School Policies & Public Notices

ASSC Board Policy #3120

ASSC Board Policy #1740

Elizabeth Orona has been designated as the Public Records Act Coordinator for Altus Schools.  You may contact her at any time by calling 858-678-2020 or by email at eorona@altusschools.net.

ASSC Board Policy #3192

Discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying are all disruptive behaviors, which interfere with students’ ability to learn, negatively affect student engagement, diminish school safety, and contribute to a hostile school environment. As such, Altus Schools prohibits any acts of discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying altogether. 

ASSC Board Policy #3177

Additional resources and support are available on the Student & Family Resources page and on the Mental Health & Wellness Hub. 

Notice of Student Non-Discrimination

Altus Schools is committed to equal opportunity for all individuals in education. Altus Schools shall promote programs which ensure that discriminatory practices are eliminated in all school activities and will take steps to assure that the lack of English will not be a barrier to admission and participation in school programs.

No student may discriminate, injure, intimidate, interfere with, oppress, or threaten any student or anyone from the School because of race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical and mental disability, gender or sexual orientation. Any student who engages in such activities may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion and the police may be contacted to take further action.

Any employee who permits or engages in discrimination may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.

Any student or parent who feels that discrimination has occurred should immediately contact a teacher or the Administrator of Instructional Services at (858) 678-2020 for resolution. If not resolved, contact: the Chief of Staff & Compliance Officer, 10170 Huennekens Street, San Diego, CA 92121; (858) 678-2020.

Student Sexual Harassment Policy

Altus Schools is committed to making the schools free from sexual harassment.  This means that Altus Schools prohibits harassment made by someone from or in the educational setting.  Sexual harassment can be such actions as: unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, verbal, visual, or physical conduct of a sexual nature made by someone from or in the educational setting.

Altus Schools prohibits conduct that has the purpose or effect of having a negative impact on the student’s academic performance, or of creating an intimidating, hostile, or offensive educational environment.

Altus Schools further prohibits sexual harassment in which a student’s grades, benefits, services, honors, program or activities are dependent on submission to such conduct.

Students should report any sexual harassment to their teacher or school principal.  Students who violate this policy shall be disciplined appropriately.  This includes suspension or possible expulsion.  Employees who violate this policy shall disciplined according to personnel procedures.

Altus Schools believes that it can resolve harassment issues at the school site. if not, please contact your Learning Lead or Administrator of Instructional Services at (858) 678-2020 for resolution. 

To File a Discrimination or Sexual Harassment Complaint

1. Filing a complaint: Obtain a copy of the Uniform Complaint form and procedure from the school.  Remedies available outside of Altus Schools l are listed in this procedure.
2. Investigation: Altus Schools will immediately undertake an effective, thorough, and objective investigation of the harassment allegations and provide a written report within 60 days of when the complaint is filed.
3. Action: If Altus Schools determines that its policies prohibiting sexual harassment have been violated, disciplinary action, up to and including expulsion, will be taken.

The person filing the complaint may also pursue action in civil court.

Complaints will be kept confidential.

Altus Schools prohibits retaliation against any participant in the complaint process.  Each complaint shall be investigated promptly and in a way that respects the privacy of all parties concerned.

If you have an unresolved discrimination or sexual harassment complaint, contact:

504 Coordinator

Administrator of Special Education

10170 Huennekens Street, San Diego, CA 92121

619-393-2270

Title II, Title IX

Chief of Staff & Compliance Officer

10170 Huennekens Street, San Diego, CA 92121

858-678-4811

Title 5 Coordinator

Chief Business Officer & CFO

10170 Huennekens Street, San Diego, CA 92121

858-678-2048

Civil Rights Coordinator

Chief Business Officer & CFO

10170 Huennekens Street, San Diego, CA 92121

858-678-2048

ASSC Board Policy #3180

ASSC Board Policy #1710

 

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 protects individuals from discrimination based on sex in any educational program or activity operated by recipients of federal financial assistance.

Altus Schools is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination based on sex and provides a number of resources and services to assist students, faculty, and staff in addressing issues involving sex discrimination.

Elizabeth Orona has been designated as the Title IX Coordinator for Altus Schools.  You may contact her at any time by calling (858) 678-4811 or email at eorona@altusschools.net.

 

Charter schools are not allowed to discourage a pupil from enrolling or seeking to enroll in the charter school because the pupil exhibits any characteristics such as students with disabilities, academically low-achieving, English learners, neglected or delinquent, homeless, socially economically disadvantaged, foster youth, or based on nationality, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation. Charter schools are not allowed to request a pupil's records before enrollment or encourage a child who is enrolled in a charter school to disenroll or transfer to another school. A parent, guardian, or pupil (18 years or older) may file a Charter School Complaint Form to the authorizing entity if they suspect the charter school is in violation of California Education Code Section 47605(e)(4)(A) through (E).

Education Protection Account (EPA)
“The Education Protection Account (EPA) provides local educational agencies (LEAs) with general-purpose state aid funding pursuant to Proposition 30, The Schools and Local Public Safety Protection Act of 2012, approved by the voters on November 6, 2012. The EPA funding is a component of an LEA’s total revenue limit or charter school general purpose entitlement.” (Retrieved from the California Department of Education website.)

Beginning the 2015–2016 school year, California public schools were required under AB 2706 to provide information to families about their health coverage opportunities and enrollment assistance. By providing families an opportunity to access health coverage information from schools, this legislation aims to reduce the number of eligible but uninsured children. Our goal is to support and increase the number of students and families who enroll in health coverage. Please contact your student’s Resource Center Teacher and/or Nurse for questions about starting the health care coverage application process.

For more information, visit www.allinforhealth.org

Family resources are updated on the For Families resource page. Visit: www.allinforhealth.org/for-families

Immigration status information is kept private, protected, and secure.  It will not be used by any immigration agency to enforce immigration laws, but only to determine eligibility for health programs.

*Reference: All In: Health Care for All Families/A Project of The Children’s Partnership

ALL IN FOR HEALTH Informational Flyer 

Important information regarding confidential student data

There is ongoing litigation between the California Department of Education and the Concerned Parent Association. A notice issued by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson states, “The lawsuit accuses CDE of widespread, systemic non-compliance by local educational agencies with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Section 504. The CDE denies these allegations and is actively defending the litigation.”

The court has ordered CDE to release student and parent information to provide personally identifiable information (PII) – an act that can only be taken as an exception to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). As a result, we are providing notice of the court order and directions to anyone wishing to object.

Please be advised that CDE will notify parents or students of whom are required to disclose information and those individuals may object directly to the court regarding this disclosure using the PDF links below:

Objection to Disclosure of Student Information and Records (PDF)

You are guaranteed enrollment in school by the federal McKinney-Vento Act and California state law, even if you have uncertain housing, a temporary address, or no permanent physical address.

Notice of Rights for Families Experiencing Homelessness

Notice of Rights for Families Experiencing Homelessness – Spanish

Ana Maria Rojas, Equity and Inclusion Administrator, is the designated Liaison for Homeless Students for Altus Schools. You may contact her by phone at 858-678-4818 or by email at arojas@altusschools.net.

Dangers of Synthetic Drugs 

The illicit use and abuse of synthetic drugs represents an emerging and ongoing public health threat in California. The fentanyl crisis specifically has impacted communities across the state, leading to a sharp increase in fentanyl poisonings and deaths in recent years. 

This notice aims to address the crisis with a preventative approach ensuring students and families are educated on the deadly consequences of recreational drug use. 

A synthetic drug is a drug with properties and effects similar to a known hallucinogen or narcotic but having a slightly altered chemical structure, especially such a drug created in order to evade existing restrictions against illegal substances. 

Synthetic drugs include but are not limited to synthetic cannabinoids (“synthetic marijuana,” “Spice,” “K2”), methamphetamines, bath salts, and fentanyl.   

The California Department of Public Health (“CDPH”) has expounded on the extreme danger of drugs laced with fentanyl. Illicit fentanyl can be added to other drugs to make them cheaper, more powerful, and more addictive. Illicit fentanyl has been found in many drugs, including heroin, methamphetamine, counterfeit pills, and cocaine. Fentanyl mixed with any drug increases the likelihood of a fatal overdose. Furthermore, it is nearly impossible to tell if drugs have been laced with fentanyl without additional testing, because fentanyl cannot be seen, smelled, or tasted when used as a lacing agent.  

Additional information regarding fentanyl from the CDPH’s Substance and Addiction Prevention Branch can be found here.

 

As an independent study program, Altus Schools Coachella Valley enrolls students throughout the year.  The school works to accommodate all students who wish to enroll.  In the instance that more students wish to enroll than availability allows, the school will use a public random drawing.

Applications will be accepted during a publicly advertised open application period each year for enrollment in the following school year. Following the open enrollment period each year, applications will be counted to determine whether any grade level has received more applications than availability. In the event that this happens, Altus Schools Coachella Valley shall hold a public random drawing to determine enrollment for the impacted grade level, with the exception of existing students, who are guaranteed enrollment in the following school year.

Admission preferences in the case of a public random drawing shall be as follows:

1. Students currently attending Altus Schools Coachella Valley
2. Residents of the Moreno Valley Unified School District
3. Siblings of existing students of Altus Schools Coachella Valley
4. All other students

At the conclusion of the public random drawing, all students who were not granted admission due to capacity shall be given the option to put their name on a waiting list according to their draw in the lottery. This waiting list shall allow students the option of enrollment if an opening occurs during the current school year at their grade level. In no circumstance shall a waiting list carry over to the following school year.  Public random drawing rules, deadlines, dates, and times shall be communicated in the application form and on the Altus Schools Coachella Valley website.

Restraint and Seclusion Data reported to the CDE can be found here.

2025-26 School Safety Plan