CHAPTER 3. Alternative Schools [58500. - 58512.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 3.

in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58500. Section 58500.

The governing board of any school district may establish and maintain one or more alternative schools within the district. For the purposes of this article, an alternative school is defined as a school or separate class group within a school which is operated in a manner designed to: (a) Maximize the opportunity for students to develop the positive values of self-reliance, initiative, kindness, spontaneity, resourcefulness, courage, creativity, responsibility, and joy. (b) Recognize that the best learning takes place when the student learns because of his desire to learn. (c) Maintain a learning situation maximizing student self-motivation and encouraging the student in his own time to follow his own interests. These interests may be conceived by him totally and independently or may result in whole or in part from a presentation by his teachers of choices of learning projects. (d) Maximize the opportunity for teachers, parents and students to cooperatively develop the learning process and its subject matter. This opportunity shall be a continuous, permanent process. (e) Maximize the opportunity for the students, teachers, and parents to continuously react to the changing world, including but not limited to the community in which the school is located.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58501. Section 58501.

The following notice shall be sent along with the notification of parents and guardians required by Section 48980: “Notice of Alternative Schools California state law authorizes all school districts to provide for alternative schools. Section 58500 of the Education Code defines alternative school as a school or separate class group within a school which is operated in a manner designed to: (a) Maximize the opportunity for students to develop the positive values of self-reliance, initiative, kindness, spontaneity, resourcefulness, courage, creativity, responsibility, and joy. (b) Recognize that the best learning takes place when the student learns because of his desire to learn. (c) Maintain a learning situation maximizing student self-motivation and encouraging the student in his own time to follow his own interests. These interests may be conceived by him totally and independently or may result in whole or in part from a presentation by his teachers of choices of learning projects. (d) Maximize the opportunity for teachers, parents and students to cooperatively develop the learning process and its subject matter. This opportunity shall be a continuous, permanent process. (e) Maximize the opportunity for the students, teachers, and parents to continuously react to the changing world, including but not limited to the community in which the school is located. In the event any parent, pupil, or teacher is interested in further information concerning alternative schools, the county superintendent of schools, the administrative office of this district, and the principal’s office in each attendance unit have copies of the law available for your information. This law particularly authorizes interested persons to request the governing board of the district to establish alternative school programs in each district.” Further, a copy shall be posted in at least two places normally visible to pupils, teachers, and visiting parents in each attendance unit for the entire month of March in each year.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58502. Section 58502.

The parent or guardian of any pupil may request the governing board of a school district to establish an alternative school program or programs in the district pursuant to this chapter.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58503. Section 58503.

Teachers employed and students enrolled in the alternative school shall be selected entirely from volunteers.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58504. Section 58504.

Previous classroom performance shall not be a criterion limiting any student from the opportunity of attending an alternative school.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58505. Section 58505.

A district may establish alternative schools in each attendance area or on a districtwide basis, with enrollment open to all students districtwide, or any combination thereof.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58507. Section 58507.

Alternative schools shall be operated in a manner to maximize the opportunity for improvement of the general school curriculum by innovative methods and ideas developed within the alternative school operation and to improve the general level of education in the State of California as provided in Section 58510. Any alternative school shall be maintained and funded by the school district at the same level of support as other educational programs for children of the same age level operated by the district.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58509. Section 58509.

For the operation of alternative schools as herein defined, the Superintendent of Public Instruction may, upon application of a school district, waive any provisions of this code other than those relating to earthquake safety and the provisions of this chapter.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58510. Section 58510.

Each district operating an alternative school shall annually evaluate such school. The evaluation shall include testing of basic skills for student participants, and must identify the variables which may have affected student academic achievement. The process of evaluation shall also include teacher, parent, and student input from the alternative school itself. These evaluation reports shall be sent to the Superintendent of Public Instruction on or before August 1st of the following year and shall be annually reviewed by persons designated by the superintendent who are not employed by the district operating the alternative school under review.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58511. Section 58511.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall establish minimum standards to further implement the definition of alternative schools as used in Section 58500 and may also establish such further guidelines as may be deemed by him necessary to the proper administration of this article.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 58512. Section 58512.

The governing board of a school district maintaining an alternative school may provide in whole or in part for the transportation of a pupil attending the alternative school. In lieu of providing such transportation, the governing board may pay to the parents or guardian of the pupil a sum not to exceed the cost of actual and necessary travel incurred in transporting such pupils in cases where transportation is provided by or paid for by the parents or guardian; provided, that in no case shall the district’s state apportionment for transportation expenses be increased because of the operation of an alternative school.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026