Children of military families are school-aged children in the household of: (Education Code 49701)
1. Members who are in full-time duty status in the active uniformed service of the United States, including any member of the National Guard and Reserve on active duty order pursuant to 10 USC 1209 or 1211
2. Members or veterans of the uniformed services who are severely injured and medically discharged or retired, for one year after their medical discharge or retirement
3. Members of the uniformed services who have died while on active duty or as a result of injuries sustained on active duty, for one year after their death
Enrollment and Residency
The Superintendent or designee shall facilitate the enrollment of children of military families and ensure that they are not placed at a disadvantage due to difficulty in the transfer of their records from previous school districts and/or variations in entrance or age requirements. (Education Code 49701)
A child of a military family shall be deemed to meet district residency requirements if his/her parent/guardian, while on active military duty pursuant to an official military order, is transferred or is pending transfer to a military installation within the state. The Superintendent or designee shall accept electronic submission of such a student's application for enrollment, including enrollment in a specific school or program within the district, and for course registration. (Education Code 48204.3)
(cf. 5111.1 - District Residency)
When a child of a military family is transferring into the district, the Superintendent or designee may enroll the child based on the child's placement in the previous district, pending receipt of the child's records. Upon enrollment, the Superintendent or designee shall immediately request the student's records from the student's previous district. The Superintendent or designee shall allow the student 30 days from the date of enrollment to obtain all required immunizations. (Education Code 49701)
(cf. 5111 - Admission)
(cf. 5125 - Student Records)
(cf. 5141- Health Care and Emergencies)
(cf. 5141.31- Immunizations)
A child of a military family shall be allowed to continue attending the school of origin, regardless of any change of residence of the family during that school year, for the duration of the student's status as a child of a military family. (Education Code 48204.6)
To provide a child of a military family the benefit of matriculating with peers in accordance with the established feeder patterns of the district, the following shall apply: (Education Code 48204.6)
* If the student is transitioning between grade levels, the student shall be allowed to continue in the school district of origin in the same school attendance areas.
The principal or designee of the new school shall ensure that the student is immediately enrolled even if the student has outstanding fees, fines, textbooks, or other items or moneys due to the school last attended or is unable to produce clothing or records normally required for enrollment, such as previous academic records, medical records, including, but not limited to, records or other proof of immunization history pursuant to Health and Safety Code 120325-120480, proof of residency, other documentation, or school uniforms. (Education Code 48204.6)
If the student's status changes during a school year due to the end of military service of the student's parent/guardian, the following shall apply: (Education Code 48204.6)
* The student shall be allowed to continue attending the school of origin through graduation.
A child of an active military duty parent/guardian shall not be prohibited from transferring out of the district, if the school district of proposed enrollment approves the application for transfer. (Education Code 46600, 48307)
(cf. 5117 - Interdistrict Attendance)
When a child of a military family is transferring out of the district, the Superintendent or designee shall provide the student's parents/guardians with a complete set of the student's records or, if the official student record cannot be released, an unofficial or "hand-carried" record. Upon request from the new district, the Superintendent or designee shall provide a copy of the student's record to the new district within 10 days. (Education Code 49701)
Placement
Whenever a student's parent/guardian is serving on active duty or has been discharged from military service within the last year and the student transfers to a new school as the direct result of the military transfer or discharge, the Superintendent or designee may, prior to the receipt of official transcript(s) or the arrival of the student, review the student's coursework to date, including any unofficial transcript(s), to determine the appropriate placement of the student in classes. The evaluation shall also include communication with school counselors and teachers at the former school by videoconferencing, email, and/or telephone calls. (Education Code 51251)
The Superintendent or designee shall initially honor the placement of any child of a military family in educational courses and programs based on the child's enrollment and/or assessment in his/her previous school. The Superintendent or designee may, to the extent permitted by Board policy, waive course or program prerequisites, preconditions, and/or application deadlines when making decisions regarding placement of children of military families and their eligibility for extracurricular academic, athletic, and social activities. (Education Code 49701)
(cf. 6141.5 - Advanced Placement)
(cf. 6145 - Extracurricular and Cocurricular Activities)
(cf. 6145.2 - Athletic Competition)
(cf. 6172 - Gifted and Talented Student Program)
(cf. 6174 - Education for English Language Learners)
When a child of a military family transferring into the district has been identified as an individual with a disability pursuant to 20 USC 1400-1482, the Superintendent or designee shall provide comparable services to the student based on his/her current individualized education program. In addition, when the child of a military family transferring into the district is eligible for services under Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act, the Superintendent or designee shall make reasonable accommodations and modifications to address the needs of the student subject to the student's existing Section 504 plan. The district may authorize subsequent evaluations of the student to ensure appropriate placement. (Education Code 49701)
(cf. 6159 - Individualized Education Program)
(cf. 6164.4 - Identification and Evaluation of Individuals for Special Education)
(cf. 6164.6 - Identification and Education Under Section 504)
Transfer of Coursework and Credits
When a child of a military family transfers into a district school, the district shall accept and issue full credit for any coursework that the student has satisfactorily completed while attending another public school, a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency, or a juvenile court school and shall not require the student to retake the course. (Education Code 51225.2)
(cf. 6146.3 - Reciprocity of Academic Credit)
(cf. 6159.2 - Nonpublic, Nonsectarian School or Agency Services for Special Education)
If the student did not complete the entire course, he/she shall be issued partial credit for the coursework completed and shall be required to take only the portion of the course that he/she did not complete at his/her previous school. However, the district may require the student to retake the portion of the course completed if, in consultation with the student's parent/guardian, the district finds that the student is reasonably able to complete the requirements in time to graduate from high school. Whenever partial credit is issued, the student shall be enrolled in the same or equivalent course, if applicable, so that he/she may continue and complete the entire course. (Education Code 51225.2)
In no event shall the district prevent a child of a military family from taking or retaking a course to meet the eligibility requirements for admission to the California State University or the University of California. (Education Code 51225.2)
(cf. 6143 - Courses of Study)
Absences
When a student's parent/guardian is an active duty member and is called to duty, is on leave from, or is immediately returned from deployment to a combat zone or to combat support posting, the Superintendent or designee may grant additional excused absences to the student to visit with his/her parent/guardian. (Education Code 49701)
(cf. 5113 - Absences and Excuses)
Graduation Requirements
To obtain a high school diploma, a child of a military family shall complete all courses required by Education Code 51225.3 and fulfill any additional graduation requirements prescribed by the Governing Board.
(cf. 6146.1 - High School Graduation Requirements)
However, when a child of a military family who has completed his/her second year of high school transfers into the district from another school district or transfers between high schools within the district, he/she shall be exempted from all district-adopted coursework and other district-established graduation requirements, unless the district makes a finding that the student is reasonably able to complete the additional requirements in time to graduate from high school by the end of his/her fourth year of high school. Within 30 calendar days of the student's transfer, the Superintendent or designee shall notify the student and his/her parent/guardian of the availability of the exemption and whether the student qualifies for it. If the Superintendent or designee fails to provide this notification, the student shall be eligible for the exemption once notified, even if the notification occurs after the student no longer meets the definition of a child of a military family pursuant to Education Code 49701. (Education Code 51225.1)
To determine whether a child of a military family is in his/her third or fourth year of high school, the district shall use either the number of credits he/she has earned as of the date of the transfer or the length of his/her school enrollment, whichever qualifies him/her for the exemption. (Education Code 51225.1)
The Superintendent or designee shall notify any child of a military family who is granted an exemption and his/her parent/guardian how any requirements that are waived will affect the student's ability to gain admission to a postsecondary educational institution and shall provide information about transfer opportunities available through the California Community Colleges. (Education Code 51225.1)
The district shall not require or request a child of a military family to transfer schools in order to qualify for an exemption, and no child of a military family or his/her parent/guardian shall be permitted to request a transfer solely to qualify for an exemption. (Education Code 51225.1)
If a child of a military family is exempted from local graduation requirements, the exemption shall continue to apply after the student no longer meets the definition of a child of a military family or if he/she transfers to another school or school district. (Education Code 51225.1)
If the Superintendent or designee determines that a child of a military family is reasonably able to complete district graduation requirements within his/her fifth year of high school, he/she shall: (Education Code 51225.1)
1. Inform the student and, if under 18 years of age, his/her parent/guardian of the option available to the student to remain in school for a fifth year to complete the district's graduation requirements and how that will affect his/her ability to gain admission to a postsecondary educational institution
2. Provide information to the student about transfer opportunities available through the California Community Colleges
3. Upon agreement with the student, or with the parent/guardian if the student is under 18 years of age, permit the student to stay in school for a fifth year to complete the district's graduation requirements
Notification and Complaints
Information regarding the educational rights of children of military families, as specified in Education Code 51225.1 and 51225.2, shall be included in the annual uniform complaint procedures notification distributed to students, parents/guardians, employees, and other interested parties pursuant to 5 CCR 4622. (Education Code 51225.1, 51225.2)
Any complaint alleging that the district has not complied with requirements regarding the education of children of military families, as specified in Education Code 51225.1 or 51225.2, may be filed in accordance with the district's procedures in AR 1312.3 - Uniform Complaint Procedures.
(cf. 1312.3 - Uniform Complaint Procedures)
Regulation ESCONDIDO UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
approved: April 18, 2017 Escondido, California
revised: September 11, 2018
revised: February 12, 2019