CHAPTER 5. Interdistrict Attendance Computation [46600 - 46610]
( Chapter 5 enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010. )
(a) (1) The governing boards of two or more school districts may enter into an agreement, for a term not to exceed five school years, for the interdistrict attendance of pupils who are residents of the school districts. The agreement may provide for the admission to a school district other than the school district of residence of a pupil who requests a permit to attend a school district of proposed enrollment that is a party to the agreement and that maintains schools and classes in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to which the pupil requests admission. Once a pupil in transitional kindergarten, kindergarten, or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, is enrolled in a school pursuant to this chapter, the pupil shall not have to reapply for an interdistrict transfer, and
the governing board of the school district of enrollment shall allow the pupil to continue to attend the school in which the pupil is enrolled, except as specified in paragraphs (2) and (4).
(2) The agreement shall stipulate the terms and conditions under which interdistrict attendance shall be permitted or denied. The agreement may contain standards for reapplication agreed to by the school district of residence and the school district of enrollment that differ from the requirements prescribed by paragraph (1). The agreement may stipulate terms and conditions established by the school district of residence and the school district of enrollment under which the permit may be revoked.
(3) The designee of the superintendent of the school district of residence shall issue an individual permit verifying the school district’s approval, pursuant to policies of the governing board of the
school district and terms of the agreement for the transfer. A permit shall be valid upon concurring endorsement by the designee of the governing board of the school district of proposed enrollment. The stipulation of the terms and conditions under which the permit may be revoked is the responsibility of the school district of enrollment.
(4) Notwithstanding paragraph (2), a school district of residence or school district of enrollment shall not rescind existing transfer permits for pupils after June 30 following the completion of grade 10, or for pupils in grade 11 or 12.
(b) A pupil who has been determined by personnel of either the school district of residence or the school district of proposed enrollment to have been the victim of an act of bullying, as defined in subdivision (r) of Section 48900, committed by a pupil of the school district of residence shall, at the request
of the parent, be given priority for interdistrict attendance.
(c) In addition to the requirements of subdivision (e) of Section 48915.1, and regardless of whether an agreement exists or a permit is issued pursuant to this section, any school district may admit a pupil expelled from another school district in which the pupil continues to reside.
(d) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, and regardless of whether an agreement exists or a permit is issued pursuant to this section, a school district of residence shall not prohibit the transfer of a pupil who is a child of an active duty military parent to a school district of proposed enrollment if the school district of proposed enrollment approves the application for transfer.
(2) A school district of residence shall approve an intradistrict
transfer request for a victim of an act of bullying unless the requested school is at maximum capacity, in which case the school district shall accept an intradistrict transfer request for a different school in the school district. Notwithstanding any other law, and regardless of whether an agreement exists or a permit is issued pursuant to this section, if the school district of residence has only one school offering the grade level of the victim of an act of bullying and therefore there is no option for an intradistrict transfer, the victim of an act of bullying may apply for an interdistrict transfer and the school district of residence shall not prohibit the transfer if the school district of proposed enrollment approves the application for transfer.
(3) A school district of proposed enrollment that elects to accept an interdistrict transfer pursuant to this subdivision shall accept all pupils who apply to transfer under this subdivision
until the school district is at maximum capacity. A school district of proposed enrollment shall ensure that pupils admitted under this subdivision are selected through an unbiased process that prohibits an inquiry into or evaluation or consideration of whether or not a pupil should be enrolled based on academic or athletic performance, physical condition, proficiency in English, family income, or any of the individual characteristics set forth in Section 220, including, but not limited to, race or ethnicity, gender, gender identity, gender expression, and immigration status.
(4) (A) For purposes of this subdivision, “active military duty parent” means a parent with full-time military duty status in the active uniformed service of the United States, including members of the National Guard and the
State Guard on active duty orders pursuant to Chapter 1209 (commencing with Section 12301) and Chapter 1211 (commencing with Section 12401) of Part II of Subtitle E of Title 10 of the United States Code.
(B) For purposes of this subdivision, a “victim of an act of bullying” means a pupil that has been determined to have been a victim of bullying by an investigation pursuant to the complaint process described in Section 234.1 and the bullying was committed by any pupil in the school district of residence, and the parent of the pupil has filed a written complaint regarding the bullying with the school, school district personnel, or a local law enforcement agency.
(5) (A) Upon request of the parent or guardian on behalf of a pupil eligible for transfer pursuant to this subdivision, a school district of enrollment shall
provide transportation assistance to a pupil who is eligible for free or reduced-price meals.
(B) A school district of enrollment may provide transportation assistance to any pupil admitted under this subdivision.
(C) It is the intent of the Legislature that the amount of transportation assistance provided to a pupil pursuant to subparagraph (A) or (B) not exceed the supplemental grant received, if any, for the pupil pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 42238.02.
(Amended by Stats. 2020, Ch. 97, Sec. 1. (AB 2193) Effective January 1, 2021.)
For purposes of this chapter, the following terms have the following meanings:
(a) “Class 1 county” and “class 2 county” have the same meanings as defined in subdivision (e) of Section 48919.5.
(b) “County board of education” means the county board that has jurisdiction over the school district denying the permit.
(c) “Current year request” means a request for interdistrict transfer received beginning 15 calendar days before the commencement of instruction in the school year for which interdistrict transfer is sought.
(d) (1) For purposes of appealing to the county board of education, a “denial” includes a school district’s failure to provide written notification of the school district’s decision within the timelines prescribed in this chapter.
(2) A “denial” shall not include any of the following:
(A) A request that has been deemed abandoned, as described in paragraph (4) of subdivision (a) of Section 46600.2.
(B) An existing interdistrict transfer permit that has been revoked or rescinded in accordance with the policy of the governing board of the school district.
(C) A denial by the school district of proposed enrollment when no permit has
been first issued by the school district of residence.
(e) “Future year request” means a request for interdistrict transfer received up until 15 calendar days before the commencement of instruction in the school year for which interdistrict transfer is sought.
(f) “Parent” means the natural or adoptive parent or guardian, the person having legal custody, or other educational rights holder.
(g) “School district of proposed enrollment” means a school
district other than the school district in which the parent of a pupil resides, but in which the parent of the pupil nevertheless intends to enroll the pupil pursuant to this chapter.
(h) “School district of residence” means a school district in which the parent of a pupil resides and in which the pupil would otherwise be required to enroll pursuant to the compulsory education requirements as specified in Section 48200.
(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 550, Sec. 2. (AB 2826) Effective January 1, 2019.)
(a) Each school district of residence and school district of proposed enrollment shall post on its Internet Web site the procedures and timelines, including a link to the policy of the governing board of the school district, regarding a request for an interdistrict transfer permit in a manner that is accessible to the public without a password. The information posted on the Internet Web site shall include, but need not be limited to, all of the following:
(1) The date upon which the school district will begin accepting and processing interdistrict transfer requests for the subsequent school year.
(2) The reasons for which the school district may approve or deny a request, and any information or documents that must be submitted as supporting evidence.
(3) If applicable, the process and timelines by which a denial of a request may be appealed within the school district before the school district renders a final decision.
(4) That failure of the parent to meet any timelines established by the school district shall be deemed an abandonment of the request.
(5) Applicable timelines for processing a request, including statements that the school district shall do both of the following:
(A) Notify a parent submitting a current year request, as defined in
Section 46600.1, of its final decision within 30 calendar days from the date the request was received.
(B) Notify a parent submitting a future year request, as defined in Section 46600.1, of its final decision as soon as possible, but no later than 14 calendar days after the commencement of instruction in the school year for which interdistrict transfer is sought.
(6) The conditions under which an existing interdistrict transfer permit may be revoked or rescinded.
(b) A school district that denies a request for an interdistrict transfer shall advise the parent, in writing, of the right to appeal to the county board of education within 30 calendar days from the date of the final denial.
(c) Any written notice to parents regarding a school district’s decision on a request for interdistrict transfer shall conform to the translation requirements of Section 48985 and may be provided using any of the following methods:
(1) Regular mail.
(2) Electronic format, if the parent provides an email address.
(3) By any other method normally used to communicate with parents in writing.
(Added by Stats. 2018, Ch. 550, Sec. 3. (AB 2826) Effective January 1, 2019.)
(a) A parent may appeal a school district’s decision regarding a request for interdistrict transfer, within 30 calendar days of the date of the school district’s final denial, to the county board of education.
(b) (1) Failure by the parent to appeal within the required time is good cause for rejection of an appeal. An appeal shall be accepted only upon verification by the county board of education’s designee that appeals within the school districts have been exhausted within the timelines provided pursuant to Section 46600.2. If new evidence or grounds for the request are introduced, the county board
of education may remand the matter for further consideration by the school district or districts. In all other cases, the appeal shall be granted or denied on its merits.
(2) (A) (i) The county board of education shall, unless clause (ii) applies, within 30 calendar days after the appeal is filed, determine whether the pupil should be permitted to attend the school district of proposed enrollment and the applicable period of attendance.
(ii) The county board of education in a class 1 or class 2 county may extend the time period to up to 60 calendar days after the appeal is filed to determine whether the pupil should be permitted to attend the school district of proposed enrollment and the applicable period of attendance, if one or more of the following circumstances apply:
(I) A delay in response by the parent, guardian, educational rights holder, or school district.
(II) A delay due to incompatible availability for the factfinding hearing of the parent, guardian, educational rights holder, or school district.
(III) A request to delay a factfinding hearing or board hearing by the parent, guardian, or educational rights holder, or an inability of the parent, guardian, or educational rights holder to attend a factfinding hearing or board hearing.
(IV) A school district has closed their annual application window and is no longer accepting permit applications for the remainder of the current or future school year.
(B) In the event that compliance by the county board of education within the time requirement for determining whether the pupil should be permitted to attend the school district of proposed enrollment is impractical, the county board of education or the county superintendent of schools, for good cause, may extend the time period for up to an additional five schooldays. The county board of education shall provide adequate notice to all parties of the date and time of any hearing scheduled and of the opportunity to submit written statements and documentation and to be heard on the matter pursuant to rules and regulations adopted by the county board of education in accordance with this chapter. The county board of education’s rules may provide for the granting of continuances upon a showing of good cause. The county board of education shall render a decision within three schooldays of any
hearing conducted by the county board of education unless the parent requests a postponement.
(C) In a class 1 or class 2 county, the county board of education’s rules may provide for any hearing pursuant to this section to be conducted by a hearing officer pursuant to Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 27720) of Part 3 of Division 2 of Title 3 of the Government Code, or by an impartial administrative panel of three or more certificated persons appointed by the county board of education. Section 27722 of the Government Code applies to a hearing by an impartial administrative panel and, for purposes of this section, the term “hearing officer” in Section 27722 of the Government Code includes an impartial administrative panel. A member of the impartial administrative panel shall not be a member of the county board of education, nor be employed by the school district of residence or the school
district of proposed enrollment.
(D) If the hearing officer is not authorized to decide whether the pupil should be permitted to attend in the school district of proposed enrollment, the county board of education, within 10 calendar days of receiving the recommended decision pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 27722 of the Government Code, shall render a decision.
(3) The designee of the county superintendent of schools shall investigate to determine whether local remedies in the matter have been exhausted and to provide any additional information deemed useful to the county board of education in reaching a decision.
(4) Pupils who are under consideration for expulsion,
or who have been expelled pursuant to Sections 48915 and 48918, may not appeal interdistrict attendance denials or rescissions while expulsion proceedings are pending, or during the term of the expulsion.
(Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 606, Sec. 1. (SB 413) Effective January 1, 2024.)
(a) If the county board of education determines that the pupil should be permitted to attend the school district of proposed enrollment, the pupil shall be admitted to school in the school district without delay and the attendance may be counted by the school district of enrollment for state apportionment purposes.
(b) Written notice of the decision by the county board of education shall be delivered to the parent and to the governing boards of the school districts. Notice shall conform to the requirements of Section 48985 and may be provided using any of the following methods:
(1) Regular mail.
(2) Electronic format, if the parent provides an email address.
(3) By any other method normally used to communicate with parents in writing.
(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 550, Sec. 5. (AB 2826) Effective January 1, 2019.)
(a) (1) For a period not to exceed two school months, the governing board of a school district of proposed enrollment may provisionally admit to the schools of the school district a pupil who resides in another school district, pending a decision of the governing boards of the two school districts, or by the county board of education upon appeal, regarding the interdistrict attendance. A pupil shall be eligible for provisional attendance only upon providing reasonable evidence that a final decision for a request for interdistrict transfer is pending either with the school district of residence, the school district of proposed enrollment, or the county board of education.
(2) The period of provisional attendance begins on the first day of the pupil’s attendance in the school.
(3) If a decision by the school districts or the county board of education has not been rendered by the conclusion of two school months, and the school districts or the county board of education are still operating within the prescribed timelines, the pupil shall not be allowed to continue attendance at the school district of proposed enrollment. The pupil is subject to compulsory full-time education pursuant to Section 48200 and shall enroll in the school district of residence or in another educational program.
(4) Provisional attendance shall not guarantee that a school district or county board of education will approve a request for interdistrict transfer.
(b) Regardless of whether the decision on interdistrict attendance is allowed, the provisional attendance may be counted by the school district of proposed enrollment for state apportionment purposes.
(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 550, Sec. 6. (AB 2826) Effective January 1, 2019.)
If the governing board of a school district in which pupils reside who are lawfully attending in another district fails or refuses to pay, when due, the amount required to be paid to the district of attendance for the education of those pupils under any provision of this code, the county superintendent of schools having jurisdiction over the district of residence shall draw a requisition against the funds of the district of residence in favor of the district of attendance in payment of that amount and transmit the requisition to the governing board of the district of attendance.
(Added by renumbering Section 46612 by Stats. 1986, Ch. 742, Sec. 11.)
(a) A regional occupational program or regional occupational center maintained by a school district, county superintendent of schools, or a regional occupational program or regional occupational center maintained by two or more school districts pursuant to a joint powers or cooperative agreement, may admit pupils who reside outside the attendance area of the regional occupational program or regional occupational center.
(b) The average daily attendance for attendance of pupils who reside outside of the regional occupational center or program attendance area and are enrolled in a regional occupational center or program pursuant to Section 52317 shall be credited to the regional occupational center or program that incurs the training costs for purposes of determining state apportionments and the revenue limits.
(c) For purposes of computing the revenue limits for pupils who enroll in a regional occupational center or program outside their district of residence, the regional occupational center or program shall claim its own revenue limit.
(d) The regional occupational center or program is not eligible for state reimbursement for home-to-school transportation allowances for pupils who are enrolled in the regional occupational center or program pursuant to this section.
(Amended by Stats. 1991, Ch. 64, Sec. 1.)
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (b) or (c), the average daily attendance for attendance of pupils from another district shall be credited to the district of attendance for purposes of determining state apportionments and the revenue limit pursuant to Section 42237 or 42238.
(b) For any district that would have a reduction of 25 percent or more in its federal grant pursuant to Public Law 81-874 if the average daily attendance of pupils residing within the district were credited to the district of attendance, then the average daily attendance resulting from an interdistrict attendance agreement shall be credited to the district of residence and the district of residence shall pay a tuition to the district of attendance no later than the next August 31, after the close of the fiscal year as follows:
(1) For attendance in regular day schools and summer schools the tuition per unit of average daily attendance, if any, shall not exceed the actual cost per unit of average daily attendance for the grade level or program less any income, other than tuition, received by the district of attendance on account of such attendance.
(2) The district in which the pupil resides shall reduce its total revenue limit pursuant to Section 42238 by the total excess, if any, of its revenue limit per unit of average daily attendance multiplied by the total interdistrict attendance over the total tuition to be paid to districts of attendance.
The district in which the pupil resides may increase its total revenue limit pursuant to Section 42238 by the total excess, if any, of the total tuition to be paid to districts of attendance over the district of residence’s revenue limit per unit of average daily attendance multiplied by the total interdistrict average daily attendance.
(c) For any consortium of school districts operating an adult education and a regional occupational program serving four or more school districts, the school districts may agree to claim the unit of average daily attendance on the basis of the district of residence and pay such interdistrict tuition to the district of attendance as agreed to by the participating districts.
(Added by renumbering Section 46616 by Stats. 1986, Ch. 742, Sec. 15.)
The governing board of a unified school district, whose boundaries are coterminous with the boundaries of a county, and which is contiguous to an adjoining state, may provide for the education of all or any number of the high school pupils of the district who reside in the district by the attendance of these pupils at the schools of a school district of an adjoining state. The governing board of the unified school district may enter an agreement with the school district of an adjoining state for the education of these pupils, subject to the terms and conditions agreed upon. The provisions of Sections 2000 to 2011, inclusive, do not apply to pupils educated pursuant to an agreement authorized by this section.
The average daily attendance of pupils educated pursuant to an agreement authorized by this section shall be credited to the district of residence for apportionment purposes. The superintendent of schools of the district, or the principal of the school, in the adjoining state attended by the pupils under such an agreement shall, not later than July 2 of each year, certify, to the county superintendent of schools having jurisdiction over the school district of residence of the pupils, the average daily attendance of the pupils of the district attending the schools of the school district in the adjoining state. Certification shall be made on forms furnished by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The county superintendent of schools shall report the average daily attendance to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, who shall include the average daily attendance in his report of average daily attendance in all of the duly established schools of the state for the last preceding school year certified by him to the State Controller.
(Added by renumbering Section 46618 by Stats. 1986, Ch. 742, Sec. 17.)
(a) (1) Notwithstanding any other law, the Fallbrook Union High School District shall enter into an interdistrict attendance agreement with the Capistrano Unified School District to allow any pupil, at the request of his or her parent or guardian, to attend schools of the Capistrano Unified School District when the pupil resides in the San Onofre housing area of the Marine Corps Base, Camp Joseph H. Pendleton. No more than 150 pupils from the Fallbrook Union High School District may attend school in the Capistrano Unified School District pursuant to this interdistrict attendance agreement.
(2) The Fallbrook Union High School District shall be credited with the
average daily attendance of these pupils solely for purposes of receiving federal grants pursuant to Public Law 81-874.
(b) The Fallbrook Union High School District shall pay tuition to the Capistrano Unified School District for the attendance of these pupils only in the amount computed pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2), as follows:
(1) Divide the amount of funds paid pursuant to Section 3 of Public Law 81-874 (20 U.S.C. 238) to the Fallbrook Union High School District in the current fiscal year by the average daily attendance of the school district in the current fiscal year.
(2) Multiply the amount in subdivision (a) by the average daily attendance, for the year of attendance for secondary school pupils attending the schools of the Capistrano Unified School District pursuant to Section 46610.
(c) Notwithstanding any other law, the amount provided to the Fallbrook Union High School District and the Capistrano Unified School District for the 2012–13 fiscal year pursuant to this section and Section 46111, as these sections read on June 1, 2013, shall be included in the computations made pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 42238.025, paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 42238.03, and paragraph (2) of subdivision (e) of Section 42238.03. For purposes of calculating funding pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (e) of Section 42238.03, the school district of residence shall be credited with the 2012–13 fiscal year revenue limit funding received for the pupils reported pursuant to this section after accounting for the amount of tuition paid to the school district of attendance. For purposes of calculating funding pursuant to subdivisions (a) and (e) of Section 42238.03, the school district of attendance shall be credited
with the average daily attendance of the pupils reported pursuant to this section in the 2012–13 fiscal year, and the tuition received by the school district of residence pursuant to this section and Section 46611, as these sections read on March 1, 2014.
(Amended by Stats. 2014, Ch. 33, Sec. 35. (SB 859) Effective June 20, 2014.)