BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó



                                                                    SB 1455


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          Date of Hearing:  June 15, 2016


                           ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION


                              Patrick O'Donnell, Chair


          SB  
          1455 (Block) - As Amended June 8, 2016


          SENATE VOTE:  38-0


          SUBJECT:  Pupil enrollment:  military dependents


          SUMMARY:  Provides that a student meets residency requirements  
          for school attendance if the student's parent is transferred or  
          is pending transfer to a military installation that is within  
          the boundaries of the school district.  Specifically, this bill:  
           


          1)Provides that a pupil complies with the residency requirements  
            for school attendance in a school district, if he or she is a  
            pupil whose parent is transferred or is pending transfer to a  
            military installation within the boundaries of the school  
            district while on active military duty pursuant to an official  
            military order.


          2)Defines "active military duty" to mean full-time military duty  
            status in the active uniformed service of the United States,  
            including members of the California National Guard and the  
            State Military Reserve on active duty orders pursuant to Title  
            10 or 32 of the United States Code or Part 1 (commencing with  








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            Section 100) of Division 2 of the Military and Veterans Code.


          3)Defines "military installation" to mean a base, camp, post,  
            station, yard, center, homeport facility for any ship, or  
            other activity under the jurisdiction of the Department of  
            Defense or the United States Coast Guard.


          4)Defines "parent" to mean the natural or adoptive parent or  
            guardian of a dependent child.


          5)Requires a school district to accept applications by  
            electronic means for enrollment, including enrollment in a  
            specific school or program within the school district, and  
            course registration for pupils.


          6)Requires the parent to provide proof of residence within 10  
            days after the published arrival date provided on official  
            documentation.


          7)Allows a parent to use any of the following addresses as  
            related to his or her military move:


             a)   A temporary on-base billeting facility;


             b)   A purchased or leased home or apartment; or 


             c)   Federal government or public-private venture off-base  
               military housing.


          EXISTING LAW:   








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           FISCAL EFFECT:  According to the Senate Appropriations  
            Committee, "No anticipated significant costs to the state.   
            This bill may result in a reimbursable state mandate but costs  
            associated with the requirement for a school district to  
            accept electronic applications for enrollment and course  
            registration are expected to be minor.  In addition, because  
            state funding is provided to school districts for student  
            attendance, this funding would likely offset any additional  
            costs related to this requirement.  



          COMMENTS:  


          Need for the bill.  According to the author, children of  
          military service members transferring on official military  
          orders to California are not eligible to register in high school  
          courses, enroll in specialized academic programs or enter random  
          lotteries for consideration into a charter or magnet school  
          until they are physically located within the district  
          boundaries. As a result, these students often miss course and  
          program registration deadlines. This bill would allow, by  
          electronic means, transferring military families to enroll their  
          children in a school, program or course prior to being  
          physically located within the boundaries of the school district.  


          The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military  
          Child.  The Compact is an interstate agreement that provides  
          guidance as to how local school districts address the transition  
          needs of military children. With the passage of AB 343 (Saldana,  
          Chapter 237, Statutes of 2009), California ratified its  
          participation in the Compact. Existing law prohibits changes in  
          the Compact agreement unless the proposed changes are enacted  
          into law by unanimous consent of the member states. Under the  
          Compact, districts are required to be flexible in applying their  








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          local rules to students in order to facilitate enrollment,  
          placement, advancement, eligibility for extracurricular  
          activities, and on-time graduation. These provisions, however,  
          do not guarantee placement.  It's not clear how districts apply  
          rules to application or program deadlines.

          Separate from the Compact, this bill aims to provide military  
          families the ability to start the enrollment process as soon as  
          a written military transfer order is given. Parents must provide  
          proof of residence within 10 days after the published arrival  
          date provided on the military order. 

          Affected school districts.  The provisions in this bill apply to  
               students of active-duty 
          members of the United States uniformed services, National Guard  
               and Reserve on 
          active-duty orders. California hosts more than 30 military  
               installations and 168 active-
          duty service members. Presumably, the surrounding districts of  
               those military 
          installations may be the most affected by the requirements  
               outlined in the bill.



          REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:




          Support


          Association of California School Administrators


          Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson










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          United States Marine Corps, Brigadier General, Edward D. Banta




          Opposition


          None on file




          Analysis Prepared by:Rick Pratt / ED. / (916)  
          319-2087