aimed
at the prevention of bullying.

(e) The comprehensive school safety plan, as written and
updated by the schoolsite council or school safety planning
committee, shall be submitted for approval under subdivision (a)
of Section 32288.

SEC. 4.  

Section 32286 of the Education Code is amended to
read:

32286.  

(a) Each school shall adopt its comprehensive school
safety plan by March 1, 2000, and shall review and update its plan
by March 1 every year thereafter. A new school campus that begins
offering classes to pupils after March 1, 2001, shall adopt a
comprehensive school safety plan within one year of initiating
operation, and shall review and update its plan by March 1 every
year thereafter.

(b) Commencing July 2000 and every year thereafter, the
principal of each school shall accurately report on the status of the
principal’s school’s safety plan for the upcoming school year,
including a description of its key elements in the annual school
accountability report card prepared pursuant to Sections 33126
and 35256. The report shall include, but is not limited to, the date
the school safety plan was adopted and a description of the safety
plan’s elements as set forth in Section 32282.

SEC. 5.  

Section 32286.1 is added to the Education Code, to
read:

32286.1.  

No later than October 15, 2016, and each year
thereafter, each superintendent of a school district and county
office of education shall provide written notification to the
Superintendent certifying that each school within the school district
and county has complied with Section 32281 or subdivision (b)
of Section 32286 for that school year.

SEC. 6.  

Section 32288 of the Education Code is amended to
read:

32288.  

(a) In order to ensure compliance with this article, each
school shall forward its comprehensive school safety plan to the
school district or the county office of education for approval.

(b) (1)  (A)  Before adopting its comprehensive school safety
plan, the schoolsite council or school safety planning committee
shall hold a public meeting at the schoolsite in order to allow
members of the public the opportunity to express an opinion about
the school safety plan.

(B) Confidential information relating to tactical responses to
criminal incidents, pursuant to paragraph (1) of subdivision (f) of
Section 32281, shall not be included at the public meeting.

(2) The schoolsite council or school safety planning committee
shall notify, in writing, the following persons and entities, if
available, of the public meeting:

(A) The local mayor.

(B) A representative of the local school employee organization.

(C) A representative of each parent organization at the
schoolsite, including the parent teacher association and parent
teacher clubs.

(D) A representative of each teacher organization at the
schoolsite.

(E) A representative of the student body government.

(F) All persons who have indicated they want to be notified.

(3) The schoolsite council or school safety planning committee
is encouraged to notify, in writing, the following persons and
entities, if available, of the public meeting:

(A) A representative of the local churches.

(B) Local civic leaders.

(C) Local business organizations.

SEC. 7.  

Section 32288.1 is added to the Education Code, to
read:

32288.1.  

(a) Each principal shall keep and maintain a copy of
the most recent comprehensive school safety plan for that school
and shall ensure that an updated copy of the comprehensive school
safety plan, either written or electronic, shall be readily available
to staff members, law enforcement, first responders, and the public.

(b) Each superintendent of a school district or county office of
education shall keep and maintain a copy of the most recent
comprehensive school safety plan filed pursuant to Section 32288
and a copy of every notification made pursuant to Section 32286.1.

SEC. 8.  

Section 47605 of the Education Code is amended to
read:

47605.  

(a) (1) Except as set forth in paragraph (2), a petition
for the establishment of a charter school within a school district
may be circulated by one or more persons seeking to establish the
charter school. A petition for the establishment of a charter school
shall identify a single charter school that will operate within the
geographic boundaries of that school district. A charter school
may propose to operate at multiple sites within the school district,
as long as each location is identified in the charter school petition.
The petition may be submitted to the governing board of the school
district for review after either of the following conditions is met:

(A) The petition is signed by a number of parents or legal
guardians of pupils that is equivalent to at least one-half of the
number of pupils that the charter school estimates will enroll in
the school for its first year of operation.

(B) The petition is signed by a number of teachers that is
equivalent to at least one-half of the number of teachers that the
charter school estimates will be employed at the school during its
first year of operation.

(2) A petition that proposes to convert an existing public school
to a charter school that would not be eligible for a loan pursuant
to subdivision (b) of Section 41365 may be circulated by one or
more persons seeking to establish the charter school. The petition
may be submitted to the governing board of the school district for
review after the petition is signed by not less than 50 percent of
the permanent status teachers currently employed at the public
school to be converted.

(3) A petition shall include a prominent statement that a
signature on the petition means that the parent or legal guardian
is meaningfully interested in having his or her child or ward attend
the charter school, or in the case of a teacher’s signature, means
that the teacher is meaningfully interested in teaching at the charter
school. The proposed charter shall be attached to the petition.

(4) After receiving approval of its petition, a charter school that
proposes to establish operations at one or more additional sites
shall request a material revision to its charter and shall notify the
authority that granted its charter of those additional locations. The
authority that granted its charter shall consider whether to approve
those additional locations at an open, public meeting. If the
additional locations are approved, they shall be a material revision
to the charter school’s charter.

(5) A charter school that is unable to locate within the
jurisdiction of the chartering school district may establish one site
outside the boundaries of the school district, but within the county
in which that school district is located, if the school district within
the jurisdiction of which the charter school proposes to operate is
notified in advance of the charter petition approval, the county
superintendent of schools and the Superintendent are notified of
the location of the charter school before it commences operations,
and either of the following circumstances exists:

(A) The school has attempted to locate a single site or facility
to house the entire program, but a site or facility is unavailable in
the area in which the school chooses to locate.

(B) The site is needed for temporary use during a construction
or expansion project.

(6) Commencing January 1, 2003, a petition to establish a charter
school may not be approved to serve pupils in a grade level that
is not served by the school district of the governing board
considering the petition, unless the petition proposes to serve pupils
in all of the grade levels served by that school district.

(b) No later than 30 days after receiving a petition, in accordance
with subdivision (a), the governing board of the school district
shall hold a public hearing on the provisions of the charter, at
which time the governing board of the school district shall consider
the level of support for the petition by teachers employed by the
district, other employees of the district, and parents. Following
review of the petition and the public hearing, the governing board
of the school district shall either grant or deny the charter within
60 days of receipt of the petition, provided, however, that the date
may be extended by an additional 30 days if both parties agree to
the extension. In reviewing petitions for the establishment of
charter schools pursuant to this section, the chartering authority
shall be guided by the intent of the Legislature that charter schools
are and should become an integral part of the California educational
system and that establishment of charter schools should be
encouraged. The governing board of the school district shall grant
a charter for the operation of a school under this part if it is satisfied
that granting the charter is consistent with sound educational
practice. The governing board of the school district shall not deny
a petition for the establishment of a charter school unless it makes
written factual findings, specific to the particular petition, setting
forth specific facts to support one or more of the following
findings:

(1) The charter school presents an unsound educational program
for the pupils to be enrolled in the charter school.

(2) The petitioners are demonstrably unlikely to successfully
implement the program set forth in the petition.

(3) The petition does not contain the number of signatures
required by subdivision (a).

(4) The petition does not contain an affirmation of each of the
conditions described in subdivision (d).

(5) The petition does not contain reasonably comprehensive
descriptions of all of the following:

(A) (i) A description of the educational program of the school,
designed, among other things, to identify those whom the school
is attempting to educate, what it means to be an “educated person”
in the 21st century, and how learning best occurs. The goals
identified in that program shall include the objective of enabling
pupils to become self-motivated, competent, and lifelong learners.

(ii) A description, for the charter school, of annual goals, for
all pupils and for each subgroup of pupils identified pursuant to
Section 52052, to be achieved in the state priorities, as described
in subdivision (d) of Section 52060, that apply for the grade levels
served, or the nature of the program operated, by the charter school,
and specific annual actions to achieve those goals. A charter
petition may identify additional school priorities, the goals for the
school priorities, and the specific annual actions to achieve those
goals.

(iii) If the proposed school will serve high school pupils, a
description of the manner in which the charter school will inform
parents about the transferability of courses to other public high
schools and the eligibility of courses to meet college entrance
requirements. Courses offered by the charter school that are
accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges
may be considered transferable and courses approved by the
University of California or the California State University as
creditable under the “A” to “G” admissions criteria may be
considered to meet college entrance requirements.

(B) The measurable pupil outcomes identified for use by the
charter school. “Pupil outcomes,” for purposes of this part, means
the extent to which all pupils of the school demonstrate that they
have attained the skills, knowledge, and attitudes specified as goals
in the school’s educational program. Pupil outcomes shall include
outcomes that address increases in pupil academic achievement
both schoolwide and for all groups of pupils served by the charter
school, as that term is defined in subparagraph (B) of paragraph
(3) of subdivision (a) of Section 47607. The pupil outcomes shall
align with the state priorities, as described in subdivision (d) of
Section 52060, that apply for the grade levels served, or the nature
of the program operated, by the charter school.

(C) The method by which pupil progress in meeting those pupil
outcomes is to be measured. To the extent practicable, the method
for measuring pupil outcomes for state priorities shall be consistent
with the way information is reported on a school accountability
report card.

(D) The governance structure of the school, including, but not
limited to, the process to be followed by the school to ensure
parental involvement.

(E) The qualifications to be met by individuals to be employed
by the school.

(F) The procedures that the school will follow to ensure the
health and safety of pupils and staff. These procedures shall begin delete include
both of the following: end delete begin insert require: end insert

begin delete

(i) A requirement that

end delete

begin insert (i) end insert begin insert   end insert begin insert That end insert each employee of the school furnish the school with a
criminal record summary as described in Section 44237.

(ii) The development of a school safety plan, which shall include
the topics listed in subparagraphs (A) to begin delete (I), end delete begin insert (H), end insert inclusive, of
paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 32282, that is reviewed
and updated by March 1 of every year by the school.

(G) The means by which the school will achieve a racial and
ethnic balance among its pupils that is reflective of the general
population residing within the territorial jurisdiction of the school
district to which the charter petition is submitted.

(H) Admission requirements, if applicable.

(I) The manner in which annual, independent financial audits
shall be conducted, which shall employ generally accepted
accounting principles, and the manner in which audit exceptions
and deficiencies shall be resolved to the satisfaction of the
chartering authority.

(J) The procedures by which pupils can be suspended or
expelled.

(K) The manner by which staff members of the charter schools
will be covered by the State Teachers’ Retirement System, the
Public Employees’ Retirement System, or federal social security.

(L) The public school attendance alternatives for pupils residing
within the school district who choose not to attend charter schools.

(M) A description of the rights of any employee of the school
district upon leaving the employment of the school district to work
in a charter school, and of any rights of return to the school district
after employment at a charter school.

(N) The procedures to be followed by the charter school and
the entity granting the charter to resolve disputes relating to
provisions of the charter.

(O) A declaration whether or not the charter school shall be
deemed the exclusive public school employer of the employees of
the charter school for purposes of Chapter 10.7 (commencing with
Section 3540) of Division 4 of Title 1 of the Government Code.

(P) A description of the procedures to be used if the charter
school closes. The procedures shall ensure a final audit of the
school to determine the disposition of all assets and liabilities of
the charter school, including plans for disposing of any net assets
and for the maintenance and transfer of pupil records.

(c) (1) Charter schools shall meet all statewide standards and
conduct the pupil assessments required pursuant to Sections 60605
and 60851 and any other statewide standards authorized in statute
or pupil assessments applicable to pupils in noncharter public
schools.

(2) Charter schools shall, on a regular basis, consult with their
parents, legal guardians, and teachers regarding the school’s
educational programs.

(d) (1) In addition to any other requirement imposed under this
part, a charter school shall be nonsectarian in its programs,
admission policies, employment practices, and all other operations,
shall not charge tuition, and shall not discriminate against any
pupil on the basis of the characteristics listed in Section 220. Except
as provided in paragraph (2), admission to a charter school shall
not be determined according to the place of residence of the pupil,
or of his or her parent or legal guardian, within this state, except
that an existing public school converting partially or entirely to a
charter school under this part shall adopt and maintain a policy
giving admission preference to pupils who reside within the former
attendance area of that public school.

(2) (A) A charter school shall admit all pupils who wish to
attend the school.

(B) If the number of pupils who wish to attend the charter school
exceeds the school’s capacity, attendance, except for existing pupils
of the charter school, shall be determined by a public random
drawing. Preference shall be extended to pupils currently attending
the charter school and pupils who reside in the district except as
provided for in Section 47614.5. Other preferences may be
permitted by the chartering authority on an individual school basis
and only if consistent with the law.

(C) In the event of a drawing, the chartering authority shall
make reasonable efforts to accommodate the growth of the charter
school and in no event shall take any action to impede the charter
school from expanding enrollment to meet pupil demand.

(3) If a pupil is expelled or leaves the charter school without
graduating or completing the school year for any reason, the charter
school shall notify the superintendent of the school district of the
pupil’s last known address within 30 days, and shall, upon request,
provide that school district with a copy of the cumulative record
of the pupil, including a transcript of grades or report card, and
health information. This paragraph applies only to pupils subject
to compulsory full-time education pursuant to Section 48200.

(e) The governing board of a school district shall not require
any employee of the school district to be employed in a charter
school.

(f) The governing board of a school district shall not require
any pupil enrolled in the school district to attend a charter school.

(g) The governing board of a school district shall require that
the petitioner or petitioners provide information regarding the
proposed operation and potential effects of the school, including,
but not limited to, the facilities to be used by the school, the manner
in which administrative services of the school are to be provided,
and potential civil liability effects, if any, upon the school and
upon the school district. The description of the facilities to be used
by the charter school shall specify where the school intends to
locate. The petitioner or petitioners shall also be required to provide
financial statements that include a proposed first-year operational
budget, including startup costs, and cashflow and financial
projections for the first three years of operation.

(h) In reviewing petitions for the establishment of charter
schools within the school district, the governing board of the school
district shall give preference to petitions that demonstrate the
capability to provide comprehensive learning experiences to pupils
identified by the petitioner or petitioners as academically low
achieving pursuant to the standards established by the department
under Section 54032, as it read before July 19, 2006.

(i) Upon the approval of the petition by the governing board of
the school district, the petitioner or petitioners shall provide written
notice of that approval, including a copy of the petition, to the
applicable county superintendent of schools, the department, and
the state board.

(j) (1) If the governing board of a school district denies a
petition, the petitioner may elect to submit the petition for the
establishment of a charter school to the county board of education.
The county board of education shall review the petition pursuant
to subdivision (b). If the petitioner elects to submit a petition for
establishment of a charter school to the county board of education
and the county board of education denies the petition, the petitioner
may file a petition for establishment of a charter school with the
state board, and the state board may approve the petition, in
accordance with subdivision (b). A charter school that receives
approval of its petition from a county board of education or from
the state board on appeal shall be subject to the same requirements
concerning geographic location to which it would otherwise be
subject if it received approval from the entity to which it originally
submitted its petition. A charter petition that is submitted to either
a county board of education or to the state board shall meet all
otherwise applicable petition requirements, including the
identification of the proposed site or sites where the charter school
will operate.

(2) In assuming its role as a chartering agency, the state board
shall develop criteria to be used for the review and approval of
charter school petitions presented to the state board. The criteria
shall address all elements required for charter approval, as
identified in subdivision (b) and shall define “reasonably
comprehensive” as used in paragraph (5) of subdivision (b) in a
way that is consistent with the intent of this part. Upon satisfactory
completion of the criteria, the state board shall adopt the criteria
on or before June 30, 2001.

(3) A charter school for which a charter is granted by either the
county board of education or the state board based on an appeal
pursuant to this subdivision shall qualify fully as a charter school
for all funding and other purposes of this part.

(4) If either the county board of education or the state board
fails to act on a petition within 120 days of receipt, the decision
of the governing board of the school district to deny a petition
shall, thereafter, be subject to judicial review.

(5) The state board shall adopt regulations implementing this
subdivision.

(6) Upon the approval of the petition by the county board of
education, the petitioner or petitioners shall provide written notice
of that approval, including a copy of the petition to the department
and the state board.

(k) (1) The state board may, by mutual agreement, designate
its supervisorial and oversight responsibilities for a charter school
approved by the state board to any local educational agency in the
county in which the charter school is located or to the governing
board of the school district that first denied the petition.

(2) The designated local educational agency shall have all
monitoring and supervising authority of a chartering agency,
including, but not limited to, powers and duties set forth in Section
47607, except the power of revocation, which shall remain with
the state board.

(3) A charter school that is granted its charter through an appeal
to the state board and elects to seek renewal of its charter shall,
before expiration of the charter, submit its petition for renewal to
the governing board of the school district that initially denied the
charter. If the governing board of the school district denies the
school’s petition for renewal, the school may petition the state
board for renewal of its charter.

(l) Teachers in charter schools shall hold a Commission on
Teacher Credentialing certificate, permit, or other document
equivalent to that which a teacher in other public schools would
be required to hold. These documents shall be maintained on file
at the charter school and are subject to periodic inspection by the
chartering authority. It is the intent of the Legislature that charter
schools be given flexibility with regard to noncore, noncollege
preparatory courses.

(m) A charter school shall transmit a copy of its annual,
independent financial audit report for the preceding fiscal year, as
described in subparagraph (I) of paragraph (5) of subdivision (b),
to its chartering entity, the Controller, the county superintendent
of schools of the county in which the charter school is sited, unless
the county board of education of the county in which the charter
school is sited is the chartering entity, and the department by
December 15 of each year. This subdivision does not apply if the
audit of the charter school is encompassed in the audit of the
chartering entity pursuant to Section 41020.

SEC. 9.  

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.