LAUSD Bulletin No. M-95: Pupils in the Entertainment and Allied Industries

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
Deputy Superintendent, Instruction and Curriculum

DISTRIBUTION: All Schools and Offices

ROUTING: Asst. Superintendents, Division of Instruction, Cluster Administrators, Principals, School Adm. Assts.

SUBJECT: BULLETIN NO. M-95 PUPILS IN THE ENTERTAINMENT AND ALLIED INDUSTRIES

DATE: August 30, 1999

DIVISION: Instruction

APPROVED: CARMEN N. SCHROEDER, Associate Superintendent

For further information, please call Ella Franklin, Coordinator, Work Experience, at (213) 743-3615.

This bulletin replaces Office of the Associate Superintendent, School Operations Bulletin No. N-9 (Rev.) of the same subject issued March 16, 1987. The content has been revised to reflect new regulations concerning pupils in the entertainment or allied industries as specified in Education Code Section 48225.5, which was recently added as a result of the passage of AB 776.

I. BACKGROUND
Existing law has traditionally provided that pupils who hold a valid work permit can work temporarily in the entertainment or allied industries.

II. EDUCATION CODE SECTION 48225.5 REGULATIONS
Section 48225.5 further delineates the rules and regulations concerning pupil involvement in the entertainment or allied industries. Section 48225.5 requires pupils who hold work permits to:

  • Work for a period of not more than five consecutive days in the entertainment or allied industries for a maximum of up to five absences per school year.
  • Be excused from school in order to participate with a not-for-profit performing arts organization in a performance for a public school pupil audience provided the pupils parent or guardian provides a written note to the school authorities explaining the reason for the pupils absence.
  • Be permitted to enroll in a work experience program of the school district and receive appropriate academic credit for that work experience. Section 4822.5 requires a school district to:
    • Permit those pupils to complete all assignments and tests missed during the absence that can be reasonably provided and, upon satisfactory completion, to give such pupils full credit. The tests and assignments shall be reasonably equivalent to, but not necessarily identical to, the tests and assignments that the pupil missed during the absence.

Section 4822.5 also requires that a pupil who is excused from school while working in the entertainment or allied industry:

  • Receive instruction during the period of the absence from a studio teacher certified by the Labor Commissioner between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. for pupils in kindergarten and Grades 1 to 6, inclusive; and between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. for pupils in Grades 7 to 12, inclusive.
    The school district shall accept the work done by the pupil and the grades given to the pupil on that work and shall provide the pupil with credit for the instruction the pupil received from that teacher.

III. WORK PERMITS FOR MOTION PICTURES AND TELEVISION
Permits to work in the entertainment industry are issued only by the State Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE). Minors are not permitted to be excused from school to secure entertainment permits. In order to obtain such a permit, an application for permission to work in the entertainment industry, DLSE Form 277, may be secured from a casting agency, motion picture studio, or a Division of Labor Standards Enforcement Office. After DLSE Form 277 is completed and signed, the parent should deliver the entertainment permit application directly to the Office of the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement office nearest them.

IV. WORK PERMITS FOR STAGE, MODELING, PHOTOGRAPHY, RECORDING, MUSICIANS, ETC.
Pupils shall be permitted to work in the above categories provided they have a valid theatrical work permit. In order to secure this permit, the parent or guardian may apply directly to the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement office nearest them.

V. SCHOOL ATTENDANCE RECORDS
When a pupil leaves his/her regular school for short-term work periods of up to five days in the entertainment industry, the school administrator should request the pupils teacher (s) to give the pupil his/her study assignments, which will cover the expected period of absence from school. In cases of long-term studio productions in excess of five days, the school should enroll pupils in independent study. Students should be allowed to take the necessary textbooks, workbooks, etc. to the studio.

VI. INDEPENDENT STUDY REQUIREMENTS FOR CREDIT AND ATTENDANCE PURPOSES

  1. Course Credits
    Independent study provides an alternative to classroom instruction for those students with special needs and interest. Students may participate in independent study on or off campus. Authorization for independent study is found in State Law, Education Code Sections 51745-46, Administrative Code, Title V, Sections 11700-11703, Board Rule 2600 and Administrative Regulation 2600-5. For course credit guidelines and the required agreement form, refer to Bulletin No. 45, Independent Study Guidelines dated May 15, 1997 from the Office of the Deputy Superintendent (Office of Instruction).
  2. School Attendance Records
    Schools shall report attendance on the monthly statistical report for students taking independent study and working in the above stated categories. In addition to the independent study guidelines, the steps listed below must be followed:
  • Each time a student leaves the regular school for work, the teacher must LI the student out of the register/roster to independent study.
  • The certificated person responsible for the independent study program must El the student into a separate independent study register/roster.
  • Student work should be evaluated prior to classification dates, but delayed attendance credit for ADA purposes is permissible.
  • On return to regular school, students shall present to the person responsible for independent study all work completed.
  • The student is then LI out of the separate independent study register/roster and El back into the regular class register/roster.

VII. PUPIL RETURN TO SCHOOL
On return to school, students shall present a teacher’s report form signed by the studio teacher, indicating the dates of employment and the subjects taught during the period of employment. This signed report is the only acceptable or necessary excuse for absence.