Pupils: school attendance: school districts of choice.

Existing law defines a school district of choice as one in which the governing board of the school district has, by resolution, elected to accept interdistrict transfers and has determined the number of transfers it is willing to accept through a random, unbiased process, as specified. Existing law requires a school district of choice to give priority for attendance to siblings of children already in attendance in that school district. Existing law provides that a school district of choice may give priority for attendance to children of military personnel. Existing law authorizes a school district of choice to reject the transfer of a pupil if the transfer of that pupil would require the school district to create a new program to serve that pupil, except that a school district of choice is prohibited from rejecting the transfer of a special needs pupil, including an individual with exceptional needs and an English learner. This bill would require a school district of choice to give priority for attendance to English learners, pupils who are individuals with exceptional needs, and pupils who are eligible for free and reduced-price meals, as provided. This bill would require that a school district of choice ensure that a pupil who transfers into the school district is enrolled in a school with a higher Academic Performance Index score than the school in which the pupil was previously enrolled.