(a) (1) A person 16 years of age or older, or who has been enrolled in grade 10 for one school year or longer, or who will complete one school year of enrollment in grade 10 at the end of the semester during which the next regular examination will be conducted, may have their proficiency in basic skills taught in public high schools verified according to criteria established by the department. (2) The state board shall award a âcertificate of proficiencyâ to persons who demonstrate that proficiency. The certificate of proficiency shall be equivalent to a high school diploma, and the department shall keep a permanent record of the issuance of all certificates. (b) (1) (A) The department shall develop standards of competency in basic skills taught in public high schools and shall provide for the administration of examinations prepared by or with the approval of the department to verify competency. Regular examinations shall be held at least once in the fall semester and at least once in the spring semester of every school year on dates, as determined by the department, that will enable notification of examinees and the schools they attend, if any, of the results of the examinations not later than two weeks before the date on which that semester ends in a majority of school districts that maintain high schools. (B) For the 2020â21 school year, regular examinations shall be offered only if they can be administered in accordance with state and local public health orders, as determined by the Superintendent. (2) In addition to regular examinations, the department may, at the discretion of the Superintendent, conduct examinations for all eligible persons at least once during each summer recess and may conduct examinations at any other time that the Superintendent deems necessary to accommodate eligible persons whose religious convictions or physical handicaps prevent their attending one of the regular examinations. (c) (1) The department may charge a fee for each examination application in an amount sufficient to recover the costs of administering the requirements of this section. However, the fee shall not exceed an amount equal to the cost of test renewal and administration per examination application. Pursuant to Section 16370 of the Government Code, there is hereby authorized in the State Treasury a Special Deposit Fund Account, which shall consist of fees that may be prescribed by this section. All of the fees collected are hereby appropriated, without regard to fiscal years, for the support of the department to be used pursuant to this section. (2) The department shall not charge the fee to an examinee who meets all of the following criteria: (A) The examinee qualifies as a homeless child or youth, as defined in paragraph (2) of Section 725 of the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (42 U.S.C. Sec. 11434a(2)), or as a foster youth, as defined in subdivision (h). (B) The examinee has not attained 25 years of age as of the date of the scheduled examination. (C) For an examinee who qualifies as a homeless child or youth pursuant to subparagraph (A), the examinee can verify the examineeâs status as a homeless child or youth. A homeless services provider that has knowledge of the examineeâs housing status may verify the examineeâs status for purposes of this subparagraph. (3) For purposes of this subdivision, a âhomeless services providerâ includes either of the following: (A) A homeless services provider listed in paragraph (3) of subdivision (e) of Section 103577 of the Health and Safety Code. (B) Any other person or entity that is qualified to verify an individualâs housing status, as determined by the department. (4) The loss of fees pursuant to paragraph (2), if any, shall be deemed to be a cost of administering this section for purposes of paragraph (1). (d) (1) The state board shall adopt rules and regulations as necessary for implementation of this section. (2) Notwithstanding paragraph (1), the
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