(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(1) The mobility of pupils in foster care often disrupts their educational experience.

(2) Efficient transfer procedures and transfer of pupil records is a critical factor in the swift placement of foster children in educational settings.

(3) Pupils who have had contact with the juvenile justice system are often denied credit or partial credit earned during enrollment in juvenile court schools. Delays in school enrollment and loss of earned credit can result in improper class or school placement, denial of special education services, and school dropout.

(b) The proper and timely transfer between schools of pupils in foster care is the responsibility of both the local educational agency, including the county office of education for pupils in foster care who are enrolled in juvenile court schools, and the county placing agency, which includes the county probation department.

(c) As soon as the county placing agency or county office of education becomes aware of the need to transfer a pupil in foster care out of his or her current school, the county placing agency or county office of education shall contact the appropriate person at the local educational agency of the pupil. The county placing agency shall notify the local educational agency of the date that the pupil will be leaving the school and request that the pupil be transferred out.

(d) Upon receiving a transfer request from a county placing agency or notification of enrollment from the new local educational agency, the local educational agency receiving the transfer request or notification shall, within two business days, transfer the pupil out of school and deliver the educational information and records of the pupil to the next educational placement.

(e) As part of the transfer process described under subdivisions (c) and (d), the local educational agency shall compile the complete educational record of the pupil, including a determination of seat time, full or partial credits earned, current classes and grades, immunization and other records, and, if applicable, a copy of the pupil’s plan adopted pursuant to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794) or individualized education program adopted pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.).

(f) The local educational agency shall assign the duties listed in this section to a person competent to handle the transfer procedure and who is aware of the specific educational recordkeeping needs of homeless, foster, and other transient children who transfer between schools.

(g) The local educational agency shall ensure that, if the pupil in foster care is absent from school due to a decision to change the placement of a pupil made by a court or placing agency, the grades and credits of the pupil will be calculated as of the date the pupil left school and no lowering of grades will occur as a result of the absence of the pupil under these circumstances.

(h) The local educational agency shall ensure that, if the pupil in foster care is absent from school due to a verified court appearance or related court ordered activity, no lowering of his or her grades will occur as a result of the absence of the pupil under these circumstances.

(i) (1) A complaint of noncompliance with the requirements of this section may be filed with the local educational agency under the Uniform Complaint Procedures set forth in Chapter 5.1 (commencing with Section 4600) of Division 1 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations.

(2) A complainant not satisfied with the decision of a local educational agency may appeal the decision to the department pursuant to Chapter 5.1 (commencing with Section 4600) of Division 1 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations and shall receive a written decision regarding the appeal within 60 days of the department’s receipt of the appeal.

(3) If a local educational agency finds merit in a complaint, or the Superintendent finds merit in an appeal, the local educational agency shall provide a remedy to the affected pupil.

(4) Information regarding the requirements of this section shall be included in the annual notification distributed to, among others, pupils, parents or guardians of pupils, employees, and other interested parties pursuant to Section 4622 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations.

(j) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “County placing agency” means a county social services department or county probation department.

(2) “Local educational agency” means a school district, a county office of education, a charter school participating as a member of a special education local plan area, or a special education local plan area.

(3) “Pupil in foster care” means a child who has been removed from his or her home pursuant to Section 309 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, is the subject of a petition filed under Section 300 or 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or has been removed from his or her home and is the subject of a petition filed under Section 300 or 602 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 772, Sec. 4. (AB 379) Effective January 1, 2016.)