Section 54444.1 Of Article 3. Migrant Children From California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 29. >> Chapter 4. >> Article 3.
54444.1
. (a) In implementing the state master plan for services to
migrant children, the Superintendent shall establish the service
regional system as the primary method for the delivery of services to
migrant children. The Superintendent shall review and approve plans
for the establishment of service regions and shall incorporate the
following criteria in the approval of regional plans:
(1) The boundaries of regions shall include all geographic areas
with migrant and seasonal agricultural workers and fishermen.
(2) Regional service centers shall be located in areas with high
concentrations of migrant and seasonal agricultural workers and
fishermen. Regional headquarters shall be located as follows:
(A) In areas requiring large numbers of these workers for a period
of at least two consecutive months during each year.
(B) In areas that normally contract for migrant and seasonal
agricultural workers with families rather than single adults.
(C) In areas where migrant and seasonal agricultural workers are
involved in the transition from hand labor to mechanization.
(3) Regions shall be located in each geographic area of the state,
except areas within the boundaries of directly funded districts.
(4) Except areas within the boundaries of directly funded
districts, regions shall be contiguous to one another and should have
no less than 1,500 migratory children. In no event shall a county be
split among two separate regions in order to meet the requirements
of this paragraph.
(5) Regions shall be organized so as to provide quality services
to all affected parties and maintain fiscal procedures in conformity
with requirements adopted by the department.
(6) The boundaries of regions shall be drawn in a manner that
avoids excessive commuting by personnel or by participants in the
programs, not to exceed 100 miles from the schoolsite to the
operating agency.
(7) If a proposed region cannot meet the criteria established in
paragraph (4) or (6), it may request that the criteria be waived by
the state board. The waiver request shall be based upon a study,
conducted by the entities, including their respective parent advisory
councils, comprising the proposed region, that explains why the
waiver is required and that describes likely outcomes if the waiver
is not granted.
(b) An agency meeting the criteria set forth in this subdivision
and subdivision (f) of Section 54441 may apply to the department for
designation as a region. The application shall be in a format with
sufficient information and at times designated by the Superintendent.
The application shall include documentation of active participation,
review and comment by the appropriate parent advisory councils, and
signatures by parent advisory council chairpersons that the review
and comment has taken place, and shall further include documentation
that the agencies and parent representative comprising the proposed
region have met as a group prior to submission of the application and
have agreed upon the formation of, and participation in, the region
and a general delineation of the services which will be provided in
the region.
Directly funded districts shall be invited by the regions to
participate in regional activities and meetings. Staff and parent
advisory council members in the districts shall also be invited to
regional inservice activities and conferences.
(c) The department may directly fund local educational agencies,
in whole or in part, to provide services to eligible migrant children
if it is cost effective to do so; if the applicant agency serves not
less than 1,500, nor more than 8,000, currently migratory children;
has sufficient programmatic and fiscal resources to deliver an
effective migrant education program; is in compliance with the
federal and state requirements regarding migrant education programs;
maintains an ongoing and functional parent advisory council that has
voted on a biennial basis to approve the participation in the
directly funded program, including the approval of a majority of the
members who are the parents of migrant children; and maintains fiscal
procedures in conformity with the requirements adopted by the
department. All districts that are directly funded on January 1,
1982, may continue to be funded directly, provided that the districts
comply with the criteria prescribed by this subdivision, except for
the size criterion.
(d) The responsibilities of the various parties involved in the
delivery of services to migrant children shall be set forth in a
service agreement. A service agreement shall be a legally binding
contract signed by the duly constituted authorities at the state,
county, district, or private or public nonprofit agencies, or a
combination thereof. In the regional delivery system, there shall be
two parties to every service agreement; the region and the district
or other operating agencies in which the eligible migrant pupils are
enrolled. When a district or agency is funded directly by the state,
the parties to the service agreement shall include the department and
the district or operating agency in which the eligible migrant
pupils are enrolled. The basic responsibilities of these three
parties shall be as specified in Section 54444.4.
The parties, whether regional or directly funded, shall take the
necessary steps to ensure the effective involvement of the migrant
parent advisory committee for that district or agency.
Representatives of the migrant parent advisory committee shall have
the right to be present and participate in all deliberations between
the parties regarding the service agreement or any subsequent changes
thereto. The service agreement shall include a signed statement from
the officers of the migrant parent advisory committee signifying
that the participation has occurred.
(e) The Superintendent shall develop an annual operating calendar
for regions and directly funded districts, including dates for the
submission and approval of applications and service agreements. Any
changes in regional boundaries for the subsequent fiscal year shall
be made and approved by December 31 of the current year. Any changes
in funding allocations for regions shall be made by December 31 of
the current year or immediately after notification of a federal grant
award.
(f) The Superintendent shall preserve the supplemental nature of
the migrant education program. The program shall be maintained
outside the supervision or above the administrative level of the
consolidated application programs. The Superintendent shall not
incorporate the migrant education program into the consolidated
application process, except as provided below:
(1) Directly funded districts may apply for migrant education
funds as part of their consolidated application provided the district
parent advisory council on migrant education approves the inclusion.
(2) A copy of the district's annual application for migrant
education funds as required by subdivision (h) of Section 54443.1
shall be attached to the district's annual consolidated application.