(a) The board of supervisors of any county with a population of five million or more may provide and maintain a school or schools at a juvenile ranch or camp or residential or nonresidential boot camp under the control of the probation officer for the purpose of meeting the special educational needs of wards and dependent children of the juvenile court. The school or schools shall be conducted in a manner and under conditions that will minister to the specific individualized educational and training needs of each ward and dependent child in furtherance of the objective of assisting each of them, as much as possible, to fulfill his or her potential to be a contributing, law-abiding member of society. If the board of supervisors determines that this objective may be promoted as well as or better by provision of educational and training services by a qualified private organization, the board of supervisors on behalf of the county may enter into annual contracts, with or without options to renew, for the provision of those services by that organization.

(b) The Legislature hereby finds and determines that there are persons whose educational and vocational backgrounds and personal leadership qualities peculiarly fit them to instruct and train wards of the court in promotion of the aforesaid objective, but who lack certification qualifications. Accordingly, the probation officer is hereby authorized to certify to the county board of education and the Superintendent of Public Instruction that a person employed or to be employed by the probation officer or by an organization retained by contract to provide vocational training or vocational training courses at or in connection with the school or schools is peculiarly fit to provide wards of the court that vocational training in promotion of the aforesaid objective.

The certification shall specify the type or types of service the person is qualified to provide. Upon filing of that certification, the person shall be deemed to be a certificated employee for purposes of authorizing him or her to provide the services described in the certificate and for apportionment purposes.

(c) The individual school or schools shall have a maximum enrollment of 100 students.

(d) The county superintendent of schools shall report on behalf of the county the average daily attendance for the schools and classes maintained by the county in the school or schools in the manner provided in Sections 41601 and 84701 of the Education Code and other provisions of law.

(e) The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall compute the amount of allowance to be made to the county by reasons of the average daily attendance at the school or schools by multiplying the average daily attendance by the foundation program amount for a high school district that has an average daily attendance of 301 or more during the fiscal year, and shall make allowances based thereon and shall apportion to the county, the allowances so computed in the same manner and at the same times as would be done with respect to allowances and apportionments to the county school service fund.

(Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 694, Sec. 17. Effective January 1, 1999.)