AB1659 - Juvenile court school pupils: joint transition planning policy: courses of study.

Amended IN Senate August 21, 2026 Amended IN Senate August 18, 2026 Amended IN Assembly March 09, 2026 CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION Assembly Bill No. 1659 Introduced by Assembly Member Ransom (Coauthor: Assembly Member Zbur) January 29, 2026 An act to amend Sections 48647, 49069.5, and 51225.2 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 1659, as amended, Ransom. Juvenile court school pupils: joint transition planning policy: courses of study. (1) Existing law requires a county office of education and county probation department to have a joint transition planning policy that includes collaboration with relevant local educational agencies to coordinate education and services for youth who have had contact with the juvenile justice system. Existing law requires, as part of the joint transition planning policy, the county office of education to assign transition oversight responsibilities to existing county office of education personnel who will work in collaboration with the county probation department and relevant local educational agencies to ensure that specified transition activities are completed for the pupil. This bill would require, as part of the joint transition planning policy, the school district or charter school in which the juvenile court school pupil will be enrolling to assign a staff member of that school district or charter school to serve as the point person for transition liaison responsibilities, and notify the county office of education and the county probation department of the assigned staff member’s name and contact information. The bill would also require that staff member, and other personnel of the school district or charter school as needed to serve the pupil, to work in collaboration with the county office of education transition oversight personnel throughout the calendar year to ensure that the transition activities noted above are completed for the pupil. Existing law requires, for pupils detained for 20 consecutive schooldays or fewer, the pupil’s individualized learning plan, if one exists, to be made available by the county office of education to the pupil upon the pupil’s release. This bill would additionally require that pupil’s individualized learning plan to be made available to the pupil’s school district or charter school point person for transition liaison responsibilities. Existing law requires the county office of education, in collaboration with the county probation department, to establish procedures for the timely, accurate, complete, and confidential transfer of educational records, as specified. This bill would additionally require the county office of education to collaborate with relevant local educational agencies to establish those procedures. By imposing additional requirements on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law requires local educational agencies to issue full or partial credit on an official transcript for all full or partial coursework satisfactorily completed by pupil in foster care, a pupil who is a homeless child or youth, a former juvenile court school pupil, a pupil who is a child of a military family, a pupil who is a migratory child, or a newcomer pupil, while attending a public school, juvenile court school, charter school, school in a country other than the United States, or a nonpublic, nonsectarian school, as provided. Existing law requires, for a pupil in foster care, upon receiving a transfer request from a county placing agency or notification of enrollment from the new local educational agency, the local educational agency to deliver the official transcript to the next educational placement within 2 business days, as provided. This bill would require the transferring local educational agency to issue that official transcript within 2 business days, as provided. By imposing additional requirements on local educational entities, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above. (4) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 51225.2 of the Education Code proposed by SB 685 to be operative only if this bill and SB 685 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. Digest Key Vote: MAJORITY Appropriation: NO Fiscal Committee: YES Local Program: YES Bill Text The people of the State of California do enact as follows: SECTION 1. Section 48647 of the Education Code is amended to read: 48647. (a) Local educational agencies are strongly encouraged to enter into memoranda of understanding and create joint policies, systems, including data sharing systems, transition centers, and other joint structures that will allow for the immediate transfer of educational records, create uniform systems for calculating and awarding course credit, and allow for the immediate enrollment of pupils transferring from juvenile court schools. (b) As part of their existing responsibilities for coordinating education and services for youth in the juvenile justice system, the county office of education and county probation department shall have a joint transition planning policy that includes collaboration with relevant local educational agencies to improve communication regarding dates of release and the educational needs of pupils who have had contact with the juvenile justice system, to coordinate immediate school placement and enrollment, and to ensure that probation officers in the community have the information they need to support the return of pupils who are being transferred from juvenile court schools to public schools in their communities. (c) As part of the joint transition planning policy required under subdivision (b), the county office of education shall assign transition oversight responsibilities to existing county office of education personnel who will work in collaboration with the county probation department, as needed, and relevant local educational agencies to ensure all of the following: (1) The transfer of complete and accurate education records, including the pupil’s individualized education program adopted pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.) and the pupil’s plan adopted pursuant to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794(a)), if applicable, within 72 hours of the pupil’s release from the juvenile detention facility. (2) Access to information about postsecondary academic and vocational opportunities, including college financial aid programs. (3) The implementation of the pupil’s transition plan, if one exists. (d) As part of the joint transition planning policy required under subdivision (b), the county office of education personnel assigned transition oversight responsibilities shall work in collaboration with the county probation department, as needed, and relevant local educational agencies to facilitate all of the following: (1) The immediate enrollment in an appropriate public school in their community when a pupil is transferred from the juvenile court school. (2) The acceptance, upon enrollment by the pupil in a public school, of course credits, including partial credits, for coursework completed in the juvenile court school, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 51225.2. (3) The immediate placement in appropriate courses, based on coursework completed by the pupil, pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 51225.2. (4) The transfer of complete and accurate education records, including the pupil’s individualized education program adopted pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.) and the pupil’s plan adopted pursuant to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794(a)), if applicable, when a pupil enters the juvenile court school. (e) As part of the joint transition planning policy required under subdivision (b), the school district or charter school in which the juvenile court school pupil will be enrolling shall assign a staff member of that school district or charter school to serve as the point person for transition liaison responsibilities. The school district or charter school shall notify the county office of education and the county probation department of the assigned staff member’s name and contact information. The staff member, and other existing personnel of the school district or charter school as needed to serve the pupil, shall work in collaboration with the county office of education transition oversight personnel throughout the calendar year to ensure all of the following: (1) The timely transfer of complete and accurate education records, including the pupil’s individualized education program adopted pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.) and the pupil’s plan adopted pursuant to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794(a)), if applicable, when a pupil enters the juvenile court school. (2) The immediate enrollment in an appropriate public school in the school district or charter school when a pupil is transferred from the juvenile court school. (3) The acceptance, upon enrollment by the pupil in a public school, of course credits, including partial credits, for coursework completed in the juvenile court school, pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 51225.2. (4) The immediate placement in appropriate courses, based on coursework completed by the pupil, pursuant to subdivision (d) of Section 51225.2. (f) Each pupil detained for more than 20 consecutive schooldays shall have an individualized transition plan developed by the county office of education in collaboration with the county probation department, as needed. The individualized transition plan shall be developed before the pupil’s release and reviewed and revised as needed, and shall address, but not be limited to, both of the following: (1) The academic, behavioral, social-emotional, and career needs of the pupil. (2) The identification and engagement of programs, including higher education programs, services, and individuals to support a pupil’s successful transition into and out of the juvenile detention facility. (g) Each pupil detained for more than 20 consecutive schooldays shall have all of the following accessible to the holder of the educational rights for that pupil upon the pupil’s release from the juvenile detention facility: (1) School transcripts. (2) The pupil’s individualized learning plan, if applicable. For purposes of this section, an individualized learning plan is a plan developed collaboratively by a pupil and school personnel that identifies academic and career goals and how the pupil will progress toward meeting those goals. (3) The pupil’s individualized education program adopted pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.), if applicable. (4) The pupil’s plan adopted pursuant to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794(a)), if applicable. (5) Any academic and vocational assessments. (6) An analysis of credits completed and needed. (7) Any certificates or diplomas earned by the pupil. (h) For each pupil detained for 20 consecutive schooldays or fewer, a copy of the pupil’s individualized learning plan, if one exists, shall be made available by the county office of education to the pupil and the pupil’s school district or charter school point person for transition liaison responsibilities upon the pupil’s release, if possible. (i) The county office of education, in collaboration, as needed, with the county probation department and relevant local educational agencies, shall establish procedures for the timely, accurate, complete, and confidential transfer of educational records in compliance with state and federal law. (j) Notwithstanding any other law, this section applies to juvenile court schools that are operated by, or as, charter schools. As used in this section, “county office of education” includes a charter school that serves juvenile court school pupils. SEC. 2. Section 49069.5 of the Education Code is amended to read: 49069.5. (a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (1) The mobility of pupils in foster care often disrupts their educational experience. (2) Efficient transfer procedures and transfer of pupil records are critical factors in the swift placement of foster children in educational settings. (3) Pupils who have had contact with the juvenile justice system are often denied credit or partial credit earned during enrollment in juvenile court schools. Delays in school enrollment and loss of earned credit can result in improper class or school placement, denial of special education services, and school dropout. (b) The proper and timely transfer between schools of pupils in foster care is the responsibility of both the local educational agency, including the county office of education for pupils in foster care who are enrolled in juvenile court schools, and the county placing agency, which includes the county probation department. (c) As soon as the county placing agency or county office of education becomes aware of the need to transfer a pupil in foster care out of the pupil’s current school, the county placing agency or county office of education shall contact the appropriate person at the local educational agency of the pupil. The county placing agency shall notify the local educational agency of the date that the pupil will be leaving the school and request that the pupil be transferred out. (d) Upon receiving a transfer request from a county placing agency or notification of enrollment from the new local educational agency, the local educational agency receiving the transfer request or notification shall, within two business days, transfer the pupil out of school and deliver the educational information and records of the pupil to the next educational placement. (e) As part of the transfer process described under subdivisions (c) and (d), the local educational agency shall compile the complete educational record of the pupil, including a determination of days of enrollment or seat time, or both if applicable, an official transcript that meets the requirements of Section 51225.2, including full and partial credits earned, or any measure of full or partial coursework being satisfactorily completed, as defined in Section 51225.2, including a determination of the days of enrollment or seat time [Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]