Alternative Education

Parent Resources

Community School is a year-round public school program operated by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office. Since 1987, Community School has worked closely with other school districts, the probation department, and the courts of Kern County. The program takes an individual approach to helping students by encouraging their academic, personal, and social growth. The program serves students in grades K-12 who are referred by their district of residence or another agency. Students may enroll into Community School and at certain times may transfer back to the district during the school year. For example, students referred after expulsion have the right to apply for reenrollment in their district of residence at the end of the expulsion term (or immediately if their expulsion is overturned by the County Board of Education on appeal). Students who voluntarily enroll may return to their district of residence at any time. SARB-referred students have the right to return their prior district of residence at the end of the semester following the semester when the acts leading to referral occurred. For more information about our Community School, click here

Juvenile Court School is operated by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools Office on a year-round, open-entry/open-exit basis and has been providing education to incarcerated youth since 1972. Court School is designed to offer a quality educational program to students who otherwise would not receive an education. All Kern County Juvenile Court School students are either wards or dependents of the court. The residential programs include Central School, Erwin Owen High School, Redwood High School, and Jamison Center School. Bridges Academy is operated as a nonresidential Court School program. For more information about our Court School, click here

Transportation to and from school is the responsibility of the student/parent, except when transportation provided by the school district of residence is required by law (for example, when it is determined transportation is necessary for a student with disabilities to access his/her education; homeless students choosing to attend their school of origin). Information regarding transportation options can be found here and here.

Kern County Superintendent of Schools / Superintendente de Escuelas del Condado de Kern

LEA Parental Involvement Policy

Community School/Escuela Comunitarias

Parent and Family Engagement Policy
Politica sobre Participacion Parental y Familiar

School-Parent Compact
Contrato Escolar-Parental.

Court School/Escuela Correctionales

Parent and Family Engagement Policy
Politica sobre Participacion Parental y Familiar

School-Parent Compact
Contracto Escolar-Parental

Parent Guides to the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments

Grades 3, 4 and 5
Grades 6, 7 and 8
Grades 11

Grades 3, 4 and 5 Spanish translation
Grades 6, 7 and 8 Spanish translation
Grades 11 Spanish translation

CAASPP Score Report Support for Parents

Understanding the CAASPP Student Score Report 2015-16 – Video

Understanding the CAASPP Student Score Report 2015-16

CAASPP Student Score Report Information:

Aeries Parent / Student Portal

Additional Documents

a. Student/Parent Handbook – Court, Community
b. Community School Referral/Recommendation Form – English, Spanish
c. Individualized Review and Certification for Community School Enrollment Form – English, Spanish
d. Method of Instruction Form – English, Spanish
e. School Accountability Report Cards
f. Orientation Videos for each Community School site (NOT AVAILABLE YET)
g. Photo/Video Release – English, Spanish
h. Consent and Authorization to Release and Exchange Information – English, Spanish
i. Alternative Education Dress Code – English, Spanish
j. Emergency Data Card
k. Online Study Description and Course Offerings List
l. Countywide Plan for Expelled Youth 2018-2021
m. Countywide Plan for Expelled Youth 2015-2018