San Francisco Unified School District and County Office of Education
Board Policy 6184
Continuation Education
This Board Policy applies to the San Francisco Unified School District and the County Office of Education.
The Governing Board shall provide a continuation education program to meet the educational needs of district students who have not been successful in traditional high schools but who remain committed to completing a high school diploma.
(cf. 0420.4 – Charter Schools)
(cf. 5112.1- Exemptions from Attendance)
(cf. 6030 – Integrated Academic and Vocational Instruction)
(cf. 6158 – Independent Study)
(cf. 6164.2 – Guidance/Counseling Services)
(cf. 6178 – Vocational Education)
(cf. 6178.1 – Work Experience Education)
(cf. 6181 – Alternative Schools)
(cf. 6182 – Opportunity School/Class/Program)
(cf. 6183 – Home and Hospital Instruction)
(cf. 6185 – Community Day School)
Program Components (Education Code 48430, 5 CCR 11001-11004)
The district’s continuation education program shall include the following components:
- Curriculum that prepares students to meet the course requirements for graduation prescribed in Education Code 51224 and 51225.3. (5 CCR 11004)
- A plan to coordinate instruction and training in the continuation education program with students’ parents/guardians, employment, and other agencies. (5 CCR 11003)
- Instruction based on individual student needs as determined by counseling and coordination services. (5 CCR 11002)
- Personal guidance in matters affecting students’ personal, social, and educational adjustment. (5 CCR 11001)
- Occupational guidance to prepare students for future employment opportunities. (5 CCR 11001)
- Assistance in securing suitable employment whenever students can benefit from such employment, and follow-up visitations at places of employment to determine the effectiveness of the guidance and placement services. (5 CCR 11001)
- Regular home contacts and parent conferences when students are not succeeding in the continuation program. (5 CCR 11001)
- Regular contacts with students enrolled for only four hours per week and all students suspended from continuation education, with the intent of eventually returning them to the full-time continuation education program. (5 CCR 11001)
- Regular communication with parents/guardians regarding their child’s progress in the educational program.
- Student support services that may include, but are not limited to, academic support services, health services or referrals, and/or prevention and intervention services or referrals for alcohol or substance abuse.
Alternative Credits (Education Code 51225.3)
In addition to the alternative means of completing high school courses that are outlined in Board Policy 6146.1 (High School Graduation Requirements) and its accompanying Administrative Regulation, students enrolled in continuation schools may also fulfill one or more of their high school course requirements through:
- Practical demonstration of skills and competencies (Education Code 51225.3)
- Supervised Work Experience/Community Classroom Programs (5 CCR 10080; Education Code 51225.3)
- Interdisciplinary study (Education Code 51225.3)
- Independent Study (Education Code 51225.3). Notwithstanding any limitations outlined in Board Policy 6102.6 (Independent Study) regarding ‘Types of Independent Study” that are authorized, students enrolled in continuation education are authorized to complete course requirements through Independent Study, subject to the procedural requirements for such study outlined in law and Board Policy.
- Other outside school experiences (Education Code 51225.3)
The Superintendent shall develop Administrative Regulations to further outline the operational requirements for these alternative means.
Involuntary Transfer
A student may be involuntarily transferred into a continuation education program in accordance with law and administrative regulation. (Education Code 48432.5)
The Superintendent or designee shall collect data on involuntary transfers and report to the Board on such data annually disaggregated by school, race, gender, and Education Code 48900 offense that formed the basis of the transfer. This information shall be added as part of the annual data reporting required by Board Policy 5144.
Voluntary Enrollment
As space permits, students who meet the eligibility criteria specified in this policy or any accompanying regulation may voluntarily enroll in a continuation school. A student may be considered for placement in the continuation school whenever his/her parent/guardian submits a written request to the Superintendent or designee or the student is referred by a counselor or school administrator.
Approval of a student’s voluntary transfer shall be based on a finding that the placement will promote the educational interests of the student. (Education Code 48432.3(a)).
Voluntary enrollment shall be subject to the following conditions: (Education Code 48432.3)
- A student’s voluntary placement in continuation education shall not be used as an alternative to expulsion unless alternative means of correction have been attempted pursuant to Education Code 48900.5.
- The district shall strive to ensure that no specific group of students, including a group based on race, ethnicity, language status, or special needs, is disproportionately enrolled in continuation education within the district. If it is determined that one or more student groups are enrolled in continuation education at a significantly higher level than their proportional enrollment in the district, the Superintendent or designee shall conduct a review of enrollment criteria and procedures to determine the reason for the disproportionate enrollment and attempt to eliminate it.
- A copy of this regulation shall be provided to the student whose voluntary transfer is under consideration, and to their parent/guardian.
- Before a student is transferred and upon request by his/her parent/guardian, the parent/guardian may meet with a counselor, principal, or administrator from both the school that the student is currently attending and the continuation school to determine if transferring is the best option for the student.
- To the extent possible, voluntary transfer to a continuation school should occur within the first four weeks of each semester, or at the beginning of any shorter terms offered by the continuation high school.
- A student who voluntarily enrolls in continuation education has a right to return to his or her previous regular high school at the beginning of the following school year, or at any other time with the consent of the Superintendent or designee. (Education Code 48432.5).
Enrollment Criteria
Students eligible for continuation education classes shall be age 16 or 17 years at the time of their enrollment and shall not have graduated from high school. (Education Code 48400, 48413).
Priority for voluntary enrollment in continuation classes shall be given to students who need credit recovery in order to graduate with their peers and to students who, due to employment, pregnancy, parenting responsibilities, or other circumstances, are unable to attend a comprehensive high school. A student with a disability shall be admitted only if his/her individualized education program specifically states that a continuation high school setting meets his/her needs.
(cf. 5146- Married/Pregnant/Parenting Students)
(cf. 5147- Dropout Prevention)
(cf. 6159- Individualized Education Program)
Enrollment criteria shall be applied consistently throughout the district. (Education Code 48432.3)
Instructional Day
The continuation high school shall be conducted for not less than 175 days during a school year. The Board may maintain continuation classes during the district’s regular school hours, or during special school hours for these classes established by the Board. (Education Code 48434; 5 CCR 11004)
(cf. 6111-School Calendar)
(cf. 6112- School Day)
Legal Reference:
EDUCATION CODE
48400-48454 Compulsory continuation education in general, especially:
48401 Weekly minimum attendance requirement
48402 Minors not regularly employed
48410-48416 Compulsory continuation education
48430-48438 Continuation classes
48450-48454 Violation
48900 Grounds for suspension and expulsion
48903 Limitations on days of suspension
51224 Courses of study
51225.3 Requirements for graduation
60850-60856 High school exit examination
FAMILY CODE
7000-7002 Emancipation of minors law
7050 Purposes for which emancipated minor considered an adult
CODE OF REGULATIONS, TITLE 5
11000-11010 Continuation education
Management Resources:
WEB SITES
CDE: www.cde.ca.gov
Please note that compare references, or “cf”, refer to CSBA model policies and do not necessarily indicate that the San Francisco Unified School District has adopted the referenced policy.