SECTIONS 52350-52355 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 52350-52355

52350. It is the intent and purpose of the Legislature by the
enactment of this chapter to curtail the growing rate of pupil
dropouts or premature enrollment terminations in the public
elementary and secondary schools, by authorizing special emphasis to
be given precareer technical training courses of study for the
benefit of pupils who are oriented toward career technical employment
and who are potential school dropouts, have demonstrated aptitudes
for precareer technical training, and who voluntarily elect to
undertake a concentration of educational effort in precareer
technical training and whose parents or guardian consents to that
training.

52351. The county superintendent or the governing board of any
school district, as the case may be, maintaining any of grades 7, 8,
and 9, may, upon application to, and approval by, the Superintendent
of Public Instruction, establish a program having the following
essential elements:
(a) Identification, by appraisal and recommendation of teachers
and other school authorities, aptitude tests, and other tests and
means as may be authorized by the State Board of Education, of pupils
whose academic attainment level and behavior as school pupils
indicate that in all probability they will terminate public school
enrollment prior to completion of grade 12, but who demonstrate
aptitude for one or more types of precareer technical training
afforded in the schools of the district.
(b) Precareer technical courses of study arranged and conducted in
a manner as will permit pupils to concentrate educational effort in
those courses of study pursuant to this chapter.
(c) Counseling and guidance procedures which will effectuate the
purposes of this chapter.
The county superintendent shall have primary authority to
establish the program within his or her county. Should he or she
fail, for any reason, to establish or initiate action for the
establishment of a program after receiving a written request therefor
from the governing board of a school district, the governing board
shall have full authority to establish a program.

52352. Notwithstanding any provisions of this division or any other
provisions of law prescribing, on a mandatory basis, courses of
study to be taught in grades 7, 8, and 9 to the contrary, the State
Board of Education is authorized and directed to prescribe, by rule
and regulation, the particular courses of study otherwise required by
law to be afforded pupils in such grades which shall be waived or
dispensed with in the case of pupils enrolled in programs under this
chapter. The otherwise mandatory courses of study to be so waived or
dispensed with shall be those of lower essentiality in connection
with instilling in pupils the traits and attributes necessary for
good citizenship, as determined by the board.

52353. Any pupil coming within the provisions of subdivision (a) of
Section 52351 shall, as a matter of free personal choice, and with
the consent of the pupil's parent or guardian, without duress or
coercion, be authorized to elect to enroll in precareer technical
courses for which the pupil possesses demonstrated aptitudes, as
follows:
(a) In grade 7, one course of study in each semester of the school
year.
(b) In grade 8, two courses of study in each semester of the
school year, provided that the pupil successfully completed any
course of study in which enrolled under subdivision (a) during the
preceding school year.
(c) In grade 9, three courses of study in each semester of the
school year, provided that the pupil successfully completed any
course of study in which enrolled under subdivision (b) during the
preceding school year.

52354. It shall be unlawful, for the governing board of a school
district, a county board of education, a county superintendent of
schools, or any officer or employee whatever of the public school
system, to willfully:
(a) Cause, or aid or abet in the forced or coerced enrollment of a
public school pupil in any precareer technical course of study as a
disciplinary measure, whether pursuant to this chapter or otherwise.
(b) Cause, or aid or abet in effecting any distinction in the
form, appearance, or content of any diploma issued upon graduation
from elementary school or high school based on a pupil's having
enrolled in a program under this chapter as distinguished from the
regular educational programs of the district involved.

52355. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules and
regulations prescribing the particular procedures, tests, and other
methods to be utilized in identifying pupils who come within the
provisions of subdivision (a) of Section 52351, and prescribing all
other necessary standards and policies to govern the administration
of programs established under this chapter.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall administer the
provisions of this chapter, and shall adopt all necessary rules and
regulations for those purposes. He shall have the power of initial
and continuing review and approval of any programs established
pursuant to this chapter and the power to deny or revoke approval of
such programs. He may require the submission of such reports and
other data as he may deem necessary for purposes of carrying out his
duties under this chapter.