Opportunity schools.

Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state, and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law establishes continuation education as an alternative high school diploma program for pupils who are 16 years of age or older, have not graduated from high school, are still required to attend school, and who are at risk of not graduating. Existing law also authorizes local educational agencies to provide opportunity education programs to support pupils who are irregular in attendance, display negative behaviors, or are unsuccessful academically. Existing law authorizes county boards of education that have an average daily attendance of less than 8,000 to establish opportunity schools in lieu of complying with otherwise applicable requirements to establish continuation education schools. This bill would delete the provisions relating to opportunity schools established by county boards of education that have an average daily attendance of less than 8,000. The bill would authorize county boards of education and school districts to establish and maintain opportunity schools as a program of guidance, placement, and followup for all pupils within the county or school district, as appropriate, who are subject to compulsory continuation education. The bill would specify the criteria for a school to meet the definition of an opportunity school, and would specify and define categories of pupils who would be eligible to attend an opportunity school that is an alternative school of choice or charter school meeting certain criteria. These categories would include, among others, pupils who have been expelled or suspended, or who are wards or dependents of the court, pregnant or parenting, recovered dropouts, habitual truants, credit-deficient pupils, foster youth, or homeless youth. The bill would specify entities with which an opportunity school could enter into a partnership. The bill would authorize county boards of education and school districts to establish opportunity schools in lieu of meeting statutory requirements to establish continuation education schools. The bill would specify funding arrangements for opportunity schools established under the bill.