School accountability: local control and accountability plans: education technology: best practices: School Technology Empowerment Advisory Committee.

The State Department of Education is now the primary actor responsible for preparing and updating the compilation of technology best practices, publishing them on its website, and establishing the advisory committee. Previously the State Board of Education held these lead roles with the department in a consultative capacity. The roles are effectively swapped throughout Section 52073.6.

The state-mandated local program designation changes from 'yes' to 'no,' reflecting that the removal of the mandatory LCAP incorporation requirement eliminates the primary state mandate on local agencies.

The legislative findings section softens the language on device provision. The old version stated devices should be provided 'for the 2025-26 school year' with a firm grade-level starting point. The new version changes this to 'as soon as practically feasible,' making the timeline less prescriptive.

The mandatory requirement that local educational agencies receiving Title I funding 'shall incorporate the best practices' into their local control and accountability plans by no later than July 1, 2028 is entirely removed. This was the bill's most direct obligation on school districts and charter schools.

A new duty is added requiring the advisory committee to share with and advise the Superintendent of Public Instruction on best practices to harness technology for pupil academic success. This gives the committee a direct advisory relationship with the state's chief education officer that did not exist before.

The School Technology Empowerment Advisory Committee composition is restructured. It now requires at least one participant from each of four specific role groups (school board members, administrators, teachers, and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence) plus multiple participants from a fifth group (individuals or organizations representing interests in supporting technology use in public schools). The previous version only required one representative from a list of named organizations.

The advisory committee's annual report is now submitted to both the department and the state board, rather than only to the state board as in the prior version.

Eligibility expanded from LEAs receiving Title I funding only to LEAs that either have a priority school (as defined in Section 69617, meaning 55% or more English learners, free/reduced-price meal eligible pupils, or foster youth) OR receive Title I funding.

The legislative policy statement broadens from targeting 'under-performing Title I schools in low-income neighborhoods' to 'all schools and local educational agencies, with a special focus on providing assistance to under-performing priority and Title I schools in low-income neighborhoods that lag behind in pupil achievement in comparison to the averages statewide.'

New finding encourages LEAs to allow pupils in priority and Title I schools to take home school-issued devices (similar to assigned textbooks) after proper training, and to incorporate best practices into LCAPs as soon as practically feasible.

New School Technology Empowerment Advisory Committee established with one representative each from at least 15 named organizations (including California School Boards Association, California Teachers Association, American Federation of Teachers, California Emerging Technology Fund, Common Sense Media, and others). The committee must meet at least 3 times per fiscal year and submit an annual progress report to the state board starting December 31, 2028.

The department must develop a questionnaire and conduct a statistically reliable sample baseline survey of LEAs by June 30, 2027, to determine the status of technology use in schools, followed by a follow-up survey by June 30, 2030, to measure changes in adoption of best practices and associated academic performance changes.

Each county office of education must compile and submit to the state board by December 31, 2028, a summary of school district practices and LCAPs related to technology use compared to the state board's best practices compilation.

The device provision is changed from encouraging every LEA to provide a computing device to every pupil in a Title I school beginning no later than grade 6 for the 2025-26 school year, to encouraging review of existing resources with a special focus on pupils in underperforming priority and Title I schools, with the timeline changed to 'as soon as practically feasible.'

The state board is now required to update the best practices compilation at least once every 2 years starting December 31, 2028, rather than preparing it only once by December 31, 2026.

New findings added that define 'priority school' (55% or more English learners, free/reduced-price meal eligible pupils, or foster youth), 'instructional materials,' and 'technology-based materials' for purposes of the bill.