AB 1884: Pupil attendance: excused absences: uniformed services deployments.
- Session Year: 2023-2024
- House: Assembly
- Latest Version Date: 2024-09-29
Current Status:
Passed
(2024-09-29: Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 919, Statutes of 2024.)
Introduced
In Committee
First Chamber
In Committee
Second Chamber
Enacted
What does this bill do?
The bill expands an excused school absence so students can miss school to spend time with an immediate family member who is on active duty in the military for any deployment, not just deployments to a combat zone or combat support position. The school superintendent sets the length of the excused absence, and students must be allowed to make up missed assignments and tests for full credit.
The summary is provided by generative AI which can make mistakes. For original language, please view the details in the table below.
Existing law, notwithstanding the requirement that each person between 6 and 18 years of age who is not otherwise exempted is subject to compulsory full-time education, requires a pupil to be excused from school for specified types of absences, including, among others, for purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position, as specified.
This bill would remove the requirement that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position, thereby expanding the scope of that excused absence to encompass all deployments. The bill also would make nonsubstantive changes. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on school officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by SB 1138 and AB 2499 to be operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
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.
Existing law, notwithstanding the requirement that each person between 6 and 18 years of age who is not otherwise exempted is subject to compulsory full-time education, requires a pupil to be excused from school for specified types of absences, including, among others, for purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position, as specified.
This bill would remove the requirement that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position, thereby expanding the scope of that excused absence to encompass all deployments. The bill also would make nonsubstantive changes. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on school officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by SB 1138 and AB 2499 to be operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
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.
Existing law, notwithstanding the requirement that each person between 6 and 18 years of age who is not otherwise exempted is subject to compulsory full-time education, requires a pupil to be excused from school for specified types of absences, including, among others, for purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position, as specified.
This bill would remove the requirement that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position, thereby expanding the scope of that excused absence to encompass all deployments. The bill also would make nonsubstantive changes. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on school officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by SB 1138 and AB 2499 to be operative only if this bill and either or both of those bills are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
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.
Existing law, notwithstanding the requirement that each person between 6 and 18 years of age who is not otherwise exempted is subject to compulsory full-time education, requires a pupil to be excused from school for specified types of absences, including, among others, for purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position, as specified.
This bill would remove the requirement that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position, thereby expanding the scope of that excused absence to encompass all deployments. The bill also would make nonsubstantive changes. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on school officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
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.
(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(b)A pupil absent from school pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 230.1 of the Labor Code.
SEC. 1.1.Section 48205 of the Education Code is amended to read:48205.(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Due to the pupils participation in military entrance processing.
(15)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(b)A pupil absent from school pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 230.1 of the Labor Code.
SEC. 1.2.Section 48205 of the Education Code is amended to read:48205.(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.(b)A pupil absent from school pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 12945.8 of the Government Code.
SEC. 1.3.Section 48205 of the Education Code is amended to read:48205.(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Due to the pupils participation in military entrance processing.
(15)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(b)A pupil absent from school pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 12945.8 of the Government Code.
SEC. 2.(a)Section 1.1 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by both this bill and Senate Bill 1138. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2025, (2) each bill amends Section 48205 of the Education Code, (3) Assembly Bill 2499 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Senate Bill 1138, in which case Sections 1, 1.2, and 1.3 of this bill shall not become operative.
(b)Section 1.2 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 2499. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2025, (2) each bill amends Section 48205 of the Education Code, (3) Senate Bill 1138 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 2499, in which case Sections 1, 1.1, and 1.3 of this bill shall not become operative.
(c)Section 1.3 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by this bill, Senate Bill 1138, and Assembly Bill 2499. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) all three bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2025, (2) all three bills amend Section 48205 of the Education Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Senate Bill 1138 and Assembly Bill 2499, in which case Sections 1, 1.1, and 1.2 of this bill shall not become operative.
SEC. 3.If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(b)A pupil absent from school pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 230.1 of the Labor Code.
SEC. 1.1.Section 48205 of the Education Code is amended to read:48205.(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Due to the pupils participation in military entrance processing.
(15)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(b)A pupil absent from school pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 230.1 of the Labor Code.
SEC. 1.2.Section 48205 of the Education Code is amended to read:48205.(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.(b)A pupil absent from school pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 12945.8 of the Government Code.
SEC. 1.3.Section 48205 of the Education Code is amended to read:48205.(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Due to the pupils participation in military entrance processing.
(15)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(b)A pupil absent from school pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in subdivision (j) of Section 12945.8 of the Government Code.
SEC. 2.(a)Section 1.1 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by both this bill and Senate Bill 1138. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2025, (2) each bill amends Section 48205 of the Education Code, (3) Assembly Bill 2499 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Senate Bill 1138, in which case Sections 1, 1.2, and 1.3 of this bill shall not become operative.
(b)Section 1.2 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 2499. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2025, (2) each bill amends Section 48205 of the Education Code, (3) Senate Bill 1138 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 2499, in which case Sections 1, 1.1, and 1.3 of this bill shall not become operative.
(c)Section 1.3 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by this bill, Senate Bill 1138, and Assembly Bill 2499. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) all three bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2025, (2) all three bills amend Section 48205 of the Education Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Senate Bill 1138 and Assembly Bill 2499, in which case Sections 1, 1.1, and 1.2 of this bill shall not become operative.
SEC. 3.If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(b)A pupil absent from school pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 230.1 of the Labor Code.
SEC. 1.1.Section 48205 of the Education Code is amended to read:48205.(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For the purpose purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For the purpose purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For the purpose purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For the purpose purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For the purpose purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For the purpose purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For the purpose purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For the purpose purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Due to the pupils participation in military entrance processing.
(14)(15)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(b)A pupil absent from school under pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit therefor. for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 230.1 of the Labor Code.
SEC. 1.2.Section 48205 of the Education Code is amended to read:48205.(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For the purpose purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For the purpose purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For the purpose purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For the purpose purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For the purpose purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For the purpose purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For the purpose purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For the purpose purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.(b)A pupil absent from school under pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit therefor. for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 230.1 of the Labor subdivision (j) of Section 12945.8 of the Government Code.
SEC. 1.3.Section 48205 of the Education Code is amended to read:48205.(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For the purpose purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For the purpose purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For the purpose purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For the purpose purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For the purpose purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For the purpose purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For the purpose purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For the purpose purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Due to the pupils participation in military entrance processing.
(14)(15)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(b)A pupil absent from school under pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit therefor. for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 230.1 of the Labor subdivision (j) of Section 12945.8 of the Government Code.
SEC. 2.(a)Section 1.1 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by both this bill and Senate Bill 1138. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2025, (2) each bill amends Section 48205 of the Education Code, (3) Assembly Bill 2499 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Senate Bill 1138, in which case Sections 1, 1.2, and 1.3 of this bill shall not become operative.
(b)Section 1.2 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by both this bill and Assembly Bill 2499. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) both bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2025, (2) each bill amends Section 48205 of the Education Code, (3) Senate Bill 1138 is not enacted or as enacted does not amend that section, and (4) this bill is enacted after Assembly Bill 2499, in which case Sections 1, 1.1, and 1.3 of this bill shall not become operative.
(c)Section 1.3 of this bill incorporates amendments to Section 48205 of the Education Code proposed by this bill, Senate Bill 1138, and Assembly Bill 2499. That section of this bill shall only become operative if (1) all three bills are enacted and become effective on or before January 1, 2025, (2) all three bills amend Section 48205 of the Education Code, and (3) this bill is enacted after Senate Bill 1138 and Assembly Bill 2499, in which case Sections 1, 1.1, and 1.2 of this bill shall not become operative.
SEC. 2.SEC. 3.If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
(a)Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:
(1)Due to the pupils illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupils mental or behavioral health.
(2)Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer.
(3)For the purpose purposes of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered.
(4)For the purpose purposes of attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupils immediate family, or of a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident.
(5)For the purpose purposes of jury duty in the manner provided for by law.
(6)Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent, including absences to care for a sick child, for which the school shall not require a note from a doctor.
(7)For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an attendance or appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupils religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the pupils absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board of the school district.
(8)For the purpose purposes of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.
(9)For the purpose purposes of spending time with a member of the pupils immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, as defined in Section 49701, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. deployment. Absences granted pursuant to this paragraph shall be granted for a period of time to be determined at the discretion of the superintendent of the school district.
(10)For the purpose purposes of attending the pupils naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen.
(11)For the purpose purposes of participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
(12)(A)For the purpose purposes of a middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event, as provided in subparagraph (B), provided that the pupil notifies the school ahead of the absence.
(B)(i)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) is required to be excused for only one schoolday-long absence per school year.
(ii)A middle school or high school pupil who is absent pursuant to subparagraph (A) may be permitted additional excused absences in the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(13)(A)For any of the purposes described in clauses (i) to (iii), inclusive, if an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, has died, so long as the absence is not more than three days per incident.
(i)To access services from a victim services organization or agency.
(ii)To access grief support services.
(iii)To participate in safety planning or to take other actions to increase the safety of the pupil or an immediate family member of the pupil, or a person that is determined by the pupils parent or guardian to be in such close association with the pupil as to be considered the pupils immediate family, including, but not limited to, temporary or permanent relocation.
(B)Any absences beyond three days for the reasons described in subparagraph (A) shall be subject to the discretion of the school administrator, or their designee, pursuant to Section 48260.
(14)Authorized at the discretion of a school administrator, as described in subdivision (c) of Section 48260.
(b)A pupil absent from school under pursuant to this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit therefor. for those assignments and tests. The teacher of the class from which a pupil is absent shall determine which tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.
(c)For purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed one schoolday per semester.
(d)Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.
(e)For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1)A civic or political event includes, but is not limited to, voting, poll working, strikes, public commenting, candidate speeches, political or civic forums, and town halls.
(2)Cultural means relating to the practices, habits, beliefs, and traditions of a certain group of people.
(3)Immediate family means the parent or guardian, brother or sister, grandparent, or any other relative living in the household of the pupil.
(4)Victim services organization or agency has the same meaning as defined in paragraph (7) of subdivision (g) of Section 230.1 of the Labor Code.
SEC. 2.If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.
|
Date
|
Status
|
|---|---|
| Sep 29, 2024 | Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 919, Statutes of 2024. |
| Sep 29, 2024 | Approved by the Governor. |
| Sep 10, 2024 | Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 4:30 p.m. |
| Aug 28, 2024 | Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 76. Noes 0.). |
| Aug 28, 2024 | In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending. May be considered on or after August 30 pursuant to Assembly Rule 77. |
| Aug 28, 2024 | Assembly Rule 77 suspended. |
| Aug 27, 2024 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.). |
| Aug 26, 2024 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Aug 22, 2024 | Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading. |
| Aug 19, 2024 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| Aug 15, 2024 | From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (August 15). |
| Aug 5, 2024 | In committee: Referred to APPR suspense file. |
| Jun 25, 2024 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun 12, 2024 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on M. & V.A. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 12). Re-referred to Com. on M. & V.A. |
| May 29, 2024 | Referred to Coms. on ED. and M. & V.A. |
| May 22, 2024 | In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. |
| May 21, 2024 | Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 73. Noes 0. Page 5399.) |
| May 20, 2024 | Read second time. Ordered to third reading. |
| May 16, 2024 | From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 16). |
| Apr 10, 2024 | In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Mar 21, 2024 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (March 20). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Feb 5, 2024 | Referred to Com. on ED. |
| Jan 23, 2024 | From printer. May be heard in committee February 22. |
| Jan 22, 2024 | Read first time. To print. |
|
Date
|
Description
|
Location
|
Votes
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 28, 2024 | AB 1884 Ward Concurrence in Senate Amendments | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
|
| Aug 27, 2024 | Assembly 3rd Reading AB1884 Ward By Newman | Senate Floor |
Passed |
|
| Aug 15, 2024 | Do pass | Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations |
Passed |
|
| Aug 5, 2024 | Placed on suspense file | Senate Standing Committee on Appropriations |
Passed |
|
| Jun 24, 2024 | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar | Senate Standing Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs |
Passed |
|
| Jun 12, 2024 | Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Military and Veterans Affairs] with the recommendation: To Consent Calendar | Senate Standing Committee on Education |
Passed |
|
| May 21, 2024 | AB 1884 Ward Assembly Third Reading | Assembly Floor |
Passed |
|
| May 16, 2024 | Do pass. | Assembly Standing Committee on Appropriations |
Passed |
|
| Mar 20, 2024 | Do pass and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations] with recommendation: To Consent Calendar | Assembly Standing Committee on Education |
Passed |
This list shows positions taken on this bill by organizations on the date displayed, which is linked to the original source.
Positions by individuals are not included.
|
Organization
|
Position
|
Date
|
|---|---|---|
| Association Of California School Administrators | ** Support | |
| CFT- a Union of Educators & Classified Professionals, Aft, Afl-cio | ** Support | |
| Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office | ** Support | |
| Los Angeles County Office Of Education | ** Support | |
| Military Installations West | ** Support | |
| Military Services in California | ** Support | |
| San Bernardino County District Advocates for Better Schools | ** Support |
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
CSA1 Bill Id:AB 1884
Author:(Ward)
As Amended Ver:August 22, 2024
Majority vote
SUMMARY
Authorizes a student's excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment, without requiring that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position.
Senate Amendments
Add double-jointing language to avoid chaptering out issues with AB 2499 (Schiavo) and SB 1138 (Newman) of the current legislative session.
COMMENTS
Excused absences. California's compulsory education law requires every child between the ages of 6 through 18 to attend school full-time and their parents and legal guardians to be responsible for ensuring that they attend school. A student who is absent from school without a valid excuse on any day or is tardy for more than 30 minutes, or any combination thereof, for three days in a school year is considered a truant.
Current law establishes excused absences for a number of reasons, including illness, quarantine, medical appointments, attending a funeral, jury duty, illness of the student's child, a court appearance, observation of a religious holiday or ceremony, attendance at an educational conference, serving on a precinct board, spending time with an immediate family member who is an active duty member of the military deployed in a combat zone, as well as for other reasons deemed to constitute a valid excuse by a school administrator based upon an individual student's circumstances.
According to the Author
"Military service is a needed and valued profession that touches many communities. While the individuals serving sacrifice for their country and community, their families also are part of this obligation. Allowing students excused absences relating to their parent's extended military deployment is a reasonable allowance for families who serve."
Arguments in Support
The Association of California School Administrators writes, "California is home to the largest number of military personnel in the country, with 32 bases located in the state, from every branch of the military. As such, the state serves a very large number of military connected students in our schools. Deployments and long-term separation are a unique hardship that military families bear in service to our nation. Current law only recognizes excused absences for students who are spending time with family before or after a combat deployment. AB 1884 expands the excused absence to include all deployments. ACSA recognizes the toll any deployment takes on military families and the importance of students and families having the ability to spend time together before a departure and upon returns."
Arguments in Opposition
None on file
FISCAL COMMENTS
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee, "to the extent that students who would have otherwise attended school do not attend as a result of this measure, this bill could result in unknown Proposition 98 General Fund savings to the state. However, each time a student is absent, that absence negatively impacts the local educational agency's average daily attendance (ADA), ultimately reducing its overall funding. While each individual absence may be insignificant, in the aggregate, absences have an impact on overall funding provided to local school districts. Under current law, all absences, whether excused or unexcused, result in a reduction of overall ADA."
VOTES:
ASM EDUCATION: 7-0-0
YES: Muratsuchi, Addis, Alvarez, Bonta, Flora, Hoover, McCarty
ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 15-0-0
YES: Wicks, Sanchez, Arambula, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Dixon, Mike Fong, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Jim Patterson, Pellerin, Ta, Villapudua
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 73-0-7
YES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas
ABS, ABST OR NV: Cervantes, Megan Dahle, Friedman, Gabriel, Holden, Mathis, Luz Rivas
SENATE FLOOR: 40-0-0
YES: Allen, Alvarado-Gil, Archuleta, Ashby, Atkins, Becker, Blakespear, Bradford, Caballero, Cortese, Dahle, Dodd, Durazo, Eggman, Glazer, Gonzalez, Grove, Hurtado, Jones, Laird, Limón, McGuire, Menjivar, Min, Newman, Nguyen, Niello, Ochoa Bogh, Padilla, Portantino, Roth, Rubio, Seyarto, Skinner, Smallwood-Cuevas, Stern, Umberg, Wahab, Wiener, Wilk
UPDATED
VERSION: August 22, 2024
CONSULTANT: Debbie Look / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0004873
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE Office of Senate Floor Analyses (916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478 | AB 1884 |
THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1884
Author: Ward (D)
Amended: 8/22/24 in Senate
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/12/24
AYES: Newman, Ochoa Bogh, Cortese, Glazer, Gonzalez, Limón, Wilk
SENATE MILITARY & VETERANS COMMITTEE: 5-0, 6/24/24
AYES: Archuleta, Grove, Alvarado-Gil, Menjivar, Umberg
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 6-0, 8/15/24
AYES: Caballero, Jones, Ashby, Becker, Seyarto, Wahab
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bradford
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 73-0, 5/21/24 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Pupil attendance: excused absences: uniformed services deployments
SOURCE: Author
DIGEST:
This bill allows a student an excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment, without requiring that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position.
Senate Floor Amendment of 8/22/2024 add, for the purposes of chaptering, the provisions of SB 1138 (Newman, 2024) and AB 2499 (Schiavo, 2024) related to pupil excused absences.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
- Clarifies that excused absences are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance (ADA) and shall not generate state apportionment payments. (EC § 48205)
- Provides a list of reasons that constitute an excused absence, which include, among others, that the absence of a student is to be excused when the absence is due to any of the following:
- Due to the pupil’s illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupil’s mental or behavioral health; quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer; have a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services during school hours.
- For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of the pupil’s immediate family or spending time with a member of the pupil’s immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services.
- Jury duty or justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil’s religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization.
- Attending a naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen or participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
- A middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event provided that the pupil notify the school ahead of the absence. (EC § 48205)
- Provides that a valid excuse may include other reasons that are within the discretion of school administrators and based on the facts of the pupil’s circumstances. (EC § 48260)
- Clarifies each person between the ages of 6 and 18 years subject to compulsory full-time education and each person subject to compulsory continuation education must attend the public full-time day school or continuation school or classes and for the full-time designated as the length of the schoolday by the governing board of the school district where the parent or guardian is located. (EC § 48200)
This bill:
- Removes the specification that a student is allowed an excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment a combat zone or combat support position, expanding the scope of that excused absence to encompass all deployments.
- Makes technical changes.
Comments
- Need for the bill. According to the author, “Currently some school districts, out of fear of losing ADA funding, have not been able to grant absences to students who wish to spend time with their parents before military deployment, because said deployment is not considered combat-related. However, this neglects the fact all deployments take a toll on families back at home, and many deployments can become combat related at any time. This technical change removes all ambiguity for school districts and supports our military families.”
- Unexcused Absences Trigger Truancy Provisions. While excused and unexcused absences may be treated the same for funding purposes, they are not treated the same for attendance purposes. A student absent from school without a valid excuse on any day or tardy for more than 30 minutes, or any combination thereof, for three days in a school year is considered a truant.
- Excused Absences Do Not Generate ADA. In California, school funding is primarily calculated using ADA. Each time a student is absent, that absence negatively impacts the local educational agency’s (LEA’s) ADA, ultimately reducing their overall funding. While each absence may be insignificant relative to overall funding levels, absences affect overall funding in the aggregate. Under current law, all absences, whether excused or unexcused, reduce overall ADA.
- Chronic Absenteeism. Chronic absenteeism is when students miss 10 percent or more of school for any reason. If not addressed, this can lead to difficulties learning to read by Grade 3, reaching grade-level standards in middle school, and graduating from high school. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in chronic absenteeism in California and across the country. Addressing this issue is crucial in helping students catch up academically. This analysis examines the trends in chronic absenteeism through the 2022-23 school year, using data from the California Department of Education (CDE). Although there has been a decrease in chronic absence rates, they are still alarmingly high.
Statewide Rates of Chronic Absence from 2017-18 to 2022-23 |
In a report released by PACE, Unpacking California’s Chronic Absence Crisis Through 2022–23: Seven Key Facts, chronic absence rates increased from 12 percent (702,531 students) in 2018–19 to a high of 30 percent (1,799,734) in 2021–22. In 2022–23, there was a decrease of 5 percentage points to a chronic absenteeism rate of 25 percent (1,486,302 students). Although this modest decrease is a hopeful sign, rates are still much higher than they were prior to the pandemic.
Schools that serve socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) students tend to have higher rates of chronic absenteeism. Only 2 percent of the most affluent schools (those serving 0–24 percent SED students) experience extreme levels of chronic absence. In comparison, 60 percent of schools serving 75 percent or more SED students have extreme levels of chronic absence. Due to the challenges posed by the pandemic, SED students are significantly behind their non-SED peers in academic performance. Chronic absence is also high among particular student populations, although all have experienced modest decreases in the last year. Students who are involved in the foster care system, are experiencing homelessness, and have been identified as having a disability have extraordinarily high levels of chronic absenteeism. In addition, Native American, Black, and Pacific Islander students have exceptionally high rates of chronic absence. For these populations, chronic absenteeism both reflects and exacerbates inequities. These high rates can reflect challenges facing students and families in the community (e.g., lack of access to health care, unreliable transportation, housing, and food insecurity, etc.) and within the school (e.g., bullying, unwelcoming school climate, biased disciplinary or attendance practices, or lack of a meaningful and culturally relevant curriculum). Such difficulties can affect students’ learning ability and cause them to fall farther behind because they miss invaluable instruction.
Chronic Absenteeism Rates By Student Group and Year |
The reasons behind chronic absenteeism are complex; hence addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach. This approach should involve services that meet their basic needs, create a safe and welcoming school environment, and provide engaging and challenging learning opportunities. Furthermore, partnerships with community organizations and public agencies are crucial to tackle the barriers and challenges to school attendance that may be beyond the capacity of educators.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: Yes
Military Installations West (source)
Association of California School Administrators
CFT- a Union of Educators & Classified Professionals, AFT, AFL-CIO
Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office
Los Angeles County Office of Education
Military Services in California
San Bernardino County District Advocates for Better Schools
OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/23/24)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According the Association of California School Administrators, “California is home to the largest number of military personnel in the country, with 32 bases located in the state, from every branch of the military. As such, the state serves a very large number of military-connected students in our schools. Deployments and long-term separation are a unique hardship that military families bear in service to our nation. Current law only recognizes excused absences for students who are spending time with family before or after a combat deployment. AB 1884 expands the excused absence to include all deployments. ACSA recognizes the toll any deployment takes on military families and the importance of students and families having the ability to spend time together before a departure and upon returns. For these reasons, ACSA supports AB 1884.”
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 73-0, 5/21/24
AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cervantes, Megan Dahle, Friedman, Gabriel, Holden, Mathis, Luz Rivas
Prepared by: Kordell Hampton / ED. / (916) 651-4105
8/23/24 21:36:18
**** END ****
SENATE RULES COMMITTEE Office of Senate Floor Analyses (916) 651-1520 Fax: (916) 327-4478 | AB 1884 |
THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 1884
Author: Ward (D)
Introduced: 1/22/24
Vote: 21
SENATE EDUCATION COMMITTEE: 7-0, 6/12/24
AYES: Newman, Ochoa Bogh, Cortese, Glazer, Gonzalez, Limón, Wilk
SENATE MILITARY & VETERANS COMMITTEE: 5-0, 6/24/24
AYES: Archuleta, Grove, Alvarado-Gil, Menjivar, Umberg
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 6-0, 8/15/24
AYES: Caballero, Jones, Ashby, Becker, Seyarto, Wahab
NO VOTE RECORDED: Bradford
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 73-0, 5/21/24 - See last page for vote
SUBJECT: Pupil attendance: excused absences: uniformed services deployments
SOURCE: Military Installations West
DIGEST:
This bill allows a student an excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment, without requiring that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position.
ANALYSIS:
Existing law:
- Clarifies that excused absences are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance (ADA) and shall not generate state apportionment payments. (EC § 48205)
- Provides a list of reasons that constitute an excused absence, which include, among others, that the absence of a student is to be excused when the absence is due to any of the following:
- Due to the pupil’s illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupil’s mental or behavioral health; quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer; have a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services during school hours.
- For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of the pupil’s immediate family or spending time with a member of the pupil’s immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services.
- Jury duty or justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil’s religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization.
- Attending a naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen or participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
- A middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event provided that the pupil notify the school ahead of the absence. (EC § 48205)
- Provides that a valid excuse may include other reasons that are within the discretion of school administrators and based on the facts of the pupil’s circumstances. (EC § 48260)
- Clarifies each person between the ages of 6 and 18 years subject to compulsory full-time education and each person subject to compulsory continuation education must attend the public full-time day school or continuation school or classes and for the full-time designated as the length of the schoolday by the governing board of the school district where the parent or guardian is located. (EC § 48200)
This bill:
- Removes the specification that a student is allowed an excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment a combat zone or combat support position, expanding the scope of that excused absence to encompass all deployments.
- Makes technical changes.
Comments
- Need for the bill. According to the author, “Currently some school districts, out of fear of losing ADA funding, have not been able to grant absences to students who wish to spend time with their parents before military deployment, because said deployment is not considered combat-related. However, this neglects the fact all deployments take a toll on families back at home, and many deployments can become combat related at any time. This technical change removes all ambiguity for school districts and supports our military families.”
- Unexcused Absences Trigger Truancy Provisions. While excused and unexcused absences may be treated the same for funding purposes, they are not treated the same for attendance purposes. A student absent from school without a valid excuse on any day or tardy for more than 30 minutes, or any combination thereof, for three days in a school year is considered a truant.
- Excused Absences Do Not Generate ADA. In California, school funding is primarily calculated using ADA. Each time a student is absent, that absence negatively impacts the local educational agency’s (LEA’s) ADA, ultimately reducing their overall funding. While each absence may be insignificant relative to overall funding levels, absences affect overall funding in the aggregate. Under current law, all absences, whether excused or unexcused, reduce overall ADA.
- Chronic Absenteeism. Chronic absenteeism is when students miss 10 percent or more of school for any reason. If not addressed, this can lead to difficulties learning to read by Grade 3, reaching grade-level standards in middle school, and graduating from high school. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in chronic absenteeism in California and across the country. Addressing this issue is crucial in helping students catch up academically. This analysis examines the trends in chronic absenteeism through the 2022-23 school year, using data from the California Department of Education (CDE). Although there has been a decrease in chronic absence rates, they are still alarmingly high.
Statewide Rates of Chronic Absence from 2017-18 to 2022-23 |
In a report released by PACE, Unpacking California’s Chronic Absence Crisis Through 2022–23: Seven Key Facts, chronic absence rates increased from 12 percent (702,531 students) in 2018–19 to a high of 30 percent (1,799,734) in 2021–22. In 2022–23, there was a decrease of 5 percentage points to a chronic absenteeism rate of 25 percent (1,486,302 students). Although this modest decrease is a hopeful sign, rates are still much higher than they were prior to the pandemic.
Schools that serve socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) students tend to have higher rates of chronic absenteeism. Only 2 percent of the most affluent schools (those serving 0–24 percent SED students) experience extreme levels of chronic absence. In comparison, 60 percent of schools serving 75 percent or more SED students have extreme levels of chronic absence. Due to the challenges posed by the pandemic, SED students are significantly behind their non-SED peers in academic performance. Chronic absence is also high among particular student populations, although all have experienced modest decreases in the last year. Students who are involved in the foster care system, are experiencing homelessness, and have been identified as having a disability have extraordinarily high levels of chronic absenteeism. In addition, Native American, Black, and Pacific Islander students have exceptionally high rates of chronic absence. For these populations, chronic absenteeism both reflects and exacerbates inequities. These high rates can reflect challenges facing students and families in the community (e.g., lack of access to health care, unreliable transportation, housing, and food insecurity, etc.) and within the school (e.g., bullying, unwelcoming school climate, biased disciplinary or attendance practices, or lack of a meaningful and culturally relevant curriculum). Such difficulties can affect students’ learning ability and cause them to fall farther behind because they miss invaluable instruction.
Chronic Absenteeism Rates By Student Group and Year |
The reasons behind chronic absenteeism are complex; hence addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach. This approach should involve services that meet their basic needs, create a safe and welcoming school environment, and provide engaging and challenging learning opportunities. Furthermore, partnerships with community organizations and public agencies are crucial to tackle the barriers and challenges to school attendance that may be beyond the capacity of educators.
FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: Yes
According to the Senate Appropriations Committee analysis, “To the extent that students who would have otherwise attended school do not attend as a result of this measure, this bill could result in unknown Proposition 98 General Fund savings to the state. However, each time a student is absent, that absence negatively impacts the local educational agency’s average daily attendance (ADA), ultimately reducing its overall funding. While each individual absence may be insignificant, in the aggregate, absences have an impact on overall funding provided to local school districts. Under current law, all absences, whether excused or unexcused, result in a reduction of overall ADA.”
SUPPORT: (Verified 8/15/24)
Military Installations West (source)
Association of California School Administrators
CFT- a Union of Educators & Classified Professionals, AFT, AFL-CIO
Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office
Los Angeles County Office of Education
Military Services in California
San Bernardino County District Advocates for Better Schools
OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/15/24)
None received
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According the Association of California School Administrators, “California is home to the largest number of military personnel in the country, with 32 bases located in the state, from every branch of the military. As such, the state serves a very large number of military-connected students in our schools. Deployments and long-term separation are a unique hardship that military families bear in service to our nation. Current law only recognizes excused absences for students who are spending time with family before or after a combat deployment. AB 1884 expands the excused absence to include all deployments. ACSA recognizes the toll any deployment takes on military families and the importance of students and families having the ability to spend time together before a departure and upon returns. For these reasons, ACSA supports AB 1884.”
ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 73-0, 5/21/24
AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Juan Carrillo, Wendy Carrillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, Dixon, Essayli, Flora, Mike Fong, Vince Fong, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Jones-Sawyer, Kalra, Lackey, Lee, Low, Lowenthal, Maienschein, McCarty, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Stephanie Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Jim Patterson, Joe Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Rendon, Reyes, Rodriguez, Blanca Rubio, Sanchez, Santiago, Schiavo, Soria, Ta, Ting, Valencia, Villapudua, Waldron, Wallis, Ward, Weber, Wicks, Wilson, Wood, Zbur, Robert Rivas
NO VOTE RECORDED: Cervantes, Megan Dahle, Friedman, Gabriel, Holden, Mathis, Luz Rivas
Prepared by: Kordell Hampton / ED. / (916) 651-4105
8/18/24 8:51:06
**** END ****
SENATE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Senator Anna Caballero, Chair
2023 - 2024 Regular Session
AB 1884 (Ward) - Pupil attendance: excused absences: uniformed services deployments
Version: January 22, 2024 | Policy Vote: ED. 7 - 0, M.&V.A. 5 - 0 |
Urgency: No | Mandate: Yes |
Hearing Date: August 5, 2024 | Consultant: Lenin Del Castillo |
Bill Summary:
This bill authorizes a student’s excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment, without requiring that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position.
Fiscal Impact:
To the extent that students who would have otherwise attended school do not attend as a result of this measure, this bill could result in unknown Proposition 98 General Fund savings to the state. However, each time a student is absent, that absence negatively impacts the local educational agency’s average daily attendance (ADA), ultimately reducing its overall funding. While each individual absence may be insignificant, in the aggregate, absences have an impact on overall funding provided to local school districts. Under current law, all absences, whether excused or unexcused, result in a reduction of overall ADA.
Background:
Existing law provides that excused absences are deemed to be absences in computing ADA and shall not generate state apportionment payments. The law specifies a list of reasons that constitute an excused absence, including:
- Due to the pupil’s illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupil’s mental or behavioral health; quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer; have a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services during school hours.
- For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of the pupil’s immediate family or spending time with a member of the pupil’s immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services.
- Jury duty or justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil’s religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization.
- Attending a naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen; participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
Existing law provides that a valid excuse may include other reasons that are within the discretion of school administrators and based on the facts of the pupil’s circumstances.
Proposed Law:
This bill allows a student's excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment, without requiring that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position.
Related Legislation:
SB 350 (Ashby, Chapter 601, Statutes of 2023) adds, to the list of excused absences from school that a pupil can be excused from school the ability to miss school to receive victim services, grief support services, or attend safety planning, and to attend a funeral or to grieve for no longer than five days.
AB 1503 (Lee, Chapter 846, Statutes of 2023) extends the time permitted for an excused absence for attending a religious retreat from four hours to one schoolday per year.
SB 955 (Leyva, Chapter 921, Statutes of 2022) authorizes one excused absence per year for a middle or high school student to participate in a civic or political event provided that the student notifies the school ahead of the absence.
SB 14 (Portantino, Chapter 672, Statutes of 2021) includes “for the benefit of the behavioral health of the student” within the “illness” category for excused absences for purposes of school attendance.
Staff Comments:
School funding is primarily calculated using ADA. Each time a student is absent, that absence negatively impacts that school district’s ADA, thereby reducing its’ overall funding. While each individual absence may be insignificant, in the aggregate, absences do have impact on overall funding. Under current law, all absences, whether excused or unexcused, result in a reduction of overall ADA.
This bill could also result in Proposition 98 GF savings to the extent students who would have otherwise attended school do not attend school as a result of this measure. The savings at the state level would result from a redirection of funds from school districts that would no longer generate state funding for these students.
-- END --
SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Senator Josh Newman, Chair
2023 - 2024 Regular
Bill No: AB 1884 Hearing Date: June 12, 2024
Author: | |||
Version: | January 22, 2024 | ||
Urgency: | No | Fiscal: | Yes |
Consultant: | Kordell Hampton | ||
Subject: Pupil attendance: excused absences: uniformed services deployments.
NOTE: This bill has been referred to the Committees on Education and Military and Veterans Affairs. A "do pass" motion should include referral to the Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs.
SUMMARY
Allows a student an excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment, without requiring that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position.
BACKGROUND
Existing Law:
Education Code (EC)
- Clarifies that excused absences are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance (ADA) and shall not generate state apportionment payments. (EC § 48205)
- Provides a list of reasons that constitute an excused absence, which include, among others, that the absence of a student is to be excused when the absence is due to any of the following:
- Due to the pupil’s illness, including an absence for the benefit of the pupil’s mental or behavioral health; quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer; have a medical, dental, optometric, or chiropractic services during school hours.
- For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of the pupil’s immediate family or spending time with a member of the pupil’s immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services.
- Jury duty or justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the pupil’s religion, attendance at a religious retreat, attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization.
- Attending a naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen or participating in a cultural ceremony or event.
- A middle school or high school pupil engaging in a civic or political event provided that the pupil notify the school ahead of the absence. (EC § 48205)
- Provides that a valid excuse may include other reasons that are within the discretion of school administrators and based on the facts of the pupil’s circumstances. (EC § 48260)
- Clarifies each person between the ages of 6 and 18 years subject to compulsory full-time education and each person subject to compulsory continuation education must attend the public full-time day school or continuation school or classes and for the full-time designated as the length of the schoolday by the governing board of the school district where the parent or guardian is located. (EC § 48200)
ANALYSIS
This bill:
- Removes the specification that a student is allowed an excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment a combat zone or combat support position, expanding the scope of that excused absence to encompass all deployments.
- Makes technical changes.
STAFF COMMENTS
- Need for the bill. According to the author, “ Currently some school districts, out of fear of losing ADA funding, have not been able to grant absences to students who wish to spend time with their parents before military deployment, because said deployment is not considered combat-related. However, this neglects the fact all deployments take a toll on families back at home, and many deployments can become combat related at any time. This technical change removes all ambiguity for school districts and supports our military families.”
- Unexcused Absences Trigger Truancy Provisions. While excused and unexcused absences may be treated the same for funding purposes, they are not treated the same for attendance purposes. A student absent from school without a valid excuse on any day or tardy for more than 30 minutes, or any combination thereof, for three days in a school year is considered a truant.
- Excused Absences Do Not Generate ADA. In California, school funding is primarily calculated using ADA. Each time a student is absent, that absence negatively impacts the local educational agency’s (LEA’s) ADA, ultimately reducing their overall funding. While each absence may be insignificant relative to overall funding levels, absences affect overall funding in the aggregate. Under current law, all absences, whether excused or unexcused, reduce overall ADA.
- Chronic Absenteeism. Chronic absenteeism is when students miss 10 percent or more of school for any reason. If not addressed, this can lead to difficulties learning to read by Grade 3, reaching grade-level standards in middle school, and graduating from high school. The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in chronic absenteeism in California and across the country. Addressing this issue is crucial in helping students catch up academically. This analysis examines the trends in chronic absenteeism through the 2022-23 school year, using data from the California Department of Education (CDE). Although there has been a decrease in chronic absence rates, they are still alarmingly high.
Statewide Rates of Chronic Absence from 2017-18 to 2022-23 |
In a report released by PACE, Unpacking California’s Chronic Absence Crisis Through 2022–23: Seven Key Facts, chronic absence rates increased from 12 percent (702,531 students) in 2018–19 to a high of 30 percent (1,799,734) in 2021–22. In 2022–23, there was a decrease of 5 percentage points to a chronic absenteeism rate of 25 percent (1,486,302 students). Although this modest decrease is a hopeful sign, rates are still much higher than they were prior to the pandemic.
Schools that serve socioeconomically disadvantaged (SED) students tend to have higher rates of chronic absenteeism. Only 2 percent of the most affluent schools (those serving 0–24 percent SED students) experience extreme levels of chronic absence. In comparison, 60 percent of schools serving 75 percent or more SED students have extreme levels of chronic absence. Due to the challenges posed by the pandemic, SED students are significantly behind their non-SED peers in academic performance. Chronic absence is also high among particular student populations, although all have experienced modest decreases in the last year. Students who are involved in the foster care system, are experiencing homelessness, and have been identified as having a disability have extraordinarily high levels of chronic absenteeism. In addition, Native American, Black, and Pacific Islander students have exceptionally high rates of chronic absence. For these populations, chronic absenteeism both reflects and exacerbates inequities. These high rates can reflect challenges facing students and families in the community (e.g., lack of access to health care, unreliable transportation, housing, and food insecurity, etc.) and within the school (e.g., bullying, unwelcoming school climate, biased disciplinary or attendance practices, or lack of a meaningful and culturally relevant curriculum). Such difficulties can affect students’ learning ability and cause them to fall farther behind because they miss invaluable instruction.
Chronic Absenteeism Rates By Student Group and Year |
The reasons behind chronic absenteeism are complex; hence addressing this issue requires a multifaceted approach. This approach should involve services that meet their basic needs, create a safe and welcoming school environment, and provide engaging and challenging learning opportunities. Furthermore, partnerships with community organizations and public agencies are crucial to tackle the barriers and challenges to school attendance that may be beyond the capacity of educators.
- Related Legislation.
SB 1138 (Newman, 2024) would add a pupil’s participation in military entrance processing to the list of excused absences.
AB 2771 (Maienschein, 2024) would require the CDE to post information on its website about methods of reducing chronic absenteeism by the beginning of the 2026-27 school year.
AB 1503 (Lee, Chapter 846, Statutes of 2023) extends the excused absence provision for a student to attend a religious retreat from four hours or a half-day to one full day.
SB 350 (Ashby, Chapter 601, Statutes of 2023) adds, to the list of excused absences from school, that a pupil can be excused from school 1) the ability to miss school to receive victim services, grief support services, or attend safety planning, as specified; and 2) to attend a funeral or to grieve for no longer than five days, as specified.
SB 955 (Leyva, Chapter 921, Statutes of 2022) permits students in grades 6 – 12 to have one excused absence per year to participate in a civic or political event.
SB 14 (Portantino, Chapter 672, Statutes of 2021) includes, among other things, “for the benefit of the behavioral health of the pupil” within the “illness” category for excused absences for purposes of school attendance.
AB 516 (M. Dahle, Chapter 281, Statutes of 2021) added participation in a cultural ceremony or event to the list of reasons that a pupil must be excused from school.
AB 2289 (Weber and Gonzalez Fletcher, Chapter 942, Statutes of 2018) requires, among other things, parenting pupils to be excused from school without a doctor's note for the purpose of caring for their sick children or attending their children's medical appointments.
AB 1593 (Obernolte and Alejo, Chapter 92, Statutes of 2016) permits a pupil’s attendance at his or her naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen to be deemed an excused absence for purposes of computing ADA.
SUPPORT
Los Angeles County Office of Education
San Bernardino County District Advocates for Better Schools
OPPOSITION
None received
-- END --
SENATE COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AND VETERANS AFFAIRS
Senator Bob Archuleta, Chair
2023 - 2024 Regular
Bill No: AB 1884 Hearing Date: 6/24/24
Author: | Ward | ||
Version: | 1/22/24 Introduced | ||
Urgency: | No | Fiscal: | Yes |
Consultant: | Jenny Callison | ||
Subject: Pupil attendance: excused absences: uniformed services deployments
DESCRIPTION
Summary:
Removes the requirement that a pupil's family member's military deployment be in a combat zone for the student's absence to spend time with that family member, in order to be classified as an excused absence.
Existing law:
- Establishes excused absences for a number of reasons, including illness, quarantine, medical appointments, attending a funeral, jury duty, illness of the student's child, a court appearance, observation of a religious holiday or ceremony, attendance at an educational conference, serving on a precinct board, spending time with an immediate family member who is an active duty member of the military deployed in a combat zone, as well as for other reasons deemed to constitute a valid excuse by a school administrator based upon an individual student's circumstances.
- 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:
Authorizes a student's excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment, without requiring that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position.
BACKGROUND
California's compulsory education law requires every child between the ages of 6 through 18 to attend school full-time and their parents and legal guardians to be responsible for ensuring that they attend school. A student who is absent from school without a valid excuse on any day or is tardy for more than 30 minutes, or any combination thereof, for three days in a school year is considered a truant.
Legislation in recent years added to the list of excused absences for the purposes of a student's mental health, participating in a cultural ceremony or event, attending a funeral or accessing grief support services, and engaging in a civic or political event.
COMMENT
California is home to the largest number of military personnel in the country, with 32 bases located in the state, from every branch of the military. As such, the state serves a very large number of military connected students in our schools. Deployments and long-term separation are a unique hardship that military families bear in service to our nation. Current law only recognizes excused absences for students who are spending time with family before or after deployments to a “combat zone” or a “combat support position. Some school districts interpreted the law broadly to encompass any deployment, and this bill would ensure the practice is allowed statewide.
According to the Author, "Military service is a needed and valued profession that touches many communities. While the individuals serving sacrifice for their country and community, their families also are part of this obligation. Allowing students excused absences relating to their parent's extended military deployment is a reasonable allowance for families who serve."
POSITIONS
Sponsor: Author.
Support: Administrators Association of San Diego City Schools
Association of California School Administrators
California Federation of Teachers AFL-CIO
Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office
Los Angeles County Office of Education
Military Services in California
San Bernardino County District Advocates for Better Schools
Oppose: None on File.
-- END --
ASSEMBLY THIRD READING
ATR Bill Id:AB 1884
Author:(Ward)
As Introduced Ver:January 22, 2024
Majority vote
SUMMARY
Removes the requirement that a pupil's family member's military deployment be in a combat zone for the student's absence to spend time with that family member, in order to be classified as an excused absence.
Major Provisions
Authorizes a student's excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment, without requiring that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position.
COMMENTS
Excused absences. California's compulsory education law requires every child between the ages of 6 through 18 to attend school full-time and their parents and legal guardians to be responsible for ensuring that they attend school. A student who is absent from school without a valid excuse on any day or is tardy for more than 30 minutes, or any combination thereof, for three days in a school year is considered a truant.
Current law establishes excused absences for a number of reasons, including illness, quarantine, medical appointments, attending a funeral, jury duty, illness of the student's child, a court appearance, observation of a religious holiday or ceremony, attendance at an educational conference, serving on a precinct board, spending time with an immediate family member who is an active duty member of the military deployed in a combat zone, as well as for other reasons deemed to constitute a valid excuse by a school administrator based upon an individual student's circumstances.
Absences impact school funding. California schools are funded on the basis of the average daily attendance (ADA) of enrolled students. Absences, whether excused or unexcused, do not generate ADA, thereby negatively impacting an local educational agencies (LEA's) overall funding.
Chronic absenteeism has risen significantly in recent years. Chronic absence refers to missing so much school for any reason that a student is academically at risk. Chronic absence is defined as missing 10% or more of school for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences or truancy, and suspensions.
Statewide chronic absence rates increased from 12% to a high of 30% in 2021-22 during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022-23, the overall chronic absence rate fell to 25%. Although this represents a decrease from the prior year, the rate is still more than double that of the rate prior to the pandemic.
Potential to increase chronic absenteeism by expanding excused absences. Legislation in recent years has added to the list of excused absences for the purposes of a student's mental health, participating in a cultural ceremony or event, attending a funeral or accessing grief support services, and engaging in a civic or political event. Although each of these is important in themselves, the overall impact on student attendance must be considered. A student's absence from school for any reason may have negative impacts on their academic achievement over time.
According to the Author
"Military service is a needed and valued profession that touches many communities. While the individuals serving sacrifice for their country and community, their families also are part of this obligation. Allowing students excused absences relating to their parent's extended military deployment is a reasonable allowance for families who serve."
Arguments in Support
The Association of California School Administrators writes, "California is home to the largest number of military personnel in the country, with 32 bases located in the state, from every branch of the military. As such, the state serves a very large number of military connected students in our schools. Deployments and long-term separation are a unique hardship that military families bear in service to our nation. Current law only recognizes excused absences for students who are spending time with family before or after a combat deployment. AB 1884 expands the excused absence to include all deployments. ACSA recognizes the toll any deployment takes on military families and the importance of students and families having the ability to spend time together before a departure and upon returns."
Arguments in Opposition
None on file.
FISCAL COMMENTS
According to the Assembly Appropriations Committee:
Potential Proposition 98 General Fund savings to the extent students who otherwise would have attended school do not attend school as a result of this measure. Savings at the state level would result from a redirection of funds from local educational agencies (LEAs) that would no longer generate state funding for students not attending school as a result of this measure. While each individual absence may be insignificant, in the aggregate, absences have an impact on overall funding provided to LEAs.
The state has almost six million students, with annual funding per-student of about $11,000, or about $60 per school day. If 2,500 students took a day off they would not otherwise have as a result of this bill, costs would exceed $150,000 statewide to LEAs.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines the bill's requirements to be a reimbursable state mandate, the state would need to reimburse these costs to LEAs or provide funding through the K-12 Mandate Block Grant.
VOTES
ASM EDUCATION: 7-0-0
YES: Muratsuchi, Addis, Alvarez, Bonta, Flora, Hoover, McCarty
ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 15-0-0
YES: Wicks, Sanchez, Arambula, Bryan, Calderon, Wendy Carrillo, Dixon, Mike Fong, Grayson, Haney, Hart, Jim Patterson, Pellerin, Ta, Villapudua
UPDATED
VERSION: January 22, 2024
CONSULTANT: Debbie Look / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN: 0003121
Date of Hearing: April 10, 2024
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Buffy Wicks, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1884
Author:(Ward) – As Introduced Ver:January 22, 2024
Policy Committee: | Education | Vote: | 7 - 0 |
|
| ||
|
|
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: Yes Reimbursable: Yes
SUMMARY:
This bill expands the list of reasons a student may be excused from school to include time spent with a student’s immediate family member who has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from any deployment, not only a deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. The length of the excused absence may be determined by the superintendent of the student’s school district.
FISCAL EFFECT:
Potential Proposition 98 General Fund savings to the extent students who otherwise would have attended school do not attend school as a result of this measure. Savings at the state level would result from a redirection of funds from local educational agencies (LEAs) that would no longer generate state funding for students not attending school as a result of this measure. While each individual absence may be insignificant, in the aggregate, absences have an impact on overall funding provided to LEAs.
The state has almost six million students, with annual funding per-student of about $11,000, or about $60 per school day. If 2,500 students took a day off they would not otherwise have as a result of this bill, costs would exceed $150,000 statewide to LEAs.
If the Commission on State Mandates determines the bill’s requirements to be a reimbursable state mandate, the state would need to reimburse these costs to LEAs or provide funding through the K-12 Mandate Block Grant.
According to the Legislative Analyst’s Office, the General Fund faces a structural deficit in the tens of billions of dollars over the next several fiscal years.
COMMENTS:
- Background. When a student is absent from school or tardy by 30 minutes or more without a valid excuse, the absence is known as an “unexcused absence.” When a student has three unexcused absences in a school year, the student is considered truant. Laws governing truancy, including interventions and fines to parents, apply to these students.
When a student is absent from school with a valid excuse, the absence is known as an “excused absence.” Current law defines various reasons a student may be excused from school, including illness, funerals of immediate family, and medical appointments.
Current law excuses a student from school to spend time with a member of their immediate family who is an active-duty member of the uniformed services and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or combat support position. Furthermore, the superintendent of the student’s school district may determine the amount of time the student may be granted as an excused absence. This bill removes the requirement that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position and instead excuses the absence for any deployment.
Schools are funded based on attendance. An unexcused absence and an excused absence both result in a loss of funding to a school equivalent to the amount of time a student is absent.
- Prior Legislation. In recent years, the Legislature has significantly expanded the list of reasons a student may be excused from school, as described below.
SB 350 (Ashby), Chapter 601, Statutes of 2023, adds receiving victim services, grief support services, attending safety planning, and attending a funeral or grieving to the list of reasons that a student may be excused from school.
AB 1503 (Lee), Chapter 846, Statutes of 2023, extends the time permitted for an excused absence for attending a religious retreat from four hours to one schoolday per year.
SB 955 (Leyva), Chapter 921, Statutes of 2022, adds participation in a civic or political event to the list of reasons that a student may be excused from school.
SB 14 (Portantino), Chapter 672, Statutes of 2021, adds “for the benefit of the behavioral health of the student” within the “illness” category on the list of reasons that a student may be excused from school, among other provisions.
AB 516 (Megan Dahle), Chapter 281, Statutes of 2021, adds participation in a cultural ceremony or event to the list of reasons that a student may be excused from school.
AB 1593 (Obernolte), Chapter 92, Statutes of 2016, adds a student's attendance at their naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen to the list of reasons that a student may be excused from school.
Analysis Prepared by: Natasha Collins / APPR. / (916) 319-2081
Date of Hearing: March 20, 2024
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Al Muratsuchi, Chair
ABPCA Bill Id:AB 1884 (
Author:Ward) – As Introduced Ver:January 22, 2024
SUBJECT: Pupil attendance: excused absences: uniformed services deployments
SUMMARY: Removes the requirement that a pupil’s family member’s military deployment be in a combat zone for the student’s absence to spend time with that family member, in order to be classified as an excused absence. Specifically, this bill:
- Authorizes a student’s excused absence for purposes of spending time with a member of their immediate family who is an active duty member of the military and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from deployment, without requiring that the deployment be to a combat zone or combat support position.
- Other technical and clarifying changes.
EXISTING LAW:
- Requires a student between the ages of 6 through 18 to attend school full-time, in the school district where either parent or legal guardian resides, except as specified. (Education Code (EC) 48200)
- Specifies that excused absences are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance (ADA) and do not generate state apportionment payments. (EC 48205)
- Requires that a student be excused from school when the absence is:
- Due to the student’s illness, including an absence for the benefit of the student’s mental or behavioral health;
- Spending time with a member of the student’s immediate family who is an active duty member of the uniformed services, and has been called to duty for, is on leave from, or has immediately returned from, deployment to a combat zone or combat support position;
- Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer;
- Having a medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic appointment;
- Attending the funeral services or grieving the death of either a member of the pupil’s immediate family or of a person that is determined by the student’s parent or guardian to be in such close association with the student as to be considered immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than five days per incident;
- Serving on jury duty;
- Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the student is the custodial parent;
- For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of the student’s religion, attendance at religious retreats (limited to one day per semester), attendance at an employment conference, or attendance at an educational conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization, when the absence is requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or designee, based upon standards established by the governing board of the school district;
- Serving as a member of a precinct board for an election;
- Attending the student’s naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen;
- Participating in a cultural ceremony or event; and
- A middle or high school student engaging in a civic or political event for no more than one schoolday per year, provided that the student notifies the school ahead of the absence. (EC 48205)
- Provides that a valid excuse includes, but is not limited to, the reasons specified in the "excused absences" sections of the law, and may include other reasons that are within the discretion of school administrators and based on the facts of the pupil's circumstances. (EC 48260)
- Defines a "truant" as any student subject to compulsory full-time education or to compulsory continuation education who is absent from school without a valid excuse on any day or is tardy for more than 30 minutes, or any combination thereof, for three days in a school year. (EC 48260)
FISCAL EFFECT: The Office of Legislative Counsel has keyed this bill as a possible state-mandated local program.
COMMENTS:
Need for the bill. According to the author, “Military service is a needed and valued profession that touches many communities. While the individuals serving sacrifice for their country and community, their families also are part of this obligation. Allowing students excused absences relating to their parent’s extended military deployment is a reasonable allowance for families who serve.”
Excused absences. California's compulsory education law requires every child between the ages of 6 through 18 to attend school full-time and their parents and legal guardians to be responsible for ensuring that they attend school. A student who is absent from school without a valid excuse on any day or is tardy for more than 30 minutes, or any combination thereof, for three days in a school year is considered a truant.
Current law establishes excused absences for a number of reasons, including illness, quarantine, medical appointments, attending a funeral, jury duty, illness of the student’s child, a court appearance, observation of a religious holiday or ceremony, attendance at an educational conference, serving on a precinct board, spending time with an immediate family member who is an active duty member of the military deployed in a combat zone, as well as for other reasons deemed to constitute a valid excuse by a school administrator based upon an individual student’s circumstances.
Absences impact school funding. California schools are funded on the basis of the ADA of enrolled students. Absences, whether excused or unexcused, do not generate ADA, thereby negatively impacting an LEA’s overall funding.
Chronic absenteeism has risen significantly in recent years. Chronic absence refers to missing so much school for any reason that a student is academically at risk. Chronic absence is defined as missing 10% or more of school for any reason, including excused absences, unexcused absences or truancy, and suspensions.
Statewide chronic absence rates increased from 12% to a high of 30% in 2021-22 during the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2022-23, the overall chronic absence rate fell to 25%. Although this represents a decrease from the prior year, the rate is still more than double that of the rate prior to the pandemic.
Chronic absences have a disproportionate impact on different subgroups of students. Only 2% of the most affluent schools have extreme levels of chronic absence, compared to 60% of schools in which 75% or more of the students are socioeconomically disadvantaged. Students who are involved in the foster care system, are experiencing homelessness, and/or have been identified as having a disability have extraordinarily high levels of chronic absenteeism. In addition, Native American, Black, and Pacific Islander students also have especially high rates of chronic absences. See figure 1 below. (Chang, 2024)
Chronic absenteeism also varies significantly by grade level. Kindergarten chronic absence increased from the pre-pandemic level of 16% to 40% in 2021-22 and remained at 36% in 2022-23, the highest level among all grade levels. High school chronic absenteeism increased from the pre-pandemic level of 16% to 30% at the height of the pandemic and dropped to 26% in 2022-23. (Chang, 2024)
Figure 1. Chronic Absenteeism Rates by Student Group and Year
Source: Unpacking California’s Chronic Absence Crisis Through 2022-23 (Chang, January 2024)
Potential to increase chronic absenteeism by expanding excused absences. Legislation in recent years has added to the list of excused absences for the purposes of a student’s mental health, participating in a cultural ceremony or event, attending a funeral or accessing grief support services, and engaging in a civic or political event. Although each of these is important in themselves, the overall impact on student attendance must be considered. A student’s absence from school for any reason may have negative impacts on their academic achievement over time.
Arguments in support. The Association of California School Administrators writes, “California is home to the largest number of military personnel in the country, with 32 bases located in the state, from every branch of the military. As such, the state serves a very large number of military connected students in our schools. Deployments and long-term separation are a unique hardship that military families bear in service to our nation. Current law only recognizes excused absences for students who are spending time with family before or after a combat deployment. AB 1884 expands the excused absence to include all deployments. ACSA recognizes the toll any deployment takes on military families and the importance of students and families having the ability to spend time together before a departure and upon returns.”
Related legislation. SB 350 (Ashby) Chapter 601, Statutes of 2023, adds, to the list of excused absences from school that a pupil can be excused from school the ability to miss school to receive victim services, grief support services, or attend safety planning, and to attend a funeral or to grieve for no longer than five days, as specified.
AB 1503 (Lee) Chapter 846, Statutes of 2023 extends the time permitted for an excused absence for attending a religious retreat from four hours to one schoolday per year.
SB 955 (Leyva) Chapter 921, Statutes of 2022, authorizes one excused absence per year for a middle or high school student to participate in a civic or political event provided that the student notifies the school ahead of the absence.
SB 14 (Portantino) Chapter 672, Statutes of 2021, includes, specifically, “for the benefit of the behavioral health of the student” within the “illness” category for excused absences for purposes of school attendance; and requires the CDE to identify an evidence-based and evidence-informed training program for LEAs to address youth behavioral health, including staff and student training.
AB 516 (Megan Dahle) Chapter 281, Statutes of 2021, adds participation in a cultural ceremony or event to the list of reasons that a student must be excused from school.
AB 1593 (Obernolte) Chapter 92, Statutes of 2016, adds a student's attendance at his or her naturalization ceremony to become a United States citizen to the list of excused absences.
SB 1457 (Morrell) of the 2015-16 Session would have expanded the authority of school districts to authorize a student to be excused from school to receive moral and religious instruction by authorizing a local governing board to adopt a policy, as specified, to allow students to earn up to two elective credits towards high school graduation requirements for the completion of “released time instruction,” excluding any cap on the number of excused absences for this purpose, and would have authorized a school district to generate average daily attendance for these absences. This bill was held on the Senate Floor.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:
Support
Association of California School Administrators |
Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office |
San Bernardino County District Advocates for Better Schools |
Opposition
None on file
Analysis Prepared by: Debbie Look / ED. / (916) 319-2087
Discussed in Hearing
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Bill Author
Bill Co-Author(s):