AB 104 Information
Dear GMCS families,
On Thursday, July 1, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 104 into law, and we’d like to provide you with important information on how this legislation may relate to your student. The bill contained three major provisions: retention, grading, and graduation policies. Below you will find information about each provision:
Retention:
In preparation for the 2021-22 school year, students will be eligible for a retention consultation if they received deficient grades for at least one-half of their coursework in 2020-21 and their parents are interested in holding them back a grade level. Deficient grades include grades of D, F, or No Pass. This temporary retention policy is in addition to our GMCS existing retention policy. Students who were in 12th grade in 2020-21 are not eligible. Parents/guardians of eligible students must request the retention consultation via this Grade Retention Form. Once submitted, parents will be notified and a consultation meeting will be held within 30 calendar days of submitting your request.
Retention Frequently Asked Questions
- Who can apply for the AB 104 retention?
Students in grades K-11 that are eligible pupils. An “eligible pupil” is defined as a student who received deficient grades for at least one-half of the student’s coursework in the 2020-2021 academic year.
- How soon will the meeting be held after I submit my AB 104 Retention Consultation request?
The consultation meeting will be held within 30 calendar days after receiving the request for an “eligible pupil.”
- If a student has been previously retained, does the AB 104 Retention apply?
If your student is an “eligible pupil,” you may request the AB 104 Retention Consultation.
- How soon will I be notified of the final determination of the student’s retention?
You will be notified within 10 calendar days of the consultation of the final determination.
- If I am an elementary school or middle school student, can this affect my future high school sports eligibility?
Retention can affect future athletic eligibility. California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) has rules around the age of students and eligibility. Please refer to CIF Bylaws 203 and 204 to read about the current age eligibility rules for high school sports.
Grading:
AB 104 permits parents of students who were in high school in 2020-21 (or the student, if they have turned 18) to request letter grades for last year be changed to Pass/No Pass on transcripts. Part of that legislation allows for high school families to request for any grade in the 2020-21 school year to be converted from a letter grade to a “Pass/No Pass” grade. The deadline for this request is September 6th.
The new law requires CSU, and encourages UC and private postsecondary institutions, to accept those grade designations without prejudice. The list of California Colleges that will accept Pass/No Pass grades in lieu of letter grades can be found HERE. Some postsecondary educational institutions, including those in other states, may not accept a Pass or No Pass grade instead of a letter grade for admission purposes. If the pupil in question has applied for, or is intending to apply for admission to a postsecondary educational institution that does not appear on the list noted above, a consultation with the Admissions office of that institution is highly recommended prior to making any grade changes.
The process for grade changes will be as follows:
- Complete the Grade Change Request Form.
- Our GMCS counselor, Lexi Younger will reach out to families to go over the requests.
- Parents/Guardian will receive notification once the process has been completed.
If your student is no longer attending Granite Mountain Charter School, either because they graduated or have transferred to another school, please email Lexi Younger at alexia.younger@
Graduation Policies:
AB 104 exempts 2020-21 juniors and seniors from high school graduation requirements beyond California minimum requirements. If students are not on track to graduate in four years, AB 104 requires charter schools to provide opportunities for juniors and seniors to meet statewide graduation requirements through, among other avenues, a fifth year of high school. Please complete this Alternate Graduation Form if you are interested in an alternate graduation path for your student.