Assembly Bills 216 1806 and 2306 Graduation Requirements

Assembly Bills 216, 1806, and 2306 Graduation Requirements for Foster, Homeless, and Juvenile Court Students Lacy Lenon Arthur – Coordinator, Foster Youth Services Brian Sousa – Administrator II, Student Data and Achievement

AB 216: Foster Youth For LCFF Purposes, the definition of a foster youth is as follows: All children or youth who are the subject of a petition filed under Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Section 300 (meaning a court has taken jurisdiction over a child and declared the child to be a dependent of the court due to the presence or risk of abuse or neglect), are included regardless of whether they are living at home or are placed outside the home. Children or youth who are the subject of a petition filed under WIC Section 602 however, (meaning a court has taken jurisdiction over a child July 15, 2014 and declared the child to be a ward of the court due to the child’s violation of certain laws) are included only if they have been ordered by a court to be removed from home pursuant to WIC Section 727 and placed in foster care as defined by WIC Section 727. 4(d).

AB 216: Foster Youth • Foster youth who transfer high schools after their second year may graduate by completing minimum state graduation requirements, if at the time of transfer, they cannot reasonably complete additional local school district requirements within four years of high school. (Cal. Ed. Code § 51225. 1. ) • Applies to any youth in foster care or on probation who is either removed from their home or subject to a petition under Welfare and Institutions Code Sections 300, 309, or 602.

AB 216: Foster Youth • The new school district must determine eligibility within 30 days of the youth’s transfer into a new school. • To determine eligibility for exemption, for students in their 3 rd or 4 th year of high school, the district may use either the number of credits the student has earned by the date they transferred high school, or the length of time the student has been enrolled in high school. • The determination, as well as the impact of AB 167/216 (admission to a four-year university), must be provided in writing to the youth, their education rights holder, and social worker.

AB 167/AB 216: Foster Youth • Applies to foster youth who change/transfer schools after completion of 2 years of HS (credit or duration). • May graduate with state minimum requirement vs. district graduation requirement (130 vs. 230). • District determines “reasonableness” to graduate under legislation. • If a youth is found ineligible for AB 167/216 graduation when they transfer schools, they may request reconsideration at any later time.

AB 216: Foster Youth • Students are eligible if they are not reasonably able to complete local graduation requirements by the end of their 4 th year of high school. • Students have a right to remain in high school for a 5 th year if they can complete the local graduation requirements and if the education rights holder determines that it is in the youth’s best interest. • A student may not be required to transfer high schools in order to qualify for the exemption.

AB 1806: Homeless Youth Definition of a Homeless Youth • The Mc. Kinney-Vento Act defines homeless children and youths as individuals who lack a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence. This definition also includes: • Children and youths who are sharing the housing of other persons due to loss of housing, economic hardship, or a similar reason • Children and youths who may be living in motels, hotels, trailer parks, shelters, or awaiting foster care placement • Children and youths who have a primary nighttime residence that is a public or private place not designed for or ordinarily used as a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings • Children and youths who are living in cars, parks, public spaces, abandoned buildings, substandard housing, bus or train stations, or similar settings, or • Migratory children who qualify as homeless because they are children who are living in similar circumstances listed above

AB 1806: Homeless Youth • Exempts a homeless student who transfers any time after the completion of the student’s second year of high school, from coursework/requirements that are in addition to statewide requirements (unless the student is reasonably able to complete the requirements by the end of their 4 th year of high school). • The requirements are the same as AB 168/216.

AB 1806: Homeless Youth • To determine eligibility for exemption, for students in their 3 rd or 4 th year of high school, the district may use either the number of credits the student has earned by the date they transferred high school, or the length of time the student has been enrolled in high school. • A student may not be required to transfer high schools in order to qualify for the exemption.

AB 2306: Juvenile Court Pupils • Similar to AB 216/1806 in graduation requirements • Adds language into the existing statutes in educational code that already exists for foster and homeless students • Changes made to education code section 48645. 5 • 48645. 5(d) reads: • If a pupil completes the statewide coursework requirements for graduation specified in Section 51225. 3 while attending a juvenile court school, the county office of education shall issue to the pupil a diploma of graduation and shall not require the pupil to complete coursework or other requirements that are in addition to the statewide coursework requirements.

AB 2306: Juvenile Court Pupils – The Particulars • Students qualify starting their 11 th grade year • COE is not allowed to enroll in sections that would be deemed unnecessary under the minimum graduation requirements • The only exception is providing support classes to enhance instruction of ELA and Mathematics • Students on trajectory to meet their minimum graduation requirements in their 11 th grade year will be provided courses like Economics and Government • Chaptered 9/22/2016

AB 2306: Juvenile Court Pupils - The Impact • More students will graduate in their 11 th grade year • Analysis of the class of 2017 showed minimal impact as many students had already qualified under AB 216 • (Only one student qualified for early graduation under 2306 that had not been qualified under AB 216) • The majority of pupils in Juvenile Court School are credit deficient and do no often meet graduation requirements in their 11 th grade year

CALPADS Implications • Ensure that foster and homeless youth are properly identified in your submissions • Verify that students graduated under AB 216 and 1806 are properly identified • Students transferred to court schools in the 11 th and 12 th grades who qualify for graduation will be graduated by the county as mandated