Juvenile court school pupils.

Existing law provides for the administration and operation of juvenile court schools by the county board of education. This bill would express the Legislature's intent that juvenile court schools have a rigorous curriculum that includes a course of study that prepares pupils for high school graduation and career entry and fulfills the requirements for admission to the California State University and the University of California. Existing law prescribes the course of study a pupil is required to complete while in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in order to receive a diploma of graduation, and authorizes the governing board of a school district to prescribe other coursework requirements that are in addition to the statewide requirements. Existing law exempts pupils in foster care and pupils who are homeless children or youths from local graduation requirements and also requires a school district and county office of education to accept coursework satisfactorily completed by those pupils while attending another public school, a juvenile court school, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school. This bill would make that exemption and requirement to accept coursework satisfactorily completed applicable to former juvenile court school pupils, as defined. The bill would also require a county office of education to issue a diploma of graduation to a pupil who completes statewide coursework requirements for graduation while attending a juvenile court school but does not complete coursework and other requirements that are in addition to the statewide graduation requirements. By placing additional requirements on school districts and county offices of education, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.