Bill Text: CA AB570 | 2013-2014 | Regular Session | Chaptered

California Assembly Bill 570 (Prior Session Legislation)

Bill Title: Continuation schools: policies and procedures: voluntary placement.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2013-09-26 - Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 365, Statutes of 2013. [AB570 Detail]

Download: California-2013-AB570-Chaptered.html

BILL NUMBER: AB 570	CHAPTERED
	BILL TEXT

	CHAPTER  365
	FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE  SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
	APPROVED BY GOVERNOR  SEPTEMBER 26, 2013
	PASSED THE SENATE  AUGUST 26, 2013
	PASSED THE ASSEMBLY  AUGUST 30, 2013
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JULY 3, 2013
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 19, 2013
	AMENDED IN SENATE  JUNE 13, 2013
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MAY 24, 2013
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  APRIL 25, 2013
	AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY  MARCH 14, 2013

INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Jones-Sawyer

                        FEBRUARY 20, 2013

   An act to add Section 48432.3 to the Education Code, relating to
continuation schools.


	LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


   AB 570, Jones-Sawyer. Continuation schools: policies and
procedures: voluntary placement.
    Existing law establishes continuation schools to provide
opportunities for pupils to complete the required academic courses of
instruction to graduate from high school, to provide a program of
instruction that emphasizes occupational orientation or a work-study
schedule and offers intensive guidance services to meet the special
needs of pupils, and to provide a program designed to meet the
educational needs of each pupil, as specified. Existing law requires
the governing board of each high school or unified school district
that assigns pupils to continuation schools to adopt rules and
regulations governing procedures for the involuntary transfer of
pupils to continuation schools.
   This bill would, if the governing board of a school district
chooses to voluntarily enroll high school pupils in a continuation
school, require the governing board to establish and adopt policies
and procedures governing the identification, placement, and intake
procedures for these pupils, based on a finding that the voluntary
placement of the pupil will promote his or her educational interests.
The bill would require the adopted policies and procedures to
ensure, among other things, that voluntary placement in continuation
school not be used as an alternative to expulsion, except as
specified, that no specific group of pupils, as specified, is
disproportionately enrolled in continuation schools within the school
district, that the policies and procedures be provided to pupils,
and to the parents and legal guardians of pupils, whose voluntary
transfer to a continuation school is under consideration, and that
before a pupil is transferred, the pupil and his or her parent or
legal guardian may meet with a counselor, principal, or administrator
from both the transferor school and the continuation school to
determine if transferring is the best option for the pupil.


THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

  SECTION 1.  Section 48432.3 is added to the Education Code, to
read:
   48432.3.  (a) If the governing board of a school district chooses
to voluntarily enroll high school pupils in a continuation school,
the governing board of the school district shall establish and adopt
policies and procedures governing the identification, placement, and
intake procedures for these pupils. These policies and procedures
shall ensure that there is a clear criterion for determining which
pupils may voluntarily transfer or be recommended for a transfer to a
continuation school and that this criterion is not applied
arbitrarily, but is consistently applied on a districtwide basis.
Approval for the voluntary transfer of a pupil to a continuation
school shall be based on a finding that the voluntary placement will
promote the educational interests of the pupil.
   (b) The policies and procedures adopted under this section shall
also ensure all of the following:
   (1) That voluntary placement in a continuation school shall not be
used as an alternative to expulsion unless alternative means of
correction have been attempted pursuant to Section 48900.5.
   (2) Shall strive to ensure that no specific group of pupils,
including a group based on race, ethnicity, language status, or
special needs, is disproportionately enrolled in continuation schools
within the school district.
   (3) If the governing board of a school district chooses to permit
pupils to voluntarily transfer to a continuation school, a copy of
the policies and procedures adopted under this section shall be
provided to a pupil whose voluntary transfer to a continuation school
is under consideration, and to the parent or legal guardian of that
pupil.
   (4)  That the transfer is voluntary and the pupil has a right to
return to his or her previous school.
   (5) Upon a parent or legal guardian's request and before a pupil
is transferred, the parent or legal guardian may meet with a
counselor, principal, or administrator from both the transferor
school and the continuation school to determine if transferring is
the best option for the pupil.
   (6) To the extent possible, voluntary transfer to a continuation
school occurs within the first four weeks of each semester.