Distance learning: pupil access: computing devices and broadband internet service.

(1) Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state, and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law establishes procedures for the apportionment of state funds to these local educational agencies. Existing law, for purposes of calculating apportionments for the 2020–21 fiscal year, requires a local educational agency to offer in-person instruction and authorizes these agencies to offer distance learning, as specified. This bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to, on or before April 1, 2022, and annually thereafter, survey each school district, county office of education, and charter school and report to the Legislature on the number of pupils without computing devices that meet the minimum performance standard for distance learning, as established by the Superintendent, and on the number of pupils from households without residential broadband service. To the extent responding to the survey would impose additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Contingent upon an appropriation, the bill would authorize the Superintendent to provide each eligible pupil in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, of a local educational agency with a computing device that meets the minimum performance standard for distance learning, as established by the Superintendent, in order to participate in distance learning. The bill would require the Superintendent to maintain on the Superintendent's internet website, and distribute to certain entities, a list of broadband service options available for eligible low-income Californians, including service options offered voluntarily by broadband service providers and broadband service options offered by providers participating in the state lifeline program administered by the Public Utilities Commission, the Emergency Broadband Benefit and Emergency Connectivity Fund programs administered by the Federal Communications Commission, or similar public subsidy programs, as provided. (2) Existing law requires contracts for the acquisition of information technology goods and services related to information technology projects, as defined, to be made by or under the supervision of the Department of Technology. Contingent upon an appropriation, the bill would authorize the department to enter into a sponsored service agreement, as defined, on behalf of a school district, county office of education, or charter school with a broadband service provider for the purpose of providing residential broadband service to eligible pupils in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, of a local educational agency, as provided. The bill would require a local educational agency electing to participate in a sponsored service agreement to provide the broadband service provider with certain information on eligible pupil households that consent to providing the information so the provider can determine if the household is within the provider's service area and does not currently subscribe to broadband service. The bill would require information provided under these provisions to be confidential and would prohibit that information from being publicly disclosed or used by the provider for any purpose unrelated to providing service under the sponsored service agreement. (3) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.