State special schools: information.

The legislative counsel's digest corrected a duplicated word: 'state special schools, schools and the option' was changed to 'state special schools and the option.' This is a typo fix in the summary only; it does not affect the statutory text.

Document format changed from an amended bill (with line numbers, amendment history headers, and page number 96) to an enrolled bill (with chapter number placeholder, governor's approval block, and page number 95). This reflects the bill's procedural status change rather than any policy modification.

New requirement that the information provided to parents must state that attending the California School for the Deaf or California School for the Blind is one of the placements available to the pupil, not the only option.

New requirement that the information must tell parents they may request more information about additional placement options available under paragraph (2) of subdivision (b) of Section 56040.6.

The informational duty in new Section 56040.7(a) was expanded from simply providing information about the state schools to also including the option to attend one of those schools and framing it within the broader set of placement options.

The amendment to Section 66002 of the Education Code (nonsubstantive changes to Master Plan for Higher Education legislative findings) is entirely removed from the bill, eliminating a higher education policy component that was previously included.

Section 56040.7(a) expands the IEP team information requirement from pupils who are 'deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind' to also include pupils who are 'blind' or 'visually impaired,' broadening which students trigger the notification obligation.

Section 56040.7(a) now requires IEP teams to provide information about 'the California School for the Deaf or the California School for the Blind, as applicable' rather than only the California School for the Deaf.

Section 56040.7(b) expands the department's obligation to provide local educational agencies with information about both the California School for the Deaf and the California School for the Blind, not just the former.

The fiscal committee vote changes from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating the bill now has fiscal committee approval.

The bill now adds Sections 48980.2 and 56040.7 to the Education Code, expanding its subject matter from solely postsecondary higher education findings to also cover special education notification requirements for students with hearing and visual impairments.

New Section 48980.2 requires that the annual parent/guardian notification (under Section 48980) for pupils who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind must include information about the option to attend the California School for the Deaf or the California School for the Blind.

New Section 56040.7(a) requires that, starting with the 2027-28 school year, when a local educational agency develops, reviews, or revises an IEP for a pupil who is deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind, the IEP team must provide the parent, guardian, or educational rights holder with information about the California School for the Deaf.

New Section 56040.7(b) requires the State Department of Education to provide local educational agencies with information about the California School for the Deaf on or before July 1, 2027.

A state mandates reimbursement provision (Section 3) was added, providing that if the Commission on State Mandates finds costs mandated by the state, reimbursement shall be made under Government Code Part 7. The fiscal committee and state-mandated local program designations both changed from 'no' to 'yes'.

The original nonsubstantive corrections to Section 66002 legislative findings (fixing duplicated words, correcting citation format from 'A.C.R.' to 'ACR 65', and reordering a phrase about fiscal and programmatic accountability) are retained in the amended version.