Penal Code § 11165.15

Topic: Reporting Abuse

AB 652 (effective 2014): Child abuse reporting and HUY

• Clarifies the fact that a child/youth that is homeless or classified as an unaccompanied minor, is not in and of itself, a sufficient basis reporting child abuse or neglect as defined by McKinney-Vento.

California EC §51225.1

Topic: High School Requirements

AB 1806 (effective 2015) Legislation to provide graduation requirement exemption for homeless children & youth.

• Exempts homeless students from completing Local Educational Agency (LEA) graduation requirements in excess of the state graduation requirements if the student transfers schools (across districts or within district) after the second year of high school (grade 11 or 12), and if the pupil would not reasonably be able to complete the LEA requirements by the end of the fourth year of high school. Includes all provisions that were provided to foster students.

AB 1166 (effective 2016) Amends EC §51225.1 Extends and clarifies graduation requirement exemption

• If the district fails to provide timely notification of exemption from local graduation requirements, the student is declared eligible for the exemption.
• A student who qualifies for the exemption will continue to qualify even if the student is no longer in foster care or homeless.

SB 532 (effective 2023) Amends EC §51225.1 Extends and clarifies graduation requirement exemption

• Adds that students are allowed to remain in school for a fifth year to meet STATE requirements.
• For students determined to be reasonably able to complete local requirements when first evaluated, requires re-evaluation at the beginning of the next academic year to determine if still on track to graduate and if not, graduation exemption waiver can be considered.
• For students with significant gaps in school attendance, age may be used as a factor to determine if the student is in the third or fourth year of high school to qualify for the graduation exemption waiver.
• LEAs must consult with the person holding educational rights for a student and the student regarding graduation options and how exemption may impact student’s post-secondary options or vocational plans.
• Requires re-evaluation of students within 30 days of request by student or person holding educational rights for student.
• Applies to students enrolled in Adult Education Programs.
• Sole discretion of person holding education rights for student or student if 18, or an unaccompanied youth, whether or not to accept the graduation requirement exemption.
• For a student that is an unaccompanied youth, the person holding the educational rights for the student is the unaccompanied youth.
• LEAs shall report annually the number of students who graduated with an exemption.

SB 1796 (effective 2024) Pupil instruction: course offerings: parental notification

• At the beginning of the first semester or quarter of the regular school term, a local educational agency shall notify the parents or guardians of pupils admitted to, or advancing to, grades 7 to 12, inclusive, of any dual enrollment or International Baccalaureate courses offered by the local educational agency

California EC §51225.2

Topic: Partial Credits

AB 1806 (effective 2015) Legislation to provide partial credits for homeless children and youth.

• Requires school districts to issue partial credits for coursework satisfactorily completed by a homeless youth in a prior school if the entire coursework was not completed.
• Prohibits a school from requiring a homeless youth to retake a complete course if a portion of the course was already completed.

SB 532 (effective 2023) Amends EC §51225.2 Partial credits clarification

• Clarifies that the transferring LEA shall issue the full and partial credits on an official transcript for the student.
• Credits and grades for each school and LEA are listed separately on the transcript.
• A complete record of the student’s seat time, including period attendance and days of enrollment.
• New LEA must transfer the credits and grades onto an official transcript in the same manner.

California EC § 48900, 48900.5, 48918.1, 48915.5

Topic: Discipline

AB 1729 (effective 2013) Amends EC §48900 & 48900.5 Alternatives to suspension or expulsion

• Authorizes a superintendent of the school district or principal to use alternatives to suspension or expulsion that are age appropriate and designed to address and correct the root causes of the pupil’s specific misbehavior.
• Requires the IEP team, for an individual with exceptional needs, to hold a meeting within 3 days to discuss the behavioral concerns and determine if a functional behavioral assessment and/or behavioral intervention plan are needed to address the behavior.

AB 420 (effective 2014) Amends EC §48900 Eliminating “disruption” and “willful defiance” as acts subject to discipline

• Eliminates the authority to suspend a student out of school or in-school in Kindergarten through third grade for “disruption” and “willful defiance”
• Eliminates the authority to expel a student in Kindergarten-12th grade for “disruption” and “willful defiance”

AB 1806 (effective 2015) Amends EC §48918.1 & 48915.5 Legislation regarding discipline notifications

• Requires each LEA to notify the LEA’s liaison for homeless children and youth of a manifestation determination meeting, a suspension hearing, or an expulsion.

SB 274 (effective 2024) Suspensions & Expulsions: Willful defiance

• Removes disrupting school activities or willful defiance (as defined) from the list of acts for which a pupil, regardless of their grade of enrollment, may be suspended or recommended for expulsion & extends date to 2029. Extends prohibition against the suspension of charter school pupils for those acts to all grades, indefinitely.

California EC § 76004, 66025.9, 67003.5, 69514.5, 69561, 76300, 66019.3, 76010, 90001.5, 92660

Topics: College Pathways, Priority Enrollment, Priority Housing & Financial Aid

AB 288 (effective 2015) EC § 76004 College Pathways

• Authorizes community college and school districts to enter into a College & Career Access Pathways Partnership with the goal of developing seamless pathways from high school to community college for career technical education or preparation for transfer, improving high school graduation rates, or helping pupils achieve college and career readiness.

AB 801 (effective 2016) EC §66025.9, 67003.5, 69514.5, 69561, 76300 Priority Enrollment

• Until January 2020, requires California State Universities and California Community Colleges and requests University of California that administers a priority enrollment system, to grant priority for registration for enrollment to homeless youth.
• Designate a Homeless and Foster Student Liaison, apportion funds for projects to increase accessibility of postsecondary educational opportunities and provide fee waivers for homeless youth.

AB 1288 (effective 2016) EC §66019.3, 76010, 90001.5, 92660 Priority Housing

• Requests California Community Colleges and requires California State University and University of California campuses to give priority for housing (including year-around) to homeless students and have plans to make on-campus housing available during breaks.

AB 806 (effective 2019) amends EC § §66025.9, 67003.5, 69514.5, 69561, 76300 Priority Enrollment

• Removes the end date and extends the provision for priority enrollment indefinitely.
• Adds former homeless youth (a student under 25 years of age, who has been verified at any time during the 24 months immediately preceding the receipt of the youth’s application for admission by a postsecondary educational institution) to the list of students:
  • Granted, or requested to be granted, priority enrollment.
  • Whom a Homeless and Foster Student Liaison (within the financial aid office or another appropriate office or department) works with.
  • Served by the Community College Student Financial Aid Outreach Program and the Student Opportunity and Access Program.
  • Eligible for a fee waiver for the enrollment fee of $46 per unit per semester.

AB 789 (effective 2024-25 Academic Year) Student Financial Aid: Cal Grants & Satisfactory Progress

• Requires an institution to comply with federal standards of “satisfactory academic progress” to qualify for participation in the Cal Grant Program.

AB 2458 (effective 2024) Public postsecondary education: student parents

• On or before July 31, 2025, the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and the office of the Chancellor of the California State University shall, and the office of the President of the University of California is requested to, develop and disseminate a policy to estimate and adjust cost of attendance information for student parents.

California EC § 48853, 48853.5, 49069.5, 51225.1 & 51225.2

AB 379 (effective 2016) Complaint of Noncompliance

• Allows a student in foster care or one who is homeless to enforce their educational rights through the State’s Uniform Complaint Procedure.
• Requires these rights to be included in the Annual Notification.

California EC§49073, 49076

Topic: Pupil Records

AB 1068 (effective 2014) Pupil Records

• Gives unaccompanied youth age 14 and over the right to access and consent to disclose their school records.
• Extends these rights to caregivers who enroll students in school using California’s caregiver authorization affidavit.
• Prevents schools from releasing directory information (name, address, phone number, email and photographs) of students experiencing homelessness, unless a parent expressly consents.

Health & Safety Code § 103577

Topic: Free Birth Records

AB 1733 (effective 2015) Free Birth Records

• Each local registrar or county recorder shall, without a fee, issue a certified record of live birth to any person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person or a homeless child or youth. A homeless service provider (including a local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth) who has knowledge of a person’s housing status shall verify a person’s status for the purposes of this subdivision. AB2490 amended this to require, without a fee, issuance of up to three copies of a certified record of live birth for a homeless child or youth.

Vehicle Code §14902

Topic: Free California ID

AB 2490 (effective 2018) Free California ID

• On and after January 1, 2016, a fee shall not be charged for an original or replacement identification card issued to any person who can verify his or her status as a homeless person or homeless child or youth. A homeless service provider (including a local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth) that has knowledge of a person’s housing status shall verify a person’s status for the purposes of this subdivision.

Health & Safety Code § 120325

Topic: Public Health Vaccinations

SB 277 (effective 2016) Vaccination Exemptions

• Exemptions from immunizations for medical reasons only. Eliminates exemptions based upon personal beliefs. NOTE: Foster & Homeless Youth are still guaranteed the right to enroll without proof of immunization. Best practices is to enroll immediately and then assist families in getting immunization so there is no disruption in their schooling because of immunizations.