ARTICLE 28. Adjustment Schools [960. - 987.]

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC 28.
in effect

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 960. Section 960.

This article shall be construed in conformity with the intent as well as the expressed provisions thereof, and the governing board of any adjustment school may do all those lawful acts that it deems necessary to promote the prosperity of the adjustment school, or to promote the well-being and education of all minors entrusted to its charge.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 961. Section 961.

The terms and provisions of Article 25 (commencing with Section 900) of Chapter 2 of Part 1 of Division 2 and Section 579 shall, so far as applicable, govern and control proceedings under this article.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 962. Section 962.

The boards of supervisors or other governing bodies of counties and cities and counties may organize, establish, equip, and maintain, including the purchase of suitable sites and the construction of suitable buildings, adjustment schools in each county or city and county for the purpose of furnishing to minors under the age of 18 years pursuant to this article, care, custody, education, training, and adjustment to good citizenship, which shall be continuous and uninterrupted during the period the minors remain in school.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 963. Section 963.

The boards of supervisors of two or more counties may by regularly adopted resolutions or ordinances duly entered on the minutes or proceedings of their respective boards, unite in the organization, establishment, equipment, and maintenance of adjustment schools for the respective counties. In that event, the schools shall be located in one or more of the counties as shall be mutually agreed upon and designated in the resolutions or ordinances.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 964. Section 964.

If adjustment schools are organized by only one county or city and county, the government and management shall be vested in a governing board which shall be either the board of education, or similar school governing body, or the county probation committee of the juvenile court, or a board of trustees composed of seven members selected from both the board of education and the probation committee, as may be determined or chosen in the exercise of sound discretion by the board of supervisors or other governing body of the county or city and county.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 965. Section 965.

If the adjustment schools are organized by the joint action of two or more counties, the boards of supervisors of the counties may by concerted action by duly adopted resolutions entrust the government and management to a governing board, which shall be any of the following: (a) The board of education of the county in which at least one adjustment school is located. (b) The probation committee of the juvenile court of the county in which at least one adjustment school is located. (c) A board of trustees composed of seven members who shall represent all of the counties and each of whom may be selected from either the county board of education or the probation committee of the juvenile court of his or her respective county as shall be determined in the joint resolutions of the boards of supervisors.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 966. Section 966.

If a board of trustees is chosen to govern and manage the adjustment school the term of office of the trustees shall be six years, except that of the seven trustees first selected, two shall hold office for two years, two shall hold office for four years, and three shall hold office for six years. Each of the two-, four-, and six-year terms shall be assigned by lot to each of the seven trustees.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 967. Section 967.

The governing board shall make all needful rules and regulations for the transaction of business and for the management and government of the adjustment school under its jurisdiction, and it shall see that proper care, custody, education, and training are provided for the minors under its care, to the end that the minors shall be adjusted to good citizenship and prepared to become honorable, self-supporting members of society.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 968. Section 968.

The governing board shall make all contracts for the organization, establishment, including the purchase of a suitable site and the construction of suitable buildings, equipment, operation, and maintenance of the adjustment school that may be necessary or advisable. In no event shall the amount of money appropriated for any such purpose or other limitation prescribed by law or by order of the governing board, be exceeded or violated.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 969. Section 969.

No member of the governing board, nor officer, nor employee of any adjustment school shall be interested, personally, directly, or indirectly, in any contract, purchase, or sale made, or in any business carried on in behalf of the school. Any money paid on the contracts or sales may be recovered by a civil suit, and the governing board upon the proof of such interest shall remove from office immediately the member, officer, or employee.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 970. Section 970.

The governing board of the adjustment school shall appoint a superintendent, not of its own number, who shall be a person qualified by training and experience for the character of work to be performed at the adjustment school, and who shall hold office at the pleasure of the governing board.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 971. Section 971.

The governing board shall determine the number, title, duties, and terms of office of all other officers and employees and shall fix their salaries, and that of the superintendent.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 972. Section 972.

The superintendent of the adjustment school shall, before entering upon the discharge of his or her duties, make and file with the governing board an oath that he or she will faithfully and impartially discharge his or her duties. The superintendent shall also file with the governing board a bond, running to the State of California in a sum the board may determine, and with sureties to be approved by the board, conditioned upon the faithful performance of his or her duties. The premium of the bond shall be a part of the cost of maintaining the adjustment school.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 973. Section 973.

The superintendent, after making and filing the bond, shall, subject to the direction of the governing board, be invested with the custody of the lands, buildings, and all other property pertaining to or under the control of the adjustment school. The superintendent shall account to the governing board in the manner it may require for all property entrusted to the superintendent and for all money received by him or her as superintendent of the adjustment school, or for any of the minors entrusted to its care.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 974. Section 974.

The superintendent shall also, subject to the direction of the governing board, appoint all officers and employees of the adjustment school, who shall hold office at the pleasure of the superintendent. The superintendent shall exercise the supervisory, executive, and managing powers that are conferred upon him or her by the governing board.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 975. Section 975.

The superintendent shall reside in the adjustment school or one of the adjustment schools under his or her jurisdiction and shall be furnished suitable quarters, furniture, food supplies, and laundry for himself or herself and his or her family. The governing board may make similar provision for other officers and employees that the interests of the adjustment school may in its judgment require to reside on the premises.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 976. Section 976.

The adjustment school shall receive into its care, custody, and control all boys and girls under 18 years of age who are committed to it by order of the juvenile court of the county or city and county maintaining or contributing to the maintenance of the adjustment school.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 977. Section 977.

Any minor who has been committed to the care, custody, and control of any adjustment school shall remain in the school for the duration of the period provided in the order of commitment, or until further order of the juvenile court.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 979. Section 979.

If at any time in the opinion of the superintendent of the adjustment school the further detention of the minor is detrimental to the interests of the school, the minor may immediately, upon order of the superintendent, be returned to the committing court, and the court may revoke its previous order, and proceedings may be resumed where they were suspended when the commitment was made.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 982. Section 982.

There shall be provided in the adjustment school the proper facilities and equipment for vocational and trade training, in addition to other public school education or training that may be determined upon by the governing board. Vocational or trade training education shall be given to each minor while under the care of the adjustment school, to the end that he or she may upon discharge be qualified for honorable and self-supporting employment.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 983. Section 983.

Any order of the juvenile court committing a minor to the care, custody, and control of an adjustment school may provide the expense of his or her support and maintenance by directing that the expense be paid in whole or in part by his or her parent, guardian, or other person liable for his or her support and maintenance.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 984. Section 984.

If the adjustment school is organized, established, equipped, and maintained by only one county or city and county, the entire expense of the school shall be borne by the county or city and county, and the board of supervisors, or other governing body of the county or city and county shall make due and annual provision therefor. The necessary items of expense shall be set forth in the annual budget of the county or city and county.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 985. Section 985.

If an adjustment school is organized, established, equipped, and maintained by two or more counties, the initial expense of organizing, establishing, and equipping the school shall be apportioned between each of the counties on a pro rata basis in the ratio that the number of children of school age residing in each county bears to the number of children of school age residing in all of the counties.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 986. Section 986.

The annual expense of maintaining the school by two or more counties, shall be apportioned between the counties on a pro rata basis in the ratio that the average daily enrollment of minors placed in the school from each county during the preceding year bears to the total average daily enrollment in the school from all of the counties during the year.

Cal. Welfare and Institutions Code - WIC § 987. Section 987.

The governing board shall require any officer entrusted with money belonging to an adjustment school or to any of the minors entrusted to its care, or any officer placed in a position of trust and responsibility in the custody of property or in the handling of supplies belonging to the school, to file with the board a bond with sureties approved by the board and in a sum that it may determine, conditioned upon the faithful performance of the duties required, and upon the faithful accounting of all money and property coming into his or her hands or under his or her control by virtue of his or her office. The premiums on the bonds shall be a part of the cost of maintaining the adjustment school.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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