Charter schools: pupil health and safety.

(1) The Charter Schools Act of 1992 permits teachers and parents to petition the governing board of a school district to approve a charter school to operate independently from the existing school district structure as a method of accomplishing, among other things, improved pupil learning. Existing law exempts charter schools from the laws governing school districts except those of the Charter Schools Act, those establishing minimum age for public school attendance, specified building code regulations, and other specified laws. Existing law requires a charter school to comply with its charter and requires a charter to include the procedures that the school will follow to ensure the health and safety of pupils and staff, including the requirement that each employee of the school furnish the school with a criminal record summary. This bill would require a charter school to comply with all laws governing the health and safety of pupils and school employees. To the extent this bill would impose additional duties on charter schools, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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 these statutory provisions.