California Senate Bill SB744 Amended / Bill

 BILL NUMBER: SB 744AMENDED BILL TEXT AMENDED IN SENATE APRIL 10, 2013 INTRODUCED BY Senator Lara FEBRUARY 22, 2013 An act to amend Sections 1981, 1983, 48660.1, 48662, and 48918 of, to add Sections 1981.5 and 48662.5 to, and to repeal Section 1981.2 of, the Education Code, relating to pupils. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 744, as amended, Lara. Pupils: involuntary transfer: county community schools and community day schools. (1) Existing law authorizes a county board of education to establish and maintain one or more community schools into which the county board of education may enroll specified pupils, including, but not limited to, pupils who are expelled for specified reasons, referred as the result of the recommendation by a school attendance review board, probation referred, or homeless children. This bill would revise the list of pupils who may be  involuntarily  enrolled in a county community school to limit the kind of probation referrals and remove pupils who are referred as the result of the recommendation by a school attendance review board and homeless children.  The bill would allow enrollment of certain other pupils in a county community school with the consent of the pupil's parent or guardian.  The bill would authorize  a pupil to challenge a   certain  probation  referral   referrals  to a county community school to  the   be challenged in  juvenile court  and request enrollment in another school  . (2) Existing law requires a county community school to prescribe an individually planned educational program based on an educational assessment for each pupil. Existing law requires the course of study of a county community school to be adopted by the county board of education to enable each pupil to continue academic work leading to the completion of a regular high school program. This bill would require an individually planned educational program to include, but not be limited to, specified services.  The bill would require a county community school to also provide supplemental instruction to pupils who do not demonstrate sufficient progress toward passing the high school exit examination.  (3) Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to establish one or more community day schools for pupils in any of kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district to assign a pupil to a community day school only if the pupil meets specified conditions, including, but not limited to, being referred by a school attendance review board or other district-level referral process and being probation referred pursuant to specified law. This bill would revise  that   the  list of  conditions   pupils who may be involuntarily enrolled in a community day school  to limit the kind of probation referrals and remove a referral by a school attendance review board or other district level referral process.  The bill would allow enrollment of certain other pupils in a community day school with the consent of the pupil's parent or guardian.  The bill would authorize  a pupil to challenge a   certain  probation  referral   referrals  to a community day school to  the   be challenged in  juvenile court  and request enrollment in another school  . (4) Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that community day schools include specified program components, including, but not limited to, individualized instruction and assessment. This bill would  provide that   require  individualized instruction and assessment  includes   to include  specified services  and would add an additional program component relating to courses of study that enable each pupil to continue academic work leading to the completion of a regular high school program  . (5) This bill would provide a pupil  who is involuntarily  enrolled in a county community school or a community day school the right to reenroll in his or her former school or another comprehensive school  no later than 6 months after initial placement in the school, or  immediately after completion of the expulsion  period, whichever comes later, as long as the reenrollment is not inconsistent with any applicable conditions of the pupil's probation or parole, as appropriate,   period or court-ordered placement, and would require the pupil to be informed of that date,  thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The bill would prohibit the pupil from being denied this reenrollment based on his or her failure to comply with any additional criteria imposed by a county board of education or school district beyond the terms of the  initial or subsequent  expulsion order. The bill would prohibit the county board of education and the school district from adding additional academic or behavioral criteria or conditions that would extend the duration of the placement of a pupil in a county community school or a community day school beyond the terms of the initial or subsequent  expulsion order. (6) Existing law requires the governing board of each school district to establish rules and regulations governing procedures for the expulsion of pupils. Existing law requires expulsion proceedings to be terminated and the pupil to be immediately reinstated and permitted to return to a classroom instructional program, any other instructional program, a rehabilitation program, or any combination of these programs if a hearing officer or administrative panel decides not to recommend expulsion. This bill would require that the pupil be permitted to return only to the classroom instructional program from which the expulsion referral was made.  The bill would allow a parent or guardian to request another school option in writing.  (7) 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. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: yes. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 1981 of the Education Code is amended to read: 1981. The county board of education may enroll in a community school pupils who are any of the following: (a) Expelled from a school district for any reason specified in Section 48915.  (b) Recommended to attend by a school attendance review board with the written consent of the parent or guardian. No pupil shall be required to attend a county community school based on the recommendation of the school attendance review board. That attendance is voluntary and parental consent may be revoked at any time.   (b) Pupils whose   (c)     Pupils whose  school districts of attendance have, at the request of the pupil's parent or guardian, approved the pupil's enrollment in a county community  school.   school, subject to the following:   (1)     A pupil shall not be enrolled in a county community school pursuant to this subdivision unless the school district has made a finding that such a placement will promote the educati  onal interests of the pupil and provided written notice of the finding to the pupil's parent or guardian,   including notice that consent to that placement is voluntary and may be revoked at any time.   (2)     A parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in a county community school pursuant to this subdivision may revoke that request and consent to the placement at any time, and, notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 1981.5, the pupil shall be immediately reenrolled in the school that the pupil attended at the time of the referral, or in another comprehensive school.   (c)   (d)  (1)  Probation referred   On probation, with or without the supervision of a probation officer and consistent with an order of a juvenile court, who are considered to be wards of the court under Sections 601 and 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and ordered placed  pursuant to Sections  602  725, 729.2,  and  654   791  of  , and paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 727 of,  the Welfare and Institutions Code.  (2) On probation or parole and not in attendance in any school.   (3) Referrals to a community school pursuant to this subdivision shall be consistent with Section 48645.5. A pupil may challenge the referral to the juvenile court and request enrollment in another school.   (2) Under the supervision of a probation officer, with the consent of the minor and the minor's parent or guardian, pursuant to Section 654 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.   (3) Under the supervision of a probation officer pursuant to Section 726 and paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 727 of the Welfare and Institutions Code with the consent of the pupil's parent, guardian, or responsible adult appointed by the juvenile court to make educational decisions for the pupil. The enrollment of a minor covered by this paragraph in a county community school shall be consistent with paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 726 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, which provides that all educational and school placement decisions shall seek to ensure that the youth is in the least restrictive educational program, has access to the academic resources, services, and extracurricular and enrichment activities that are available to all pupils, and are based on the best interests of the minor.   (4) Unless specifically ordered by a juvenile court, nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to conflict with the existing rights of a parent or guardian or responsible adult appointed by the juvenile court pursuant to Section 726 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to make educational placement decisions for the minor.   (5) Enrollment in a county community school pursuant to this subdivision shall be consistent with Section 48645.5.   (6) A parent, guardian, or responsible adult may challenge in juvenile court any placement pursuant to paragraphs (1) to (3), inclusive, that conflicts with the parent's, guardian's, or responsible adult's right to make a decision to enroll or not to enroll the pupil in a community school.  SEC. 2. Section 1981.2 of the Education Code is repealed. SEC. 3. Section 1981.5 is added to the Education Code, to read: 1981.5. (a) A pupil who is  involuntarily  enrolled in a  county  community school  pursuant to subdivision (a) of, or paragraph (1) of subdivision (d) of, Section 1981  shall have the right to reenroll in his or her former school or another comprehensive school  no later than six months after initial placement in the community school, or  immediately after completion of the expulsion  period, whichever comes later, as long as the reenrollment is not inconsistent with any applicable conditions of the pupil's probation or parole   period or court   -ordered placement  .  Upon enrollment in the county community school, the pupil shall be informed of the date when he or she may reenroll in his or her former school or another comprehensive school and the school district shall implement a process to transfer the pupil from the county community school, which may include, but is not limited to, ensuring proper transfer of credits, records, and grades.  (b) A pupil shall not be denied reenrollment in his or her former school or another comprehensive school based on the pupil's failure to comply with any additional criteria imposed by a county board of education beyond the terms of  an   the initial  order  or any subsequent order  to expel issued pursuant to Section 48916. (c) The county board of education shall not add additional academic or behavioral criteria or conditions that would extend the duration of the placement of a pupil in a  county  community school beyond the terms of  an   the initial  order  or any subsequent order  to expel issued pursuant to Section 48916. SEC. 4. Section 1983 of the Education Code is amended to read: 1983. (a) Pupils enrolled in county community schools shall be assigned to classes or programs deemed most appropriate for reinforcing or reestablishing educational development. (b) These classes or programs may include, but need not be limited to, basic educational skill development, on-the-job training,  school credit recovery assistance,  tutorial assistance, and individual guidance activities.  (c) To the extent that independent study is determined to satisfy the individually planned education program described in subdivision (d) for a pupil attending a county community school, it shall meet all the requirements of Section 51745 and following, including the requirement that the program be voluntary.   (c)   (d)  An individually planned educational program based upon an educational assessment shall be prescribed for each  pupil. This program shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following:   (1) Efforts to continue a pupil's relationships with school personnel, including counselors from a pupil's former school.   (2) Any medical or mental health needs.   (3)     Access to appropriate services and programs specified in a pupil's individualized education program.   pupil. If the educational assessment or rehabilitation plan shows that the pupil needs any of the following, the pupils shall be enrolled in or have access to these programs: counseling, mental health counseling, or other support services, college preparatory and A-G classes, access to services necessary to transition a pupil back to his or her prior school or to another comprehensive school, peer mediation or peace-building, supplemental services to   assist with passage of the high school exit examination, or extracurricular or other enrichment activities.   (4) Efforts to address the language access needs of pupils identified as English learners.   (d)   (e)  The course of study of a county community school shall be adopted by the county board of education and shall enable each pupil to continue academic work leading to the completion of a regular high school program  , including access to college preparatory classes. Supplemental instruction shall also be provided to pupils who do not demonstrate sufficient progress toward passing the high school exit examination required pursuant to Section 60851  .  (f) A county board of education operating a county community school shall ensure that assessments in all areas of suspected disability and appropriate services and programs specified in a pupil' s individualized education program are provided in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulatory provisions.   (g) A county board of education operating a county community school shall ensure that appropriate services and programs designed to address the language needs of pupils identified as English learners are provided in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulatory provisions.  SEC. 5. Section 48660.1 of the Education Code is amended to read: 48660.1.  (a)    It is the intent of the Legislature that school districts operating community day schools, to the extent possible, include the following program components:  (a)   (1)  School district cooperation with the county office of education, law enforcement, probation, and human services agencies personnel who work with at-risk youth.  (b)   (2)  Low pupil-teacher ratio.  (c)   (3)  Individualized instruction and  assessment, which   includes all of the following:   assessment.   (1) Any medical or mental health needs.   (2) Appropriate services and programs specified in a pupil's individualized education program.   (3) Instruction to address the language access needs of pupils identified as English learners.   (d)   (4)  Maximum collaboration with school district support service resources, including, but not limited to, school counselors and psychologists, academic counselors, and pupil discipline personnel.  (e)   (5)  A course of study that enables each pupil to continue academic work leading to the completion of a regular high school  program, including access to college preparatory classes. Supplemental instruction should also be provided to pupils who do not demonstrate sufficient progress toward passing the high school exit examination required pursuant to Section 60851.   program.   (b) If the educational assessment or rehabilitation plan shows that the pupil needs any of the following, the pupil shall be enrolled in or have access to these programs: counseling, mental health counseling, or other support services, college preparatory and A-G classes, access to services necessary to transition a pupil back to his or her prior school or to another comprehensive school, peer mediation or peacebuilding, supplemental services to assist with passage of the high school exit examination, or extracurricular or other enrichment activities.   (c) A school district operating a community day school shall ensure that assessments in all areas of suspected disability and appropriate services and programs specified in a pupil's individualized education program are provided in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulatory provisions.   (d) A school district operating a community day school shall ensure that appropriate services and programs designed to address the language needs of pupils identified as English learners are provided in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws and regulatory provisions.  SEC. 6. Section 48662 of the Education Code is amended to read:  48662. (a) The governing board of a school district that establishes a community day school shall adopt policies that provide procedures for the involuntary transfer of pupils to a community day school. (b)   48662.   (a)  A pupil may be  assigned   involuntarily transferred  to a community day school  by a school district  only if he or she meets one or more of the following conditions: (1) The pupil is expelled for any reason. (2) The pupil is  on  probation  referred pursuant to Section 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. This referral shall be consistent with Section 48645.5. A pupil may challenge the referral to the juvenile court and request enrollment in another school   with or without the supervision of a probation officer and consistent with an order of a juvenile court, and is considered to be a ward of the court under Sections 601 and 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and is ordered placed pursuant to Sections 725, 729.2, and 791 of, and paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 727 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code  .  (b) A pupil may be voluntarily transferred to a community day school only if he or she meets one of the following conditions:   (1) Recommended to attend by a school attendance review board with the written consent of the parent or guardian. No pupil shall be required to attend a community school based on the recommendation of the school attendance review board. That attendance is voluntary and parental consent may be revoked at any time.  (2) Under the supervision of a probation officer, with the consent of the minor and the minor's parent or guardian, pursuant to Section 654 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.   (3) Under the supervision of a probation officer pursuant to Section 726 of, and paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 727 of, the Welfare and Institutions Code with the consent of the pupil's parent, guardian, or responsible adult appointed by the juvenile court to make educational decisions for the pupil. The enrollment of a minor covered by this paragraph in a community day school shall be consistent with paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 726 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, which provides that all educational and school placement decisions shall seek to ensure that the youth is in the least restrictive educational program, has access to the academic resources, services, and extracurricular and enrichment activities that are available to all pupils, and that the decisions are based on the best interests of the minor.   (4) The parent or guardian of the pupil has approved or requested the pupil's placement in a community day school.   (A) A pupil shall not be enrolled in a community day school pursuant to this subdivision unless the school district has made a finding that the placement will promote the educational interests of the pupil and provided written notice of those findings to the pupil' s parent or guardian, including notice that consent to such a placement is voluntary and may be revoked at any time.   (B) A parent or guardian of a pupil enrolled in a community day school pursuant to this subdivision may revoke that request and consent to the placement at any time, and, notwithstanding subdivision (a) of Section 48662.5, the pupil shall be immediately reenrolled in the school the pupil attended at the time of the referral, or in another comprehensive school.   (3)   (c)  First priority for assignment to a community day school shall be given to a pupil expelled pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 48915, second priority shall be given to pupils expelled for any other reasons, and third priority shall be given for placement to all other pupils pursuant to this section, unless there is an agreement that the county superintendent of schools shall serve any of these pupils.  (d) Unless specifically ordered by a juvenile court, nothing in this section shall be construed to conflict with the existing rights of a parent or guardian or responsible adult appointed by the juvenile court pursuant to Section 726 of the Welfare and Institutions Code to make educational placement decisions for the minor.   (e) Enrollment in a community day school pursuant to this section shall be consistent with Section 48645.5.   (f) A parent, guardian, or responsible adult may challenge in juvenile court any placement pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) or paragraph (2) or (3) of subdivision (b) that conflicts with the parent's, guardian's, or responsible adult's right to make a decision to enroll or not to enroll the pupil in a community day school.  SEC. 7. Section 48662.5 is added to the Education Code, to read: 48662.5. (a) A pupil who is involuntarily  enrolled in a community day school shall have the right to reenroll in his or her former school or another comprehensive school  no later than six months after initial placement in the community day school, or  immediately after completion of the expulsion  period, whichever comes later, as long as the reenrollment is not inconsistent with any applicable conditions of the pupil's probation   period or the court-ordered placement  .  Upon that involuntary enrollment in the community day school, the pupil shall be informed of the date when he or she may reenroll in his or her former school or another comprehensive school and the school district shall implement a process to transfer the pupil from the community day school, which may include, but is not limited to, ensuring proper transfer of credits, records, and grades.  (b) A pupil shall not be denied reenrollment in his or her former school or another comprehensive school based on the pupil's failure to comply with any additional criteria imposed by a school district beyond the terms of an  initial or subsequent  order to expel issued pursuant to Section 48916. (c) The school district shall not add additional academic or behavioral criteria or conditions that would extend the duration of the placement of a pupil in a community day school beyond the terms of an  initial or subsequent  order to expel issued pursuant to Section 48916. (d) Any school created for the purpose of enrolling pupils that may be assigned to a community day school pursuant to Section 48662 shall follow the same procedures for the involuntary transfer of pupils to a community day school set forth in this article. SEC. 8. Section 48918 of the Education Code is amended to read: 48918. The governing board of each school district shall establish rules and regulations governing procedures for the expulsion of pupils. These procedures shall include, but are not necessarily limited to, all of the following: (a) (1) The pupil shall be entitled to a hearing to determine whether the pupil should be expelled. An expulsion hearing shall be held within 30 schooldays after the date the principal or the superintendent of schools determines that the pupil has committed any of the acts enumerated in Section 48900, unless the pupil requests, in writing, that the hearing be postponed. The adopted rules and regulations shall specify that the pupil is entitled to at least one postponement of an expulsion hearing, for a period of not more than 30 calendar days. Any additional postponement may be granted at the discretion of the governing board. (2) Within 10 schooldays after the conclusion of the hearing, the governing board shall decide whether to expel the pupil, unless the pupil requests in writing that the decision be postponed. If the hearing is held by a hearing officer or an administrative panel, or if the governing board does not meet on a weekly basis, the governing board shall decide whether to expel the pupil within 40 schooldays after the date of the pupil's removal from his or her school of attendance for the incident for which the recommendation for expulsion is made by the principal or the superintendent, unless the pupil requests in writing that the decision be postponed. (3) If compliance by the governing board with the time requirements for the conducting of an expulsion hearing under this subdivision is impracticable during the regular school year, the superintendent of schools or the superintendent's designee may, for good cause, extend the time period for the holding of the expulsion hearing for an additional five schooldays. If compliance by the governing board with the time requirements for the conducting of an expulsion hearing under this subdivision is impractical due to a summer recess of governing board meetings of more than two weeks, the days during the recess period shall not be counted as schooldays in meeting the time requirements. The days not counted as schooldays in meeting the time requirements for an expulsion hearing because of a summer recess of governing board meetings shall not exceed 20 schooldays, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 48925, and unless the pupil requests in writing that the expulsion hearing be postponed, the hearing shall be held not later than 20 calendar days before the first day of school for the school year. Reasons for the extension of the time for the hearing shall be included as a part of the record at the time the expulsion hearing is conducted. Upon the commencement of the hearing, all matters shall be pursued and conducted with reasonable diligence and shall be concluded without any unnecessary delay. (b) Written notice of the hearing shall be forwarded to the pupil at least 10 calendar days before the date of the hearing. The notice shall include all of the following: (1) The date and place of the hearing. (2) A statement of the specific facts and charges upon which the proposed expulsion is based. (3) A copy of the disciplinary rules of the school district that relate to the alleged violation. (4) A notice of the parent, guardian, or pupil's obligation pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 48915.1. (5) Notice of the opportunity for the pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian to appear in person or to be represented by legal counsel or by a nonattorney adviser, to inspect and obtain copies of all documents to be used at the hearing, to confront and question all witnesses who testify at the hearing, to question all other evidence presented, and to present oral and documentary evidence on the pupil' s behalf, including witnesses. In a hearing in which a pupil is alleged to have committed or attempted to commit a sexual assault as specified in subdivision (n) of Section 48900 or committing a sexual battery as defined in subdivision (n) of Section 48900, a complaining witness shall be given five days' notice before being called to testify, and shall be entitled to have up to two adult support persons, including, but not limited to, a parent, guardian, or legal counsel, present during their testimony. Before a complaining witness testifies, support persons shall be admonished that the hearing is confidential. This subdivision shall not preclude the person presiding over an expulsion hearing from removing a support person whom the presiding person finds is disrupting the hearing. If one or both of the support persons is also a witness, the provisions of Section 868.5 of the Penal Code shall be followed for the hearing. This section does not require a pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian to be represented by legal counsel or by a nonattorney adviser at the hearing. (A) For purposes of this section, "legal counsel" means an attorney or lawyer who is admitted to the practice of law in California and is an active member of the State Bar of California. (B) For purposes of this section, "nonattorney advisor" means an individual who is not an attorney or lawyer, but who is familiar with the facts of the case, and has been selected by the pupil or pupil's parent or guardian to provide assistance at the hearing. (c) (1) Notwithstanding Section 35145, the governing board shall conduct a hearing to consider the expulsion of a pupil in a session closed to the public, unless the pupil requests, in writing, at least five days before the date of the hearing, that the hearing be conducted at a public meeting. Regardless of whether the expulsion hearing is conducted in a closed or public session, the governing board may meet in closed session for the purpose of deliberating and determining whether the pupil should be expelled. (2) If the governing board or the hearing officer or administrative panel appointed under subdivision (d) to conduct the hearing admits any other person to a closed deliberation session, the parent or guardian of the pupil, the pupil, and the counsel of the pupil also shall be allowed to attend the closed deliberations. (3) If the hearing is to be conducted at a public meeting, and there is a charge of committing or attempting to commit a sexual assault as defined in subdivision (n) of Section 48900 or committing a sexual battery as defined in subdivision (n) of Section 48900, a complaining witness shall have the right to have his or her testimony heard in a session closed to the public when testifying at a public meeting would threaten serious psychological harm to the complaining witness and there are no alternative procedures to avoid the threatened harm, including, but not limited to, videotaped deposition or contemporaneous examination in another place communicated to the hearing room by means of closed-circuit television. (d) Instead of conducting an expulsion hearing itself, the governing board may contract with the county hearing officer, or with the Office of Administrative Hearings  of the State of California  pursuant to Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 27720) of Part 3 of Division 2 of Title 3 of the Government Code and Section 35207, for a hearing officer to conduct the hearing. The governing board may also appoint an impartial administrative panel of three or more certificated persons, none of whom is a member of the board or employed on the staff of the school in which the pupil is enrolled. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with all of the procedures established under this section. (e) Within three schooldays after the hearing, the hearing officer or administrative panel shall determine whether to recommend the expulsion of the pupil to the governing board. If the hearing officer or administrative panel decides not to recommend expulsion, the expulsion proceedings shall be terminated and the pupil immediately shall be reinstated and permitted to return to the classroom instructional program from which the expulsion referral was made  , unless the parent or guardian of the pupil requests another school option in writing  . The decision not to recommend expulsion shall be final. (f) (1) If the hearing officer or administrative panel recommends expulsion, findings of fact in support of the recommendation shall be prepared and submitted to the governing board. All findings of fact and recommendations shall be based solely on the evidence adduced at the hearing. If the governing board accepts the recommendation calling for expulsion, acceptance shall be based either upon a review of the findings of fact and recommendations submitted by the hearing officer or panel or upon the results of any supplementary hearing conducted pursuant to this section that the governing board may order. (2) The decision of the governing board to expel a pupil shall be based upon substantial evidence relevant to the charges adduced at the expulsion hearing or hearings. Except as provided in this section, no evidence to expel shall be based solely upon hearsay evidence. The governing board or the hearing officer or administrative panel may, upon a finding that good cause exists, determine that the disclosure of either the identity of a witness or the testimony of that witness at the hearing, or both, would subject the witness to an unreasonable risk of psychological or physical harm. Upon this determination, the testimony of the witness may be presented at the hearing in the form of sworn declarations that shall be examined only by the governing board or the hearing officer or administrative panel. Copies of these sworn declarations, edited to delete the name and identity of the witness, shall be made available to the pupil. (g) A record of the hearing shall be made. The record may be maintained by any means, including electronic recording, so long as a reasonably accurate and complete written transcription of the proceedings can be made. (h) (1) Technical rules of evidence shall not apply to the hearing, but relevant evidence may be admitted and given probative effect only if it is the kind of evidence upon which reasonable persons are accustomed to rely in the conduct of serious affairs. A decision of the governing board to expel shall be supported by substantial evidence showing that the pupil committed any of the acts enumerated in Section 48900. (2) In hearings that include an allegation of committing or attempting to commit a sexual assault as defined in subdivision (n) of Section 48900 or committing a sexual battery as defined in subdivision (n) of Section 48900, evidence of specific instances, of a complaining witness' prior sexual conduct is to be presumed inadmissible and shall not be heard absent a determination by the person conducting the hearing that extraordinary circumstances exist requiring the evidence be heard. Before the person conducting the hearing makes the determination on whether extraordinary circumstances exist requiring that specific instances of a complaining witness' prior sexual conduct be heard, the complaining witness shall be provided notice and an opportunity to present opposition to the introduction of the evidence. In the hearing on the admissibility of the evidence, the complaining witness shall be entitled to be represented by a parent, guardian, legal counsel, or other support person. Reputation or opinion evidence regarding the sexual behavior of the complaining witness is not admissible for any purpose. (i) (1) Before the hearing has commenced, the governing board may issue subpoenas at the request of either the superintendent of schools or the superintendent's designee or the pupil, for the personal appearance of percipient witnesses at the hearing. After the hearing has commenced, the governing board or the hearing officer or administrative panel may, upon request of either the county superintendent of schools or the superintendent's designee or the pupil, issue subpoenas. All subpoenas shall be issued in accordance with Sections 1985, 1985.1, and 1985.2 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Enforcement of subpoenas shall be done in accordance with Section 11455.20 of the Government Code. (2) Any objection raised by the superintendent of schools or the superintendent's designee or the pupil to the issuance of subpoenas may be considered by the governing board in closed session, or in open session, if so requested by the pupil before the meeting. Any decision by the governing board in response to an objection to the issuance of subpoenas shall be final and binding. (3) If the governing board, hearing officer, or administrative panel determines, in accordance with subdivision (f), that a percipient witness would be subject to an unreasonable risk of harm by testifying at the hearing, a subpoena shall not be issued to compel the personal attendance of that witness at the hearing. However, that witness may be compelled to testify by means of a sworn declaration as provided for in subdivision (f). (4) Service of process shall be extended to all parts of the state and shall be served in accordance with Section 1987 of the Code of Civil Procedure. All witnesses appearing pursuant to subpoena, other than the parties or officers or employees of the state or any political subdivision thereof, shall receive fees, and all witnesses appearing pursuant to subpoena, except the parties, shall receive mileage in the same amount and under the same circumstances as prescribed for witnesses in civil actions in a superior court. Fees and mileage shall be paid by the party at whose request the witness is subpoenaed. (j) Whether an expulsion hearing is conducted by the governing board or before a hearing officer or administrative panel, final action to expel a pupil shall be taken only by the governing board in a public session. Written notice of any decision to expel or to suspend the enforcement of an expulsion order during a period of probation shall be sent by the superintendent of schools or his or her designee to the pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian and shall be accompanied by all of the following: (1) Notice of the right to appeal the expulsion to the county board of education. (2) Notice of the education alternative placement to be provided to the pupil during the time of expulsion. (3) Notice of the obligation of the parent, guardian, or pupil under subdivision (b) of Section 48915.1, upon the pupil's enrollment in a new school district, to inform that district of the pupil's expulsion. (k) (1) The governing board shall maintain a record of each expulsion, including the cause for the expulsion. Records of expulsions shall be a nonprivileged, disclosable public record. (2) The expulsion order and the causes for the expulsion shall be recorded in the pupil's mandatory interim record and shall be forwarded to any school in which the pupil subsequently enrolls upon receipt of a request from the admitting school for the pupil's school records. SEC. 9. 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.