BILL ANALYSIS �
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Carol Liu, Chair
2013-2014 Regular Session
BILL NO: SB 237
AUTHOR: Calderon
AMENDED: May 1, 2013
FISCAL COMM: No HEARING DATE: May 8, 2013
URGENCY: No CONSULTANT:Lynn Lorber
SUBJECT : Retroactive high school diplomas.
SUMMARY
This bill expands the pool of veterans who may receive a
retroactive high school diploma to include people who
served in the military after the Vietnam War.
BACKGROUND
Retroactive high school diplomas
Current law authorizes school districts and county offices
of education to retroactively grant a high school diploma
to a person who has not received a diploma if he or she
meets either of the following:
1) The person was interned by order of the federal
government during World War II and was enrolled in a
high school immediately preceding his or her
internment and did not receive a diploma because his
or her education was interrupted due to internment.
2) The person is a veteran of World War II, the Korean
War or the Vietnam War, was honorably discharged from
military service, was enrolled in high school
immediately preceding his or her military service in
those wars, and did not receive a diploma because his
or her education was interrupted due to military
service. (Education Code � 51430)
Current law authorizes school districts and county offices
of education to, for a former member of the Armed Forces
who is a resident of California and who has received an
honorable discharge, or for a member of the Armed Forces
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who is a resident of California, who has not received a
high school diploma:
1) Evaluate classes completed in any high school,
community college or state college.
2) Grant credit toward graduation for military service
and training received while in the military service of
the United States.
3) Grant a diploma of graduation if satisfied that the
person has completed the equivalent of the
requirements for graduation from high school.
(EC � 51440)
Current law requires a high school to grant a diploma of
graduation to a veteran who was enrolled in grade 12 at the
time of entering military and had satisfactorily completed
the first half of the work required for grade 12. (EC �
51440)
Current law defines a veteran as a person who has served 90
days or more in the military service of the United States
during a war with a foreign power or during any national
emergency declared by the President of the United States
and who has received an honorable discharge from that
service. (EC � 51442)
Current law provides that war with a foreign power exists
under any of the following conditions:
1) Whenever Congress has declared war and peace has not
been formally restored.
2) Whenever the United States is engaged in active
military operations against any foreign power, whether
or not war has been formally declared.
3) Whenever the United States is assisting the United
Nations, in actions involving the use of armed forces,
to maintain or restore international peace and
security. (EC � 22804)
High school graduation requirements
Current law:
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1) Requires a pupil to pass both the English language
arts and mathematics portions of the California High
School Exit Exam and complete the following courses as
a condition of graduating from high school:
a) Three years of English.
b) Two years of mathematics.
c) Two years of science, including biological
and physical sciences.
d) Three years of social studies, including
United States history and geography; world
history, culture, and geography; one semester of
American government and civics, and one semester
of economics.
e) One year of visual or performing arts,
foreign language, or beginning with the 2012-13
school year, career technical education.
f) Two years of physical education. (EC �
60851 and � 51225.3)
2) Requires one of the two years of mathematics to meet
or exceed the rigor of the content standards for
Algebra I. (EC � 51224.5)
3) Authorizes school districts to impose additional
coursework requirements as a condition of graduation
from high school. (EC � 51225.3)
ANALYSIS
This bill expands the pool of veterans who may receive a
retroactive high school diploma to include people who
served in the military after the Vietnam War.
Specifically, this bill:
1) Expands the group of veterans who may be granted a
retroactive high school diploma by striking reference
to veterans of World War II, the Korean War, or the
Vietnam War.
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2) Expands the definition of "veteran" to include those
who served in the United States military during a
humanitarian mission.
3) Authorizes a school district or county office of
education, before granting a retroactive high school
diploma, to require an eligible veteran to pass the
high school exit exam.
STAFF COMMENTS
1) Need for the bill . According to the author,
"Currently, districts and boards of education have the
authority to retroactively grant high school diplomas
to those interned as well as specified veterans. The
specificity of the language does not give school
districts the clear ability to include veterans in
post-Vietnam conflicts. Further, this bill will
include those who served in humanitarian missions.
Not all persons deployed overseas do so in the name of
conflict."
2) High school exit exam . Passage of the California high
school exit exam is currently a requirement for high
school graduation. This bill authorizes school
districts and county offices of education to require a
veteran to pass the high school exit exam as a
condition of receiving a retroactive high school
diploma. Staff recommends an amendment to instead
require a veteran to either pass the high school exit
exam or have satisfactorily completed half of the work
required for grade 12 (consistent with Education Code
� 51440).
3) Leaving high school to enter the military . The United
States military has not relied on conscription (the
draft) since the Vietnam War. Current law authorizes
a retroactive diploma to be awarded to people whose
education was interrupted due to military service, but
does not require that service to be due to a draft or
by means other than volunteering to serve. The
veterans to whom this bill could apply voluntarily entered
the military prior to graduating from high school,
which is not inconsistent with current law.
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4) Humanitarian missions . This bill expands the
definition of "veteran" to include those who served in
the United States military during a humanitarian
mission. However, such missions are military
operations and the veteran would still have to had
served a minimum amount of time and been honorably
discharged from the military to be eligible for a
retroactive high school diploma.
SUPPORT
American Legion, Department of California
AMVETS, Department of California
Veterans of Foreign Wars, Department of California
OPPOSITION
None on file.