BILL ANALYSIS Ó SB 1455 Page 1 Date of Hearing: June 28, 2016 ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS Jacqui Irwin, 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 SB 1455 Page 2 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: The Interstate Compact on Education of Military SB 1455 Page 3 Children, Education Code 49700, et seq., is the foundational code here. 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: According to the author: Need for the bill. It is common for military service members to be reassigned to new duty stations every three to four years, oftentimes requiring them and their families to relocate. Depending on mission and training requirements for parents in the military, school-aged children many times must move during the school year which can significantly disadvantage them due to missed deadlines for course and program enrollment and/or registration. Currently, children of military service members transferring on official military Permanent Change of Station (PCS) orders to California are not eligible to register in high school courses, enroll in specialized academic programs, or submit their children's names for consideration in random lotteries for charter or magnet school entry until they are physically located within district boundaries. This bill allows the child to meet residency requirements for school attendance if the child's parent is transferred or is pending transfer to a military SB 1455 Page 4 installation that is within the boundaries of the district and allows military families to register for courses and specialized programs remotely by electronic means. This will provide military children with equal opportunities to access educational experiences as their civilian peers. The Interstate Compact on Educational Opportunity for Military Children. The Compact is a voluntary agreement that provides for the uniform treatment of military children who transfer between school districts and states. It allows for a consistent policy structure in every state and district that chooses to join to address student needs for military families when relocating. California officially joined the Compact upon the passage of AB 343 (Saldana, Chapter 237, Statutes of 2009) and has a state council that informs school districts of the terms of the Compact. While the Compact addresses enrollment, eligibility, placement and graduation for students of military families, it does not include application and course registration timelines. Since districts currently are not required to reserve spaces for military children and parents might miss deadlines for registration, this may cause students to have to shift their course of study, possibly forcing them to take classes during the summer or graduate later than their peers. This bill seeks to enhance protections for these students by allowing parents to enroll their children remotely once the parents are transferred or pending transfer. Specific Issues Facing Children of Military Families. Due to the transient nature of military assignments, children of military families can be uniquely disadvantaged due to missed deadlines. In August 2015, according to Secretary of Defense data, there were 58,287 school-aged children of military families in California. With military service members reassigned to new duty stations every three or four years, roughly one third of these students will need to transfer schools in any given year. SB 1455 Page 5 Although these families typically receive their military orders in early to mid-spring detailing their next destination, they are not able to begin preliminary enrollment and registration for their school-aged children until they are physically in the new school district. Some heavily military-impacted districts currently allow for online pre-registration for all incoming students, but this does not allow for course registration or application to specialized programs. Governor's Military Council Report. In June 2015 Governor Brown published his military council report which updated the public on the status of military operations in California and outlined recommendations on how they can be strengthened. It was noted that California has more than 30 major military installations, by far the most of any U.S. state, and consequently is home to a vast number of service members and their children. To help support these families, the report specifically mentioned that "state agencies should identify ways to strengthen educational opportunities for children of military families" as one of its main recommendations. This bill is aligned with the Military Council's recommendation by facilitating the relocation process for military families to help ease their children's transition to a new school. REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION: Support Association of California School Administrators SB 1455 Page 6 Superintendent of Public Instruction, Tom Torlakson United States Marine Corps, Brigadier General, Edward D. Banta Opposition None on file Analysis Prepared by:John Spangler / V.A. / (916) 319-3550