10 Key Questions During the 2022-23 school year, parents and guardians can choose to have their children return to school for in-person instruction or enroll in “independent study.” Here are key questions for you to ask yourselves and your child’s school staff to figure out which learning option is best for your child. You can […]
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What are my Student Disability Rights? Are there laws that protect me if I have a disability? Yes. The two main laws are the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, which people usually just call “Section 504.” The Americans with Disabilities Act (“ADA”) also protects students with disabilities.
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Am I considered “homeless” or unhoused? You may be considered homeless or unhoused if you are: Sharing another person’s house, such as a friend or relative, because your family cannot afford to live alone or because you lost your housing or have nowhere else safe to go. This is often called “doubling up.” For example,
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What is The California Healthy Youth Act? The California Healthy Youth Act is a 2016 law that requires all California public schools to teach comprehensive sex education to their students at least once in middle school and once in high school. Why does this matter? We know that people have healthier lives when they’re given
How to File A Complaint with the Federal Department of Education Office for Civil Rights (OCR) YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE SAFE AT SCHOOL YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE FREE FROM BULLYING AND HARASSMENT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO HOLD YOUR SCHOOL ACCOUNTABLE WHO IS OCR? The Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is
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How to File a Complaint with your school related to bullying, harassment, or discrimination. YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE SAFE AT SCHOOL YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE FREE FROM BULLYING AND HARASSMENT YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO HOLD YOUR SCHOOL ACCOUNTABLE UNIFORM COMPLAINT PROCESS CA Code of Regulations (Title 5, section 4600 et
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Can I stay in the same school even if I move to a new foster placement? YES. You have the right to remain in your “school of origin.” This includes your previous school, the school you attended in your last “permanent” placement, or any other school to which you felt “connected” in the last 15
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California has some of the strongest laws in the country to protect and support LGBTQ youth. Unfortunately, these laws often only apply to public or charter schools, not private or religious schools. But some of these laws protect students in non-religious private schools as well. Knowing your rights is the first step in making sure
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Can my school make a dress code policy? YES1. But your school’s dress code policy cannot be used to disfavor a specific message or single out one particular group of students. Please note charter schools may be subject to different rules than those below. Can my school enforce its dress code policy against only some
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RIGHT TO AN EDUCATION Do I have the right to a K-12 education as an undocumented student? YES. Every child who lives in California has the right to a free public education regardless of the child or his/her family’s race, nationality, sex, religion, whether they speak English or not, and immigration status. Every child in
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