Sunnyside Union School District - Education Is Not the Filling of a Pail, But the Lighting of a Fire

Pursuant to Section 48980, governing boards of school districts shall notify parents and guardians of certain rights and responsibilities including, but not limited to the following Education Code Sections: 35291, 46014, 48205, 48207, 48208, 49403, 49423, 49451, 49472, and 51938, and Chapter 2.3 (commencing with section 32255).

(1) “The notification shall also advise the parents and guardians of all pupils attending a school within the district of the schedule of minimum days and pupil-free staff development days, and if any minimum or pupil-free staff development days are scheduled thereafter, the governing board shall notify parents and guardians of the affected pupils as early as possible but not later than one month before the scheduled minimum or pupil-free day.” The minimum days and pupil free staff development days scheduled for the 2005-06 school year are listed on the calendar in the Appendix.

(2) “The notification may also advise the parent or guardian of the importance of investing for future college or university education of their children and of considering appropriate investment options including, but not limited to, United States Savings Bonds.”

(3) School districts which elect to provide a fingerprinting program pursuant to Article 10 (commencing with Section 32390) shall inform parents or guardians of the program specified in Section 32390.

(4) Notification of the school district policy on sexual harassment shall also be provided pursuant to Section 212.5 as it relates to pupils. See Appendix for school policy.

(5) “It is the intent of the Legislature that the governing boards of each school district annually review the enrollment options available to the pupils within their districts and that the school districts strive to make available enrollment options that meet the diverse needs, potential and interests of California pupils.”

221.5 ? COURSE OF STUDY – SEXUAL BIAS

Elementary and secondary (high) schools shall offer classes and courses, including nonacademic and elective classes and courses, without regard to the sex of the pupil enrolled in these classes and courses. A school district may not prohibit a pupil from enrolling and may not require a pupil of one sex to enroll in any class or course on the basis of the sex of the pupil.“ A school counselor, teacher, instructor, administrator, or aide may not, on the basis of the sex of a pupil, offer vocational or school program guidance to a pupil of one sex that is different from that offered to a pupil of the opposite sex or, in counseling a pupil, differentiate career, vocational, or higher education opportunities on the basis of the sex of the pupil counseled.” The parents or legal guardian of a pupil shall be notified in a general manner at least once in the manner prescribed by Section 48980, in advance of career counseling and course selection commencing with course selection for grade 7 so they may participate in the counseling sessions and decisions. “Participation in a particular physical education activity or sport, if required of pupils of one sex, shall be available to pupils of each sex.”

5CCR 4622 ? COMPLAINT PROCEDURES

Each local educational agency shall annually notify in writing, as applicable, its students, employees, parents or guardians of its students, the district advisory committee, school advisory committees, and other interested parties of their local educational agency complaint procedures, including the opportunity to appeal to the Department and the provisions of this Chapter. The notice shall include the identity (identities) of the person(s) responsible for processing complaints. The notice shall also advise the recipient of the notice of any civil law remedies that may be available, and of the appeal and review procedures contained in Sections 4650, 4652, and 4671 of this Chapter. This notice shall be in English, and when necessary, in the primary language, pursuant to Section 48985 of the Education Code, or mode of communication of the recipient of the notice.

17612? USE OF PESTICIDE PRODUCTS

“The school district designee shall annually provide to all staff and parents or guardians of pupils enrolled at a school site a written notification of the name of all pesticide products expected to be applied at the school facility during the upcoming year. The notification shall identify the active ingredient or ingredients in each pesticide product. The notice shall also contain the Internet address used to access information on pesticides and pesticide use reduction developed by the Department of Pesticide Regulations pursuant to Section 13184 of the Food and Agricultural Code and may contain other information deemed necessary by the school district designee. The written notice shall provide the opportunity for recipients to register with the school district if they wish to receive notification of individual pesticide applications at the school facility. Persons who register for such notification shall be notified of individual pesticide applications at least 72 hours prior to the application. This notice shall include the product name, the active ingredients or ingredients in the product, and the intended date of application”. This 72-hour notice shall also be provided if a pesticide product not included in the annual notification is subsequently intended for use at the school site.

35186? WILLIAMS UNIFORM COMPLAINT PROCEDURES

“A school district shall use the uniform complaint process it has adopted as required by Chapter 5.1 (commencing with Section 4600) of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations, with modifications, as necessary, to help identify and resolve any deficiencies related to instructional materials, emergency or urgent facilities conditions that pose a threat to the health and safety of pupils or staff, and teacher vacancy or misassignment.”

32255? 32255.6? PUPILS’ RIGHTS TO REFRAIN FROM THE HARMFUL OR DESTRUCTIVE USE OF ANIMALS

Pursuant to Chapter 2.3 (Sections 32255-32255.6), upon receiving notice from the school, any pupil with a moral objection to dissecting, harming, or destroying animals shall notify his/her teacher regarding this objection. An alternative education project may be arranged if the teacher believes the alternative education project can provide the course of study in question. A parent/guardian written request for objection to the class or course of study must be provided. Each teacher teaching a course that utilizes live or dead animals or animal parts shall also inform pupils of their rights pursuant to the law. Classes in agricultural education, animal care and management, or evaluation of domestic animals are exempted from the provisions of this chapter.

35256(C)? SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY REPORT CARD

“The governing board of any school district shall annually issue a School Accountability Report Card for each school in the school district, publicize such reports, and notify parents or guardians of students that a copy will be provided upon request.”

35291? RULES; SCHOOL DISCIPLINE

The governing board of any school district shall prescribe rules not inconsistent with law or with the rules prescribed by the State Board of Education, for the government and discipline of the schools under its jurisdiction. The governing board of each school district, which maintains any of grades 1 through 12 inclusive, may notify the parents or guardians of all pupils registered in schools of the district of the availability of rules of the district pertaining to school discipline. See Appendix for discipline policy.

39831.5? SCHOOL BUS SAFETY RULES

At least once in each school year, all pupils (pre-K, K and grades 1-8) who receive home-to-school transportation shall receive safety instruction that includes proper loading and unloading procedures, including escorting by the driver, how to safely cross the street, highway, or private road, instruction on the use of passenger restraint systems (when restraint systems are installed, proper passenger conduct, bus evacuation, and location of emergency equipment.Instruction also may include responsibilities of passengers seated next to an emergency exit. As part of the instruction, pupils shall evacuate the school bus through emergency exit doors.

46010.1? EXCUSED ABSENCES FOR PUPILS OBTAINING CONFIDENTIAL MEDICAL SERVICES WITHOUT CONSENT OF THE PARENT OR GUARDIAN

The governing board of each district shall, each academic year, notify pupils in grades 7 to 12 inclusive, and the parents or guardians of all pupils enrolled in the district, that school authorities may excuse any pupil from the school for the purpose of obtaining confidential medical services without the consent of the pupil’s parent or guardian.

46014? REGULATIONS REGARDING ABSENCES FOR RELIGIOUS PURPOSES

Pupils, with the written consent of their parents or guardians, may be excused from school in order to participate in religious exercises or to receive moral and religious instruction at their respective places of worship or at other suitable place or places away from school property designated by the religious group, church, or denomination, which shall be in addition and supplementary to the instruction in manners and morals required elsewhere in this code. Such absence shall not be deemed absence in computing average daily attendance if all the following conditions are complied with:

(a) The governing board of the district of attendance, at its discretion, shall first adopt a resolution permitting pupils to be absent from school for such exercises or instruction.

(b) The governing board shall adopt regulations governing the attendance of pupils at such exercises or instruction and the reporting thereof.

(c) Each pupil so excused shall attend school at least the minimum school day for his grade of elementary school, and as provided by the relevant provisions of the rules and regulations of the State Board of Education for secondary schools.

(d) No pupil shall be excused from school for such purpose on more than four days per school month.

It is hereby declared to be the intent of the Legislature that this section shall be permissive only.

48070.5? PROMOTION AND RETENTION POLICY

The governing board of each school district and each county board of education shall adopt policies regarding pupil promotion and retention. The policy shall provide for parental notification, as early in the school year as practicable, when a pupil is identified as being at risk of retention.

48204(B)? RESIDENCY-PARENT/GUARDIAN EMPLOYMENT

A pupil may be considered a resident of any district if one or both parents are employed within the boundaries of that school district, subject to the right of the district of residency or the district to which the pupil is transferred to prohibit the transfer for various grounds provided for in Section 48204, paragraphs (2) to (6).The school district is not required to admit the pupil to its schools based on the residency of the parents, but may not refuse to admit pupils on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, parental income, scholastic achievement, or any other arbitrary consideration. Once a pupil has been deemed to have residency and enrolled in a school district based on the employment of the parent/guardian, the pupil does not have to reapply in the next school year to attend a school within that school district and the governing board shall allow the pupil to attend school through the 12th grade in that district if the parent or guardian so chooses and if one or both of the pupils parents or guardians continues to be employed within the attendance boundaries of the school district, subject to the right of the district to disallow attendance as provided in Section 48204, paragraphs (2) to (6).

48205? EXCUSED ABSENCE: JUSTIFIABLE PERSONAL REASONS

(a) “Not withstanding Section 48200, a pupil shall be excused from school when the absence is:

(1) Due to his or her illness

(2) Due to quarantine under the direction of a county or city health officer

(3) For the purpose of having medical, dental, optometrical, or chiropractic services rendered

(4) For the purpose of attending the funeral services of a member of his or her immediate family, so long as the absence is not more than one day if the service is in California and not more than three days if the service is conducted outside California

(5) For the purpose of jury duty in the manner provided for by law

(6) Due to the illness or medical appointment during school hours of a child of whom the pupil is the custodial parent

(7) For justifiable personal reasons, including, but not limited to, an appearance in court, attendance at a funeral service, observance of a holiday or ceremony of his or her religion, attendance at religious retreats, or attendance at an employment conference, when the pupil’s absence has been requested in writing by the parent or guardian and approved by the principal or a designated representative pursuant to uniform standards established by the governing board.

(8) For the purpose of serving as a member of a precinct board for an election pursuant to Section 12302 of the Elections Code.

(b) A pupil absent from school under this section shall be allowed to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion within a reasonable period of time, shall be given full credit therefore. As the teacher of any class from which a pupil is absent shall determine the tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.

(c) For the purposes of this section, attendance at religious retreats shall not exceed four hours per semester.

(d) Absences pursuant to this section are deemed to be absences in computing average daily attendance and shall not generate state apportionment payments.

(e) “Immediate family,” as used in this section, has the same meaning as that set forth in Section 45194, except that references therein to “employee” shall be deemed to be references to “pupil.”

A pupil may not have their grade reduced or lose academic credit for any absences excused pursuant to this section when missed assignments and tests that can reasonably be provided are satisfactorily completed within a reasonable period of time.

48206.3, 48207, 48208? PUPILS WITH TEMPORARY DISABILITY

A pupil with a temporary disability, which makes attendance in the regular day classes or alternative education program in which the pupil is enrolled impossible or inadvisable, shall receive individual instruction provided by the district in which the pupil is deemed to reside.

The district shall consider provisions for a pupil with a temporary disability, in which it may or may not be advisable to attend a school or an alternative education program. Such pupils shall be provided individual instruction, as deemed necessary, that may include instruction in the pupil’s home, hospital, or health facility in the pupil’s district of residence. If the hospital or health facility is outside the pupil’s district of residence, the district where the hospital or health facility is located shall be the pupil’s district of residence. It shall be the responsibility of the parent or guardian of a pupil with a temporary disability to notify the school district in which the pupil is deemed to reside, pursuant to Section 48207 of the pupil’s presence in a qualifying hospital.

48904? LIABILITY OF PARENTS OR GUARDIANS – MINORS’ WILLFUL MISCONDUCT, PROPERTY DAMAGE

The parents or guardians of any minor whose willful misconduct results in injury or death to any pupil or any person employed by a school district or private school or who willfully cuts, defaces or injures in any way any property, real or personal, belonging to a school district or private school, or personal property of any school employee, shall be liable for all damages so caused by the minor. The liability of the parent or guardian shall not exceed $10,000.The parent or guardian shall also be liable for the amount of any reward not exceeding $10,000.The minors’ parent or guardian is also liable for any/all property loaned by a public or private school and not returned on demand of the district or private school.

Failure of a minor pupil to return property, or to properly pay for damages after being given due process, may result in grades, diploma, and/or transcripts being held until the property is paid for. The parent/guardian shall be notified in writing of the pupil’s alleged misconduct before withholding grades, diploma, and/or transcripts. Voluntary work shall be provided in lieu of paying for lost or damaged property should the parents or guardians be unable to pay.

48980(I)? ATTENDANCE OPTIONS

The district shall advise the parent or guardian of all existing statutory attendance options and local attendance options available in the school district. That notification shall include all options for meeting residency requirements for school attendance, programmatic options offered within the local attendance areas, and any special programmatic options available on both an inter-district and intra-district basis. That notification shall also include a description of all options, a description of the procedure for application for alternative attendance areas or programs, an application form from the district for requesting a change of attendance, and a description of the appeals process available, if any, for a parent or guardian denied a change of attendance. See Appendix for options and forms.

48983? ACTIVITIES CALENDAR

Any activity that will be undertaken by the school during the forthcoming school term, a notice or calendar shall state that fact and shall also state the approximate date upon which any of such activities will occur. See Appendix for calendar of dates.

49063? PARENT ACCESS TO RECORDS

“School districts shall notify parents in writing of their rights under this chapter upon the date of the pupil's initial enrollment, and thereafter at the same time as notice is issued pursuant to Section 48980.The notice shall be, insofar as is practicable, in the home language of the pupil. The notice shall take a form which reasonably notifies parents of the availability of the following specific information:

(a) The types of pupil records and information contained therein which are directly related to students and maintained by the institution.

(b) The position of the official responsible for the maintenance of each type of record.

(c) The location of the log or record required to be maintained pursuant to Section 49064.

(d) The criteria to be used by the district in defining "school officials and employees" and in determining "legitimate educational interest" as used in Section 49064 and paragraph (1) of subdivision(a) of Section 49076.

(e) The policies of the institution for reviewing and expunging those records.

(f) The right of the parent to access to pupil records.

(g) The procedures for challenging the content of pupil records.

(h) The cost, if any, which will be charged to the parent for reproducing copies of records.

(i) The categories of information, which the institution has designated as directory information pursuant to Section 49073.

(j) Any other rights and requirements set forth in this chapter, and the right of the parent to file a complaint with the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare concerning an alleged failure by the district to comply with the provisions of Section 438 of the General Education Provisions Act (20 U.S.C.A. Sec. 1232g).

(k) The availability of the prospectus prepared pursuant to Section 49091.14.”

49073, 49073.5 ? NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND PL107-110 SECTION 9528(A)(1), CODIFIED AS 20 USC 7908- DIRECTORY INFORMATION

Notice must be given at least on an annual basis of the categories of directory information that the district plans to release, and of which individuals, officials, or organizations may receive it.Directory information may be released according to district policy as to any pupil or former pupil, unless the parent has notified the district that the information shall not be released.

Upon request by a military recruiter or an institution of higher education, a school district receiving Title I funds must give the requester the names, addresses and telephone numbers of its secondary school students. The district must notify parents that they may request that their child’s name, address and telephone number not be released to military recruiters unless the parent consents to such release in writing.

49091.14? AVAILABILITY OF CURRICULUM PROSPECTUS

“The curriculum, including titles, descriptions, and instructional aims of every course offered by a public school, shall be compiled at least once annually in a prospectus. Each school site shall make its prospectus available for review upon request. When requested, the prospectus shall be reproduced and made available. School officials may charge for the prospectus an amount not to exceed the cost of duplication.”

49403? COOPERATION IN CONTROL OF COMMUNICABLE DISEASE & IMMUNIZATION OF PUPILS

The governing board of any school district may authorize any person licensed as a physician and surgeon, or any person licensed as a registered nurse acting under direction of a supervising physician and surgeon to administer an immunizing agent to any pupil, provided that written consent of the pupil’s parent or guardian has been obtained prior to administration of such immunizing agent.

49423? ADMINISTRATION OF PRESCRIBED MEDICATION FOR PUPIL

“Notwithstanding the provision...