School Stability & Enrollment

Yes, a student in foster care who is not remaining in their school of origin must be immediately enrolled in their new school regardless of documentation regularly required for other students and families at enrollment. 

Please refer to California Education Code (EC) § 48853.5(f)(8)(B): 

The new school shall immediately enroll the foster child even if the foster child 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 Chapter 1 (commencing with §120325) of Part 2 of Division 105 of the Health and Safety Code, proof of residency, other documentation, or school uniforms. 

The specific needs of the student do not impact their entitlement to immediate enrollment. The best practice to ensure the school can meet the unique needs of the student, is to provide as much notice and documentation as possible to the receiving school as early as possible. Cooperative agreements and local policies and procedures that allow for this information sharing will enable supports to be in place when the student enrolls.

Pursuant to EC § 48853.5(f)(8)(B), cited above, schools must immediately enroll foster children transferring to their school even if a foster child is unable to produce immunization records normally required for school entry. Once a foster child is enrolled, school staff should work with the school or foster family where the student was transferred from to obtain the student’s immunization records quickly. The school staff person should also work with local health departments to ensure these students receive any vaccinations they may need.

https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/cefimmunization.asp

California law requires schools to immediately enroll foster children transferring to their school even if a foster child is unable to produce immunization records normally required for school entry. Once a foster child is enrolled, school staff should work with the school or foster family where the student was transferred from to obtain the student’s immunization records quickly. The school staff person should also work with local health departments to ensure these students receive any vaccinations they may need.

https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/cefimmunization.asp 

Please refer to Health and Safety Code § 120341: 

(a) The governing authority shall admit a foster child, as defined in subdivision (a) of § 48853.5 of the Education Code, whose immunization records are not available or are missing. 

(b) This section shall not alter the obligation of the governing authority to obtain a foster child’s immunization records pursuant to § 48853.5 of the Education Code or to ensure the immunization of a foster child pursuant to this chapter. 

(Added by Stats. 2011, Ch. 463, § 3. (AB 709) Effective January 1, 2012.) 

California law requires schools to immediately enroll foster children transferring to their school even if a foster child is unable to produce immunization records normally required for school entry. Once a foster child is enrolled, school staff should work with the school or foster family where the student was transferred from to obtain the student’s immunization records quickly. The school staff person should also work with local health departments to ensure these students receive any vaccinations they may need. https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/cefimmunization.asp

The law does not reference a specific time frame for obtaining proof of immunization.

California law requires schools to immediately enroll foster children transferring to their school even if a foster child is unable to produce immunization records normally required for school entry. Once a foster child is enrolled, school staff should work with the school or foster family where the student was transferred from to obtain the student’s immunization records quickly. The school staff person should also work with local health departments to ensure these students receive any vaccinations they may need. 

https://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/he/hn/cefimmunization.asp 

The law does not reference a specific time frame for obtaining proof of immunization.