Pupil services: homeless children or youth.

(1) Existing law, if an individual with exceptional needs is a foster child, as defined, and the local educational agency has proposed a change of placement due to an act for which a decision to recommend expulsion is at the discretion of the principal or the district superintendent of schools, requires the attorney for the individual with exceptional needs and an appropriate representative of the county child welfare agency to be invited to participate in the individualized education program team meeting that makes a manifestation determination, as specified. This bill, if an individual with exceptional needs is a homeless child or youth, as defined, and the local educational agency has proposed a change of placement due to an act for which a decision to recommend expulsion is at the discretion of the principal or the district superintendent of schools, would require the designated local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth to be invited to participate in the individualized education program team meeting that makes a manifestation determination, as specified. (2) Existing law, if the decision to recommend expulsion is a discretionary act and the pupil is a foster child, as defined, requires the governing board of the school district to provide notice of the expulsion hearing to the pupil's attorney and an appropriate representative of the county child welfare agency, as specified. Existing law, if a recommendation of expulsion is required and the pupil is a foster child, as defined, authorizes the governing board of the school district to provide notice of the expulsion hearing to the pupil's attorney and an appropriate representative of the county child welfare agency, as specified. This bill, if the decision to recommend expulsion is a discretionary act and the pupil is a homeless child or youth, as defined, would require the governing board of the school district to provide notice of the expulsion hearing to the designated local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth, as specified. The bill, if a recommendation of expulsion is required and the pupil is a homeless child or youth, as defined, would authorize the governing board of the school district to provide notice of the expulsion hearing to the designated local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth, as specified. (3) Existing law requires a school district to exempt a pupil in foster care, as defined, who transfers between schools any time after the completion of the pupil's 2nd year of high school from all coursework and other requirements adopted by the governing board of the school district that are in addition to certain statewide coursework requirements unless the school district makes a finding that the pupil is reasonably able to complete the school district's graduation requirements in time to graduate from high school by the end of the pupil's 4th year of high school. Existing law requires, among other things, the school district to take specified actions if it determines that the pupil in foster care is reasonably able to complete the school district's graduation requirements within the pupil's 5th year of high school. This bill would extend these provisions to a pupil who is a homeless child or youth, as defined. By requiring school districts to perform additional duties in complying with the exemption requirements, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (4) Existing law requires a school district and county office of education to accept coursework satisfactorily completed by a pupil in foster care, as defined, while attending another public school, a juvenile court school, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency even if the pupil did not complete the entire course and requires the school district and county office of education to issue that pupil full or partial credit for the coursework completed. Existing law prohibits a school district or county office of education from, among other things, requiring a pupil in foster care to retake a course if the pupil has satisfactorily completed the entire course in a public school, a juvenile court school, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency. Existing law provides that a pupil in foster care shall not be prohibited from retaking or taking a course to meet the eligibility requirements for admission to the California State University or the University of California. This bill would extend these provisions to a pupil who is a homeless child or youth, as defined. By requiring a school district and county office of education to perform additional duties in complying with the requirements to accept coursework, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (5) 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.