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CA SB 532

About the Act

SB 532 Pupil instruction: high school coursework and graduation requirements: exemptions and alternatives.

This act amends California Education Code section (Ca. Educ. Code §) 51225.1 with regards to graduation requirements and timelines for students experiencing homelessness, and amends Ca. Educ. Code § 51225.2 with regards to awarding full or partial credit for all full or partial coursework satisfactorily completed by students experiencing homelessness, as outlined below.

Ca. Educ. Code § 51225.1: Graduation requirements and timelines

  • A local educational agency (LEA) shall exempt a student experiencing homelessness who transfers between schools any time after the completion of the student's second year of high school from all coursework and other requirements adopted by the LEA that are in addition to statewide coursework requirements, unless the LEA deems that the student is reasonably able to complete the LEA's graduation requirements in time to graduate from high school by the end of the student's fourth year of high school.
  • If an LEA determines that a student experiencing homelessness is reasonably able to complete the LEA's graduation requirements within the student's fifth year of high school, the LEA shall: 
    • Consult with the student and the person holding the right to make educational decisions for the student (hereafter educational decision maker) regarding the student's option to remain in school for a fifth year to complete the LEA's graduation requirements.
    • Consult with the student and educational decision maker about how remaining in school for a fifth year to complete the LEA's graduation requirements will affect the student's ability to gain admission to a postsecondary educational institution.
    • Consult with and provide information to the student about transfer opportunities through the California Community Colleges.
    • Permit the student to stay in school for a fifth year to complete the LEA's graduation requirements upon agreement with the student (if 18 years of age or older) or the educational decision maker (if the student is under 18 years of age).
    • Consult with the student and educational decision maker about the student's option to remain in the student's school of origin.
  • If an LEA determines that a student experiencing homelessness is not reasonably able to complete the LEA's graduation requirements within the student's fifth year of high school, but is reasonably able to complete the statewide coursework requirements within the student's fifth year of high school, the LEA shall exempt the student from the LEA's graduation requirements and provide the student the option to remain in school for a fifth year to complete the statewide coursework requirements. The LEA shall consult with the student and educational decision maker about:
    • The student's option to remain in school for a fifth year to complete the statewide coursework requirements.
    • How waiving the LEA requirements and remaining in school for a fifth year may affect the student's postsecondary education or vocation plans, including the ability to gain admission to an institution of higher education.
    • Whether any other options are available to the student, including, but not limited to, possible credit recovery, and any transfer opportunities available through the California Community Colleges.
    • The student's academic data and any other information relevant to making an informed decision on whether to accept the exemption and option to remain in school for a fifth year to complete the statewide coursework requirements.
  • For a student who is an unaccompanied youth as defined in the federal McKinney-Vento Act, the unaccompanied youth is the educational decision maker.
  • See the full text of SB 532 for additional detail on
    • Determining whether a student is in the third or fourth year of high school for purposes of the graduation requirement exemption
    • Notifying students and educational decision makers of the availability of the exemption and whether a student qualifies
    • Discussing how the exemption may affect the student's postsecondary or vocation plans and other options available to the student
    • Filing complaints of noncompliance with the requirements of SB 532
    • The availability of graduation requirement and timeline exemptions to a student experiencing homelessness who is enrolled in an adult education program, regardless of the student's age
    • The availability of graduation requirement and timeline exemptions to a student who is enrolled in an adult education program who, while enrolled in high school, was a student experiencing homelessness
    • The LEA requirement to report annually to the California Department of Education (CDE) the number of students who graduated with an exemption from the LEA's graduation requirements that are in addition to the statewide coursework requirements
    • The definition of terms used throughout this Ca. Educ. Code section
    • Other statutory and implementation details

Ca. Educ. Code § 51225.2: Awarding partial or full credit for coursework completed satisfactorily

  • A local educational agency (LEA) shall issue, and the new LEA shall accept, full or partial credit for all full or partial coursework satisfactorily completed by a student experiencing homelessness while attending a public school, a juvenile court school, a charter school, a school in a country other than the United States, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school.
  • The transferring LEA shall issue the full and partial credits on an official transcript for the student and shall ensure the transcript includes all of the following:
    • All full and partial credits and grades earned based on any measure of full or partial coursework being satisfactorily completed, including a determination of the days of enrollment or seat time, or both, if applicable, at a school of that LEA or a prior LEA, or any other public school, juvenile court school, charter school, school in a country other than the United States, or nonpublic, nonsectarian school.
    • The credits and grades for each school and LEA listed separately so it is clear where they were earned.
    • A complete record of the student's seat time, including both period attendance and days of enrollment.
    • The new LEA shall transfer the credits and grades onto an official transcript of the new LEA.
  • See the full text of SB 532 for additional detail on
    • The manner in which the new LEA must transfer the credits and grades onto an official transcript of the new LEA
    • The new school's or LEA's responsibility to contact the prior LEA if the new school or LEA has knowledge that the transcript from the transferring LEA is missing certain credits or grades for the student; the prior LEA's responsibility to issue appropriate credits and provide all academic and other records to the new LEA upon request
    • Guidelines regarding retaking coursework previous completed satisfactorily in full or in part
    • Filing complaints of noncompliance with the requirements of SB 532
    • Other statutory and implementation details 

Legislation