BILL NUMBER: AB 631ENROLLED BILL TEXT PASSED THE SENATE JULY 8, 2013 PASSED THE ASSEMBLY AUGUST 8, 2013 AMENDED IN SENATE JULY 2, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY MAY 13, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 30, 2013 AMENDED IN ASSEMBLY APRIL 10, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Fox (Coauthor: Senator Hancock) FEBRUARY 20, 2013 An act to amend Section 48645.3 of the Education Code, relating to pupils. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 631, Fox. Pupils: juvenile court schools. Existing law requires county boards of education to provide for the administration and operation of public schools in juvenile homes, juvenile halls, day centers, juvenile ranches, juvenile camps, regional youth educational facilities, Orange County youth correctional centers, or in any group home housing 25 or more children, as specified. These public schools are known under existing law as juvenile court schools. Existing law requires that juvenile court schools be conducted in a manner prescribed by the county board of education to best accomplish the purposes set forth in existing law. This bill would authorize the county board of education to adopt and enforce a course of study that enhances instruction in mathematics and English language arts for pupils attending juvenile court schools, as determined by statewide assessment or objective local evaluations and assessments as approved by the county superintendent of schools. The bill would require an adopted enhanced course of study to meet specified standards, as appropriate, and be tailored to meet the needs of the individual pupil to increase the pupil's academic literacy and reading fluency. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) The Legislature recognizes the need to provide comprehensive instruction to all pupils, including pupils attending juvenile court facilities. (b) The Legislature recognizes not all pupils have mastered a basic understanding of math and reading at the appropriate Lexile for success in school. (c) The Legislature recognizes pupils attending juvenile court schools should have access to not only the common core academic content standards, but they should be presented in a practical way to enhance pupils' understanding of the content. SEC. 2. Section 48645.3 of the Education Code is amended to read: 48645.3. (a) Juvenile court schools shall be conducted in a manner as shall be prescribed by the county board of education to best accomplish the provisions of Section 48645. The minimum schoolday shall be 240 minutes. Minimum schooldays shall be calculated on the basis of the average number of minutes of attendance during not more than 10 consecutive days in which classes are conducted. The minimum schoolday for pupils in attendance in approved vocational education programs, work programs prescribed by the probation department pursuant to Section 883 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, and work experience programs shall be 180 minutes, which shall be calculated on the basis of the average number of minutes of attendance during not more than 10 consecutive days in which classes are conducted. The county board of education shall adopt and enforce a course of study and evaluate its program in accordance with Sections 51040, 51041, 51050, and 51054 and the provisions of Article 3 (commencing with Section 51200) of Chapter 2 of Part 28, except subdivision (c) of Section 51220. (b) Juvenile court schools shall not be closed on any weekday of the calendar year, except those weekdays adopted by the county board of education as school holidays or set aside by the county board of education for inservice purposes. However, the county board of education may close juvenile court schools when it deems the closing is necessary to accommodate contingencies. (c) (1) The county board of education may adopt and enforce a course of study that enhances instruction in mathematics and English language arts for pupils attending juvenile court schools, as determined by statewide assessments or objective local evaluations and assessments as approved by the county superintendent of schools. (2) The enhanced course of study adopted pursuant to paragraph (1) shall meet the standards adopted pursuant to Section 60605.8, as appropriate, and shall be tailored to meet the needs of the individual pupil to increase the pupil's academic literacy and reading fluency.