AB 2121: Pupil instruction: coursework and graduation requirements: migratory children and newly arrived immigrant pupils.

(1)Existing law requires a school district to exempt a pupil in foster care, a pupil who is a homeless child or youth, a former juvenile court school pupil, or a pupil who is a child of a military family who transfers between schools any time after the completion of the pupils 2nd year of high school from all coursework and other requirements adopted by the governing board of the school district that are in addition to certain statewide coursework requirements unless the school district makes a finding that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the school districts graduation requirements in time to graduate from high school by the end of the pupils 4th year of high school. Existing law requires, among other things, the school district to take specified actions if it determines that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the school districts graduation requirements within the pupils 5th year of high school.

This bill would extend these provisions to a pupil who is a migratory child, as defined, and a pupil participating in an English language proficiency program for newly arrived immigrant pupils and who is in his or her 3rd or 4th year of high school, and would require charter schools to comply with these exemption requirements applicable to school districts. By requiring school districts and charter schools to perform additional duties in complying with the exemption requirements, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(2)Existing law requires a school district and county office of education to accept coursework satisfactorily completed by a pupil in foster care, a pupil who is a homeless child or youth, a former juvenile court school pupil, or a pupil who is a child of a military family, while attending another public school, a juvenile court school, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency even if the pupil did not complete the entire course and requires the school district and county office of education to issue that pupil full or partial credit for the coursework completed.

This bill would extend these provisions to a pupil who is a migratory child, as defined, and a pupil participating in an English language proficiency program for newly arrived immigrant pupils, and would require charter schools to comply with these requirements to accept coursework applicable to school districts and county offices of education. The bill would additionally require coursework satisfactorily completed in a school in a country other than the United States to be accepted under these provisions. By requiring school districts, charter schools, and county offices of education to perform additional duties in complying with the requirements to accept coursework, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

(3)The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.