News

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

New California Laws Affecting Education in 2008

Several new laws were passed by the California Legislature that affect public education in California. The laws took effect January 1, 2008. Following is a summary on several new education-related laws, as provided by the Office of State Superintendent Jack O’Connell.

Assembly Bill (AB) 1061: Simplifies information on the School Accountability Report Card to make it more understandable for parents.

AB 1291: Requires the Department of Justice to establish an anti-gang violence curriculum for juveniles in custody, and requires the parents or guardians to pay for those classes if they can afford it.

AB 1698: Ensures schools are appropriately reimbursed after they notify parents when their child accrues three unexcused absences.

Senate Bill 52: Requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards for the issuance of credentials for teachers in career technical education.

SB 219: Requires the Academic Performance Index to include information on test scores, drop-out rates, and other accountability data of pupils who were referred by the school or school district to an alternative education program.

SB 278: Includes another justifiable reason for student absence for attending an education conference on the legislative or judicial process offered by a nonprofit organization. Currently, students may be excused for court appearances, funeral services, religious holidays or ceremonies, religious retreats, or employment conferences.

SB 405: Ensures that public middle and high school students will be informed by counselors of their graduation requirements, individualized review of their career goals, the availability of career technical education and community and workplace learning experiences, and eligibility requirements of admission to the University of California and the California State University systems.

SB 490: Prescribes nutrition standards for snacks sold to pupils in middle, junior, or high school.

SB 601: Requires California Department of Education to ensure that data collected from local educational agencies comply with minimum minutes of instruction and conducting physical fitness testing, and then reporting the information to the Governor and Legislature.

SB 777: Simplifies and clarifies existing civil rights protections for California students, updates more specific prohibitions against discrimination throughout the Education Code, and replaces outdated references to “handicapped students” with “students with disabilities.”