BILL NUMBER: SB 200 CHAPTERED BILL TEXT CHAPTER 174 FILED WITH SECRETARY OF STATE AUGUST 11, 2015 APPROVED BY GOVERNOR AUGUST 11, 2015 PASSED THE SENATE APRIL 30, 2015 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY JULY 16, 2015 AMENDED IN SENATE MARCH 25, 2015 INTRODUCED BY Senator Lara (Principal coauthor: Assembly Member Bonilla) FEBRUARY 10, 2015 An act to amend Section 48204 of the Education Code, relating to pupils. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 200, Lara. Pupils: school district residency requirements. Existing law requires persons between 6 and 18 years of age, inclusive, to attend a public school within the school district in which the pupil's parent or legal guardian resides, unless otherwise exempted. Existing law provides that a pupil complies with a school district's residency requirements for school attendance in that school district if the pupil meets one of the specified requirements. This bill would provide that a pupil complies with a school district's residency requirements in instances where the pupil's parent or legal guardian resides outside of the boundaries of that school district but is employed and lives with the pupil at the place of his or her employment within the boundaries of the school district for a minimum of 3 days during the school week. By requiring a school district to allow those pupils to attend a public school within the school district, thereby increasing the duties of a school district, 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 these statutory provisions. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 48204 of the Education Code, as amended by Section 1 of Chapter 93 of the Statutes of 2012, is amended to read: 48204. (a) Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil complies with the residency requirements for school attendance in a school district, if he or she is any of the following: (1) (A) A pupil placed within the boundaries of that school district in a regularly established licensed children's institution, or a licensed foster home, or a family home pursuant to a commitment or placement under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 200) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (B) An agency placing a pupil in a home or institution described in subparagraph (A) shall provide evidence to the school that the placement or commitment is pursuant to law. (2) A pupil who is a foster child who remains in his or her school of origin pursuant to subdivisions (e) and (f) of Section 48853.5. (3) A pupil for whom interdistrict attendance has been approved pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 46600) of Part 26. (4) A pupil whose residence is located within the boundaries of that school district and whose parent or legal guardian is relieved of responsibility, control, and authority through emancipation. (5) A pupil who lives in the home of a caregiving adult that is located within the boundaries of that school district. Execution of an affidavit under penalty of perjury pursuant to Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 6550) of Division 11 of the Family Code by the caregiving adult is a sufficient basis for a determination that the pupil lives in the home of the caregiver, unless the school district determines from actual facts that the pupil is not living in the home of the caregiver. (6) A pupil residing in a state hospital located within the boundaries of that school district. (7) A pupil whose parent or legal guardian resides outside of the boundaries of that school district but is employed and lives with the pupil at the place of his or her employment within the boundaries of the school district for a minimum of three days during the school week. (b) A school district may deem a pupil to have complied with the residency requirements for school attendance in the school district if at least one parent or the legal guardian of the pupil is physically employed within the boundaries of that school district for a minimum of 10 hours during the school week. (1) This subdivision does not require the school district within which at least one parent or the legal guardian of a pupil is employed to admit the pupil to its schools. A school district shall not, however, refuse to admit a pupil under this subdivision on the basis, except as expressly provided in this subdivision, of race, ethnicity, sex, parental income, scholastic achievement, or any other arbitrary consideration. (2) The school district in which the residency of either the parents or the legal guardian of the pupil is established, or the school district to which the pupil is to be transferred under this subdivision, may prohibit the transfer of the pupil under this subdivision if the governing board of the school district determines that the transfer would negatively impact the court-ordered or voluntary desegregation plan of the school district. (3) The school district to which the pupil is to be transferred under this subdivision may prohibit the transfer of the pupil if the school district determines that the additional cost of educating the pupil would exceed the amount of additional state aid received as a result of the transfer. (4) The governing board of a school district that prohibits the transfer of a pupil pursuant to paragraph (1), (2), or (3) is encouraged to identify, and communicate in writing to the parents or the legal guardian of the pupil, the specific reasons for that determination and is encouraged to ensure that the determination, and the specific reasons for the determination, are accurately recorded in the minutes of the board meeting in which the determination was made. (5) The average daily attendance for pupils admitted pursuant to this subdivision is calculated pursuant to Section 46607. (6) Unless approved by the sending school district, this subdivision does not authorize a net transfer of pupils out of a school district, calculated as the difference between the number of pupils exiting the school district and the number of pupils entering the school district, in a fiscal year in excess of the following amounts: (A) For a school district with an average daily attendance for that fiscal year of less than 501, 5 percent of the average daily attendance of the school district. (B) For a school district with an average daily attendance for that fiscal year of 501 or more, but less than 2,501, 3 percent of the average daily attendance of the school district or 25 pupils, whichever amount is greater. (C) For a school district with an average daily attendance of 2,501 or more, 1 percent of the average daily attendance of the school district or 75 pupils, whichever amount is greater. (7) Once a pupil is deemed to have complied with the residency requirements for school attendance pursuant to this subdivision and is enrolled in a school in a school district the boundaries of which include the location where at least one parent or the legal guardian of a pupil is physically employed, the pupil does not have to reapply in the next school year to attend a school within that school district and the governing board of the school district shall allow the pupil to attend school through grade 12 in that school district if the parent or legal guardian so chooses and if at least one parent or the legal guardian of the pupil continues to be physically employed by an employer situated within the attendance boundaries of the school district, subject to paragraphs (1) to (6), inclusive. (c) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2017, and as of January 1, 2018, is repealed, unless a later enacted statute, that becomes operative on or before January 1, 2018, deletes or extends the dates on which it becomes inoperative and is repealed. SEC. 2. Section 48204 of the Education Code, as amended by Section 2 of Chapter 93 of the Statutes of 2012, is amended to read: 48204. (a) Notwithstanding Section 48200, a pupil complies with the residency requirements for school attendance in a school district, if he or she is: (1) (A) A pupil placed within the boundaries of that school district in a regularly established licensed children's institution, or a licensed foster home, or a family home pursuant to a commitment or placement under Chapter 2 (commencing with Section 200) of Part 1 of Division 2 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (B) An agency placing a pupil in the home or institution described in subparagraph (A) shall provide evidence to the school that the placement or commitment is pursuant to law. (2) A pupil who is a foster child who remains in his or her school of origin pursuant to subdivisions (e) and (f) of Section 48853.5. (3) A pupil for whom interdistrict attendance has been approved pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 46600) of Part 26. (4) A pupil whose residence is located within the boundaries of that school district and whose parent or legal guardian is relieved of responsibility, control, and authority through emancipation. (5) A pupil who lives in the home of a caregiving adult that is located within the boundaries of that school district. Execution of an affidavit under penalty of perjury pursuant to Part 1.5 (commencing with Section 6550) of Division 11 of the Family Code by the caregiving adult is a sufficient basis for a determination that the pupil lives in the home of the caregiver, unless the school district determines from actual facts that the pupil is not living in the home of the caregiver. (6) A pupil residing in a state hospital located within the boundaries of that school district. (7) A pupil whose parent or legal guardian resides outside of the boundaries of that school district but is employed and lives with the pupil at the place of his or her employment within the boundaries of the school district for a minimum of three days during the school week. (b) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2017. SEC. 3. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.