Legal Update Memo No. 21-2018 – Charter School Obligations – Healthy Schools Act, Free and Reduced Lunch Program (K-12)

Download pdf: 21-2018 – Charter School Obligations – Healthy Schools Act, Free & Reduced Lunch Program (JEN)

Governor Brown recently signed two bills into law affecting charter schools.  The first, Assembly Bill 2601, extends to charter schools the requirements of the California Healthy Youth Act, located in Sections 51930 to 51939 of the Education Code, which requires school districts to ensure that all pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive, receive comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education as specified.  The second, Assembly Bill 1871, extends to charter schools the requirement to provide for each needy pupil one nutritionally-adequate free or reduced-price meal during each school day, unless the charter school is offering nonclassroom-based instruction.  Both requirements commence in the 2019-2020 school year.[1]

School and College Legal Services will be offering a workshop for charter school authorizers on October 10, 2018, at the Sonoma County Office of Education, and on October 17, 2018, at the Humboldt County Office of Education.  Please visit our website for more information and to register.

Please contact our office with questions regarding this Legal Update or any other legal matter.

Legal Update written by Jennifer E. Nix, Associate General Counsel.

The information in this Legal Update is provided as a summary of law and is not intended as legal advice.  Application of the law may vary depending on the particular facts and circumstances at issue.  We, therefore, recommend that you consult legal counsel to advise you on how the law applies to your specific situation.

 © 2018 School and College Legal Services of California

 All rights reserved.  However, SCLS grants permission to any current SCLS client to use, reproduce, and distribute this Legal Update in its entirety for the client’s own non-commercial purposes.

[1] An exception exists for charter schools that become operational on or after July 1, 2019, who have until July 1, 2020, to implement a free and reduced lunch program.