BILL ANALYSIS Ó
SB 1455
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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
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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: The Interstate Compact on Education of Military
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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
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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.
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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
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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