BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 2306
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Date of Hearing: April 20, 2016
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Lorena Gonzalez, Chair
AB
2306 (Frazier) - As Amended April 13, 2016
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Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: YesReimbursable:
Yes
SUMMARY:
This bill exempts students who transfer from juvenile court
schools to school districts after completion of 10th grade from
any local graduation requirements in excess of those required by
the state, and allows these students to earn a high school
diploma while in juvenile court school if they meet state
graduation requirements. Specifically, this bill:
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1)Defines, for purposes of this act, "pupil" to mean a pupil
who, any time after he or she completes 10th grade, transfers
to a school district from a juvenile court school.
2)Requires school districts to exempt these students from all
coursework and other requirements adopted by the governing
board of the school district for high school graduation that
are in addition to the statewide coursework graduation
requirements, unless the school district makes a finding that
the student is reasonably able to complete the additional
requirements in time to graduate from high school.
3)Requires that, if a student completes the state coursework
graduation requirements while attending a juvenile court
school, the county office of education (COE) issue a diploma
and exempt the student from any local graduation that are in
addition to the state requirements.
4)Requires students receive notice of their rights under this
bill, consistent with existing law notification of these same
rights for foster youth and homeless youth.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Unknown, likely minor, Proposition 98/GF state reimbursable
mandated costs for COEs to issue diplomas to students that
complete statewide coursework requirements for graduation while
attending juvenile court schools. Current law requires students
in juvenile court schools to be issued diplomas from their
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district of residence or the county superintendent of schools if
they meet the graduation requirements of their school district
of residence. There should be minor workload associated with
determining if the student meets statewide graduation
requirements.
COMMENTS:
1)Purpose. Current law exempts students in foster care and
homeless youth, as defined, from meeting local graduation
requirements, under specified conditions. This bill extends
this exemption to students in juvenile court schools.
According to the author, juvenile court school pupils often
fall through the cracks when it comes to high school
graduation. Allowing pupils who have had contact with juvenile
court schools to graduate high school with the statewide
requirements will provide them an opportunity to advance their
education and contribute to our economy while lowering their
chances of recidivism.
2)State vs. local graduation requirements. While the state sets
minimum graduation course requirements, LEAs may require
additional coursework or other requirements for graduation.
Some school districts, for example require a course in health
education or community service hours, neither of which are
required by state law.
The author notes that students who transfer to a school
district after 10th grade may not have time within their
AB 2306
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remaining years of education to meet local graduation
requirements. This bill, as with prior legislation pertaining
to foster youth and homeless students, is an effort to provide
juvenile court school students a better opportunity to
graduate by meeting state graduation requirements, when
appropriate.
Analysis Prepared by:Misty Feusahrens / APPR. / (916)
319-2081