Pacific Coast High School
AB 104 Grade Change Notice for the 2020-21 Academic Year
Dear PCHS Parents,
On July 1, 2021, Governor Newsom signed Assembly Bill 104 (Gonzalez, “AB 104”), which is an urgency bill that takes effect immediately and adds Education Code sections 48071, 49066.5, and 51225. This legislation is intended to lessen some of the impact COVID-19 had during the 2020-21 school year by temporarily modifying practices regarding retention, grading, and exemptions from local graduation requirements for eligible students during the 2020-21 and 2021-22 school years. AB 104 applies to school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools (“local educational agency” or “LEA”).
Existing law under Education Code section 49066 requires that when grades are given for any course of instruction taught in a school district, the grade given to each pupil must be determined by the teacher of the course and the determination of the pupil’s grade by the teacher, in the absence of clerical or mechanical mistake, fraud, bad faith, or incompetency, is final. Moreover, the governing board of the school district and the superintendent of the such district are prohibited from ordering a pupil’s grade to be changed unless the teacher who determined the grade is, to the extent practicable, given an opportunity to provide the reasons for such a grade and included in all discussions related to a grade change.
In a departure from existing law, newly enacted Education Code section 49066.5 requires a local educational agency to grant applications requesting a letter grade earned during the 2020- 21 school year by a high school student changed to a “pass” or “no pass” grade. For example, a letter grade in which a student earned course credit would be considered a “pass” grade and a letter grade in which a student did not earn course credit would be considered a “no pass” grade. Applications may be submitted by a parent, guardian, or educational rights holder of a pupil, or, for a pupil 18 years of age or older, the pupil.
The list of postsecondary institutions that have indicated they will comply with the encouraged policy to accept a transcript with a P/NP grade is as follows (https://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/gs/ps/ab104surveyresults.asp):
California State University, Bakersfield California State University Channel Islands California State University, Chico
California State University, Dominguez Hills California State University, East Bay California State University, Fresno California State University, Fullerton Humboldt State University
California State University, Long BeachCalifornia State University, Los AngelesCalifornia State University Maritime AcademyCalifornia State University, Monterey BayCalifornia State University, Northridge
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State University, Sacramento California State University, San Bernardino San Diego State University
San Francisco State University San José State University
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo California State University San Marcos
Sonoma State University
California State University, Stanislaus Saint Mary’s College of California Holy Names University
Pitzer College University of La Verne Westmont College Santa Clara University
University of Saint Katherine University of Southern California ArtCenter College of Design California Baptist University University of San Francisco
La Sierra University University of California
Mount Saint Mary’s University
Please note, some postsecondary institutions, including in other states, may not accept a P/NP grade for admission purposes.
Parents wishing to change a grade from a letter grade to a P/NP grade shall complete the attached form to request a grade change for the 2020-21 school year. Please fill in all fields, sign the form, and submit to Principal Machele Kilgore at mkilgore@ocde.us, or mail to Pacific Coast High School, 14262 Franklin Ave #100, Tustin CA. 92780. If you have any questions, please call 714-245-6504.
Have a great day,
Machele Kilgore, Principal
Pacific Coast High School