California Education Code

This code shall be known as the Education Code.

The code establishes the law of this state respecting the subjects to which it relates, and its provisions and all proceedings under it are to be liberally construed, with a view to effect its objects and to promote justice.

The provisions of this code, insofar as they are substantially the same as existing statutory provisions relating to the same subject matter, shall be construed as restatements and continuations, and not as new enactments.

Whenever reference is made to any portion of this code or of any other law of this state, such reference applies to all amendments and additions now or hereafter made.

Title, division, part, chapter, article, and section headings do not in any manner affect the scope, meaning, or intent of the provisions of this code.

If any provision of this code, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances is held invalid, the remainder of the code, and the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances, shall not be affected thereby.

Whenever a power is granted to, or a duty is imposed upon, a public officer, the power may be exercised or the duty may be performed by a deputy of the officer or by a person authorized, pursuant to law, by the officer, unless this code expressly provides otherwise.

Words giving a joint authority to three or more public officers or other persons are construed as giving such authority to a majority of them, unless it is otherwise expressed in the provisions of the code giving the authority.

The time in which any act provided by this code is to be done is computed by excluding the first day, and including the last, unless the last day is a holiday, and then it is also excluded.

Unless the provisions or the context otherwise requires these general provisions, rules of construction, and definitions shall govern the construction of this code.

(a) For purposes of this code, “assessed value” means 25 percent of full value to, and including, the 1980–81 fiscal year, and 100 percent of full value for the 1981–82 fiscal year and fiscal years thereafter; and, tax rates shall be expressed in dollars, or fractions thereof, on each one hundred dollars ($100) of asse…

All persons who, at the time this code goes into effect, hold office under any of the acts repealed by this code, which offices are continued by this code shall continue to hold them according to their former tenure.

No action or proceeding commenced before this code takes effect, and no right accrued, is affected by the provisions of this code, but all procedure thereafter taken therein shall conform to the provisions of this code so far as possible.

No rights given by any license or certificate under any act repealed by this code are affected by the enactment of this code or by such repeal, but such rights shall hereafter be exercised according to the provisions of this code.

All persons who, at the time this code goes into effect, are entitled to a certificate or credential under any act repealed by this code, are thereby entitled to a certificate or credential under the provisions of this code so far as the provisions of this code are applicable.

(a) English shall be the basic language of instruction in all schools. (b) The governing board of a school district, or community college district, and any private school may determine when and under what circumstances instruction may be given bilingually. (c) It is the policy of the state to ensure the mastery of Engl…

(a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, bilingual education shall be defined as a system of instruction which builds upon the language skills of a pupil whose primary language is neither English nor derived from English. For purposes of this paragraph: (1) “Primary language” is a language, other than English or…

The public schools other than those supported exclusively by the state, are day and evening elementary, and day and evening secondary schools.

The secondary schools of the state are designated as high schools, technical schools, and adult schools.

The high schools of the state are designated as four-year high schools, junior high schools, senior high schools, continuation high schools, and evening high schools. Evening high schools may be designated as adult schools.

Notwithstanding Section 1020 of the Government Code, any pupil attending a California public secondary school who is under the age of 18 years may serve on any board or commission established pursuant to this title or Title 2 (commencing with Section 33000) that includes members who are pupils or minors.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction, Deputy and Assistant Superintendents of Public Instruction, secretary of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, members of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, county superintendents of schools, sch…

Writing includes any form of recorded message capable of comprehension by ordinary visual means. Whenever any notice, report, statement, or record is required or authorized by this code, it shall be made in writing in the English language unless it is expressly provided otherwise. Wherever any notice or other communica…

“Section” means a section of this code unless some other statute is specifically mentioned.

The present tense includes the past and future tenses, and the future, the present.