AB 1012, Jones-Sawyer. Pupil instruction: course periods without educational content.
(1) Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state, and requires and authorizes local educational agencies to provide specified instruction at elementary and secondary schools. Existing law prescribes various requirements with respect to a course of study for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, at these schools.
This bill, commencing with the 2016-17 school year, would prohibit school districts that maintain any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, from assigning a pupil enrolled in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in a school, as defined to exclude alternative schools, community day schools, continuation schools, and opportunity schools, in the school district to any course period without educational content, as defined, for more than one week in any semester, except under prescribed conditions. The bill would specifically prohibit school districts from assigning a pupil enrolled in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in a school in the school district to a course period without educational content because there are not sufficient curricular course offerings for the pupil to take during the relevant period of the designated schoolday.
The bill would, commencing with the 2016-17 school year, also prohibit school districts that maintain any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, from assigning a pupil enrolled in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in a school, as defined to exclude alternative schools, community day schools, continuation schools, and opportunity schools, in the school district, to a course that the pupil has previously completed and received a grade determined by the school district to be sufficient to satisfy the requirements and prerequisites for admission to the California public institutions of postsecondary education and the minimum requirements for receiving a diploma of graduation from high school, except under specified conditions.
The bill would specify that it is not to be interpreted to limit or otherwise affect the authority of a school district to authorize dual enrollment in community college or to provide evening high school programs, independent study programs, or work-based learning or work experience education.
The bill would specify procedures to be followed if a complaint of noncompliance with the requirements of the bill is filed with a local educational agency or if an appeal of the local educational agency’s decision on the complaint is made to the State Department of Education. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to prepare an annual report detailing actions taken pursuant to these procedures.
The bill would require the Superintendent to develop regulations for adoption by the State Board of Education governing these provisions.
To the extent that this bill would create new duties for local educational agencies, it would constitute 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.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
Section 51228.1 is added to the Education Code, to read:
(a) Commencing with the 2016-17 school year, except as provided in subdivision (e), a school district maintaining any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, shall not assign a pupil enrolled in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in a school in the school district to any course period without educational content for more than one week in any semester, unless all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(1) A pupil is assigned to that course only if the pupil or, for a pupil who has not reached the age of majority, the pupil’s parent, guardian, or educational rights holder has consented in writing to the assignment.
(2) A school official has determined that the pupil will benefit from being assigned to the course period.
(3) The principal or assistant principal of the school has stated in a written document maintained at the school that, for the relevant school year, no pupils are assigned to those classes unless the school has met the conditions specified in paragraphs (1) and (2).
(b) Under no circumstances shall a school district assign a pupil enrolled in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in a school in the school district to a course period without educational content because there are not sufficient curricular course offerings for the pupil to take during the relevant period of the designated schoolday.
(c) For purposes of this section, “course period without educational content” is defined as one course period during which any of the following occurs:
(1) The pupil is sent home or released from campus before the conclusion of the designated schoolday.
(2) The pupil is assigned to a service, instructional work experience, or to an otherwise named course in which the pupil is assigned to assist a certificated employee, but not expected to complete curricular assignments, in a course the certificated employee is teaching during that period and where the ratio of certificated employees to pupils assigned to the course for curricular purposes is less than one to one.
(3) The pupil is not assigned to any course for the relevant course period.
(d) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to limit or otherwise affect the authority of a school district to authorize dual enrollment in community college, as provided for in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 48800) of Part 27, to establish and maintain evening high school programs, as provided for in Article 3 (commencing with Section 51720) of Chapter 5, to offer independent study, as provided for in Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 51745) of Chapter 5, to provide courses of work-based learning or work experience education, as provided for in Article 7 (commencing with Section 51760) of Chapter 5, or to offer any class or course of instruction authorized under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 51700), if the program otherwise meets all of the requirements of law governing that program.
(e) This section shall not apply to a pupil enrolled in any of the following:
(1) An alternative school.
(2) A community day school.
(3) A continuation high school.
(4) An opportunity school.
(f) The Superintendent shall develop regulations for adoption by the state board to establish procedures governing this section, including the form of the written statement required pursuant to subdivision (a).
Section 51228.2 is added to the Education Code, to read:
(a) Commencing with the 2016-17 school year, except as provided in subdivision (d), a school district maintaining any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, shall not assign a pupil enrolled in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in a school in the school district to a course that the pupil has previously completed and received a grade determined by the school district to be sufficient to satisfy the requirements and prerequisites for admission to the California public institutions of postsecondary education and the minimum requirements for receiving a diploma of graduation from high school established in this article, unless either of the following applies:
(1) The course has been designed to be taken more than once because pupils are exposed to a new curriculum year to year and are therefore expected to derive educational value from taking the course again.
(2) For any course that has not been designed to be taken more than once, all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(A) A pupil is assigned to the course only if the pupil or, for a pupil who has not reached the age of majority, the pupil’s parent, guardian, or educational rights holder has consented in writing to the assignment for the purpose of improving a lower grade.
(B) A school official has determined that the pupil will benefit from being assigned to the course period.
(C) The principal or assistant principal of the school has stated in a written document to be maintained at the school that, for the relevant school year, no pupils are assigned to those classes unless the school has met the conditions specified in subparagraphs (A) and (B).
(b) Under no circumstances shall a school district assign a pupil enrolled in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in a school in the school district to a course that the pupil has previously completed and received a grade determined by the school district to be sufficient to satisfy the requirements and prerequisites for admission to the California public institutions of postsecondary education and the minimum requirements for receiving a diploma of graduation from high school established in this article because there are not sufficient curricular course offerings for the pupil to take during the relevant period of the designated schoolday.
(c) Nothing in this section shall be interpreted to limit or otherwise affect the authority of a school district to authorize dual enrollment in community college, as provided for in Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 48800) of Part 27, to establish and maintain evening high school programs, as provided for in Article 3 (commencing with Section 51720) of Chapter 5, to offer independent study, as provided for in Article 5.5 (commencing with Section 51745) of Chapter 5, to provide courses of work-based learning or work experience education, as provided for in Article 7 (commencing with Section 51760) of Chapter 5, or to offer any class or course of instruction authorized under Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 51700), if the program otherwise meets all of the requirements of law governing that program.
(d) This section shall not apply to a pupil enrolled in any of the following:
(1) An alternative school.
(2) A community day school.
(3) A continuation high school.
(4) An opportunity school.
(e) The Superintendent shall develop regulations for adoption by the state board to establish procedures governing this section, including the form of the written statement required pursuant to subdivision (a).
Section 51228.3 is added to the Education Code, to read:
(a) A complaint of noncompliance with the requirements of Section 51228.1 or 51228.2 may be filed with the local educational agency under the Uniform Complaint Procedures set forth in Chapter 5.1 (commencing with Section 4600) of Division 1 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations.
(b) A complainant not satisfied with the decision of a local educational agency may appeal the decision to the department pursuant to the Uniform Complaint Procedures set forth in Chapter 5.1 (commencing with Section 4600) of Division 1 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, and shall receive a decision regarding the appeal within 60 days of the department’s receipt of the appeal.
(c) If a local educational agency finds merit in a complaint filed pursuant to subdivision (a), or the Superintendent finds merit in an appeal made pursuant to subdivision (b), the local educational agency shall provide a remedy to the affected pupil.
(d) The Superintendent shall prepare an annual report detailing actions taken pursuant to this section. By January 1 of each year, the Superintendent shall submit the report to the appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature.
(e) The Superintendent shall have all power and authority necessary to effectuate the requirements of this section. The Superintendent shall develop regulations for adoption by the state board that set forth the procedures governing this section.
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.
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