CA AB317

Pupil absences related to H1N1 (2009) influenza virus in any public elementary or secondary school shall be deemed an epidemic for fiscal years 2009-10 and 2010-11, affecting state apportionment calculations.

Decreases in average daily attendance resulting from H1N1-related absences are automatically considered material for purposes of state funding.

H1N1-related absences include: pupils who tested positive for the virus, and pupils without a positive test whose absence reason is consistent with H1N1 symptoms.

The Superintendent of Public Instruction must estimate what average daily attendance would have been without the epidemic and credit that amount to affected schools and districts.

The bill takes effect immediately as an urgency statute requiring a two-thirds vote to address fiscal hardship to schools experiencing widespread absenteeism due to the H1N1 pandemic.