(a) The Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation may establish and maintain classes for inmates by utilizing personnel of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or by entering into an agreement with the governing board of a school district or private school or the governing boards of school districts under which the district shall maintain classes for such inmates. The governing board of a school district or private school may enter into such an agreement regardless of whether the institution or facility at which the classes are to be established and maintained is within or without the boundaries of the school district.

(b) Any agreement entered into between the Secretary of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and a school district or private school pursuant to this section may require the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to reimburse the school district or private school for the cost to the district or private school of maintaining such classes. “Cost” as used in this section includes contributions required of any school district to the State Teachers’ Retirement System, but such cost shall not include an amount in excess of the amount expended by the district for salaries of the teachers for such classes, increased by one-fifth. Salaries of such teachers for the purposes of this section shall not exceed the salaries as set by the governing board for teachers in other classes for adults maintained by the district, or private schools.

(c) Attendance or average daily attendance in classes established pursuant to this section or in classes in trade and industrial education or vocational training for adult inmates of institutions or facilities under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation shall not be reported to the State Department of Education for apportionment and no apportionment from the State School Fund shall be made on account of average daily attendance in such classes.

(d) No school district or private school shall provide for the academic education of adult inmates of state institutions or facilities under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation except in accordance with this section.

(Amended by Stats. 2015, Ch. 798, Sec. 2. (SB 343) Effective January 1, 2016.)