Foster children: school placement: immunization records.

Existing law provides that at the initial detention or placement, or any subsequent change in placement of a foster child, the local educational agency serving the foster child shall allow the foster child to continue his or her education in the school of origin for the duration of the jurisdiction of the court. However, if the educational liaison for foster children and the person holding the right to make educational decisions for the foster child agree that the best interests of the foster child would best be served by waiver of this right and transfer to a school other than the school of origin, the foster child shall immediately be enrolled in the new school. Existing law requires the new school to immediately enroll the foster child even if he or she is unable to produce clothing or records normally required for enrollment, such as previous academic records, medical records, proof of residency, other documentation, or school uniforms. Existing law prohibits the governing authority of a school or other institution from unconditionally admitting any person as a pupil of any private or public elementary or secondary school, child care center, day nursery, nursery school, family day care home, or development center, unless prior to the pupil's first admission to that institution the pupil has been fully immunized against specified diseases. This bill would specify that the new school is required to immediately enroll the foster child even if he or she is unable to produce medical records, including, but not limited to, records or other proof of immunization history. The bill would make a conforming change by requiring the governing authority to admit a foster child whose immunization records are not available or are missing and prohibiting this change from altering specified obligations of the governing authority. The bill would state the Legislature's intent to reconcile the provisions of the Health and Safety Code with those of the Education Code. The bill would also make technical, nonsubstantive changes.