California § 11253.5 - All children in an assistance unit for whom school attendance is compulsory, exce

§ 11253.5. All children in an assistance unit for whom school attendance is compulsory, exce

(a) All children in an assistance unit for whom school attendance is compulsory, except individuals who are eligible for the Cal-Learn Program under Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 11331), for any period during which that article is operative, and children subject to a county school attendance project under Article 2 (commencing with Section 18236) of Chapter 3.3 of Part 6, shall be required to attend school pursuant to subdivision (f). (b) Applicants for and recipients of aid under this chapter shall be informed of the attendance requirement in subdivision (a) and it shall be included in the recipients’ welfare-to-work plan under Section 11325.21. (c) A recipient shall cooperate in providing the county with documentation routinely available from the school or school district of regular attendance of all children described in subdivision (a) in the assistance unit when the county determines it is appropriate, unless there is good cause for the inability to secure that documentation. (d) If it is determined by the county that any child in the assistance unit is not attending school as required by subdivision (a), the family may be informed of how to enroll the child in a continuation school within the county and may be screened to determine eligibility for family stabilization services pursuant to Section 11325.24 and in accordance with county policy and procedures. If applicable, the county shall document that the family was given this information and was screened for those services. The needs of a child in the assistance unit who is 16 years of age or older shall not be considered in computing the grant of the family under Section 11450 for any month in which the county is informed by a school district or a county school attendance review board that the child did not attend school pursuant to subdivision (f), unless at least one of the following conditions is present: (1) The county is provided with evidence that the child’s attendance records are not available. (2) The county is provided with evidence that the child has been attending school. (3) Good cause for school nonparticipation exists at any time during the month. A circumstance that shall constitute good cause includes, but is not limited to, the applicant or recipient is in a domestic violence situation that results in school nonparticipation or the failure to cooperate. (4) Any member of the household is eligible to participate in family stabilization pursuant to Section 11325.24. (5) The county is provided with evidence that the child, parent, or caregiver is complying with requirements imposed by a school attendance review board, the county probation department, or the district attorney pursuant to Section 48263 or 48263.5 of the Education Code. (6) A member of the household is cooperating with a plan developed by a county child welfare agency. (e) A child whose needs have not been considered in computing the grant of the family pursuant to this section shall remain eligible for services that may lead to attendance in school. (f) For the purposes of this section, a child shall be presumed to be attending school unless he or she has been deemed a chronic truant pursuant to Section 48263.6 of the Education Code. (g) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2018.