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Heritage Schools Can Now Register with State
Arcadia Weekly Jan 12, 2012
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State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson has announced that the 2012 Heritage School Registration System is open. Heritage schools-which give students a chance to focus on the language, culture, and traditions of a foreign country-must register online annually with the California Department of Education (CDE) by the end of January.
“Heritage schools continue to play an important role in helping students learn about and connect with their family’s culture, values, and traditions,” Torlakson said. “I’m pleased that the Department of Education supports these institutions by offering an easy-to-use online registration system.”
Annual registration exempts heritage schools from licensure by the State Department of Social Services as a child daycare center. While the registration process does not constitute an evaluation or approval process, it does mean that schools that register agree to follow health, safety, operational, and parent notification requirements.
The annual heritage school registration process is required under California Education Code Section 33195, which became law in January 2010. The statute defines heritage schools as out-of-school-time programs that serve public and private school children between the ages of four years, nine months and 18 years by providing activities focused on the language, culture, and traditions of a foreign country.
Annual heritage school registration carries a fee to cover the implementation costs incurred by the CDE, consistent with the statute. The 2012 registration fee for each heritage school is $250, and is based on the costs associated with receiving, processing, and posting the registration forms, along with the necessary technical assistance offered.
For additional information on heritage schools and the registration process, please visit http://www.cde.ca.gov/ls/pf/he/.
