School safety: Safe School Guarantee.

(1) Existing law imposes various requirements on local educational agencies with respect to pupil safety. This bill would express legislative findings and declarations of the Legislature with respect to school safety. The bill would permit a parent or guardian of a public elementary or secondary school pupil to have the option to remove his or her child from an unsafe school, as defined, and enroll his or her child in another school within the same school district if a suspension or expulsion of a pupil for any of several specified offenses has occurred during the current or immediately preceding school year or an employee of the school is dismissed by the governing board of the school district for, or is convicted of, specified offenses. The bill would require that, if no safe school exists within the same school district, the parent or guardian shall have the option to transfer his or her child to a safe school in another school district. Because the bill would impose new duties on school districts, it would constitute 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.