Special education: inclusion and universal design for learning.

Existing law finds and declares that all individuals with exceptional needs have a right to participate in free appropriate public education and special educational instruction and services for these persons are needed in order to ensure the right to an appropriate educational opportunity to meet their unique needs. Existing law provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that education programs are provided under an approved local plan for special education, as provided. This bill would require, consistent with state and federal law, a school district, county office of education, and charter school, when implementing inclusion and universal design for learning initiatives, to consider specified things with respect to the full language access needs of pupils who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind, as provided. The bill would require individualized family service plan teams and individualized education program teams, when determining the least restrictive environment for a deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind pupil 0 to 22 years of age, inclusive, to consider the language needs of the pupil, as provided, and to consider reviewing placements and services available to the pupil. By imposing additional duties on school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the State Department of Education, on or before July 1, 2025, to communicate these requirements to all school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools, as well as notify nonpublic, nonsectarian schools or agencies certified by the state, the special education local plan areas, the California School for the Deaf, and the California School for the Blind of these provisions. 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.