Local control and accountability plans: annual goals: state priorities: measurement of pupil engagement: high school graduation rates.

Existing law requires the governing board of each school district and each county board of education to adopt a local control and accountability plan using a template adopted by the State Board of Education. Existing law requires the local control and accountability plan to include a description of the annual goals to be achieved for each of certain state priorities, which include pupil engagement as measured by, among others things, high school graduation rates, and the specific actions that will be taken to achieve the annual goals. This bill would require the governing board of each school district and each county board of education to measure high school graduation rates for pupils who graduate from continuation schools, for pupils who are late arrival English learners, and for all other pupils as 3 distinct categories for inclusion in the annual measurement of pupil engagement. The bill would specify that pupils with exceptional needs who receive certificates of completion from high school are high school graduates for these purposes. By imposing new duties upon school districts and county boards of education, this 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 the statutory provisions noted above.