52350-52355
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.