(1) Existing law sets forth a method for providing special education and related services to pupils with exceptional needs. Existing law permits, under certain circumstances, contracts to be entered into for the provision of those services by nonpublic, nonsectarian schools or agencies. Existing law defines "nonpublic, nonsectarian school" and "nonpublic, nonsectarian agency" for these purposes. Existing law authorizes a master contract for special education and related services provided by a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency only if the school or agency has been certified as meeting specified standards. Existing law sets forth the certification process and procedures for the nonpublic, nonsectarian schools or agencies that seek certification from the Superintendent of Public Instruction, including that the school or agency file an application with specified information. Existing law requires the Superintendent, before certification of a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency, to conduct an onsite review of the facility and program for which the applicant seeks certification and authorizes the Superintendent to verify that the school or agency has received a successful criminal background check clearance and has enrolled in subsequent arrest notice service for each owner, operator, and employee of the school or agency. Existing law requires the Superintendent to monitor the facilities, educational environment, and quality of the educational program of an existing certified nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency on a 3-year cycle, as provided. Existing law requires the master contract for nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency services to include, among other things, an individual service agreement for each pupil placed by a local educational agency. Existing law requires a contracting local educational agency to pay the full amount of the tuition or fees, as applicable, for individuals with exceptional needs who are enrolled in programs or receiving services provided pursuant to the contract. Existing law requires a master contract for nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency services to be developed in accordance with specified provisions, including, among others, that the master contract specify the general administrative and financial agreements, including teacher-to-pupil ratios, between the school or agency and the local educational agency to provide the special education and designated instruction services. Existing law requires a certified nonpublic school or agency to provide written notification to the State Department of Education and the local educational agency with which it has a master contract of any pupil-involved incident at the school or agency in which law enforcement was contacted. This bill would eliminate the requirement that nonpublic schools or agencies that enter into contracts for the provision of special education services be nonsectarian. The bill would (A) exclude from the above-described tuition or fees the amount attributable to the provision of religious instruction, which the bill would define for these purposes, (B) prohibit public funds paid pursuant to those contracts from being used to pay for religious instruction at a nonpublic school or agency, (C) prohibit a nonpublic school or agency from providing religious instruction to pupils placed by a local educational agency, as provided, (D) require an applicant seeking an initial or renewal certification to certify, under penalty of perjury, that all educational services provided to pupils placed by a local educational agency under a master contract with a local educational agency are secular, neutral, and respectful regarding religion and religious view, as provided, and (E) notwithstanding any other law, prohibit a nonpublic school or agency, in performing services under a master contract, individual service agreement, or individualized education program, from subjecting any person to discrimination on the basis of specified protected characteristics. By expanding the crime of perjury, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require a master contract and individual services agreement for nonpublic school or agency services to contain provisions requiring compliance with those 5 described provisions. The bill would require the above-described application for a nonpublic school seeking certification from the Superintendent to include (A) an assurance that the nonpublic school has requested from the Commission on Teacher Credentialing a list of all credentialholders who have had final adverse action taken against their credential, (B) commencing July 1, 2027, documentation that specified staff and administrators have obtained fingerprint clearance with the commission, as provided, (C) commencing January 1, 2028, a list of staff providing instruction and services to pupils in the state and copies of their credentials, as specified, and (D) affidavits and assurances necessary to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations that include criminal record summaries and subsequent arrest notifications required of all nonpublic school personnel, including contractors, having contact with minor children. The bill would require, instead of authorize, the Superintendent to verify that a nonpublic school or agency seeking certification has received a successful criminal background check clearance and has enrolled in subsequent arrest notice service for each owner, operator, employee, and contractor of the nonpublic school or agency, as applicable. The bill would require the Superintendent, as part of monitoring the quality of the educational program of an existing certified nonpublic school, to also monitor the criminal background checks required for employment and pupils' receipt of any mandated instruction required for all pupils of local educational agencies, as specified. The bill would require the Superintendent, as part of monitoring an existing certified nonpublic agency, to instead monitor the agency for compliance with applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. The bill would require the department to (A) require each person employed by a nonpublic school interacting with a California pupil to undergo a fingerprint-based state and national criminal history background check, (B) submit those fingerprints, and (C) request subsequent arrest records, as specified. The bill would require the Department of Justice to provide a state and federal response to those requests in accordance with specified provisions. The bill would require a certified nonpublic school to additionally provide written notification to the department and the local educational agency with which it has a master contract of any pupil-involved incident at the school resulting in, among other things, a serious injury to a pupil, as specified, or the commencement of an investigation into an employee or contractor involving an allegation of misconduct. The bill would require a nonpublic school employing a person with a credential to report any change in employment status of the credentialholder to the commission within 30 days if the change in status is a result of an allegation of misconduct, as specified. The bill would also make conforming changes. (2) Existing law authorizes the Superintendent to revoke or suspend the certification of a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency for specified reasons, including, among other reasons, failure to notify the department in writing within 45 days of certain occurrences, including changes in staff or facilities, failure to notify the Superintendent in writing within 10 days of revocation or suspension of a license or permit, and failure to notify the Superintendent in writing within 10 days of the death of a pupil. This bill would, among other things, require, instead of authorize, the suspension or revocation of the certification of a nonpublic school or agency for any of those specified reasons, and would revise the above-described notification timelines, as specified. If an investigation conducted by the department results in a finding that pupil health or safety has been compromised or is in danger of being compromised at a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency, existing law authorizes the department to immediately suspend or revoke the certification of the nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency. This bill would require, instead of authorize, the department to take the above-described action. (3) Existing law authorizes the governing board of a school district or a county board of education to request the State Board of Education to waive all or part of specified education laws or regulations adopted by the state board, as provided, with exceptions. Existing law requires the state board to approve any and all requests for waivers except in those cases where the state board specifically finds, among other things, that the educational needs of the pupils are not adequately addressed. This bill would prohibit the state board from waiving all or part of any laws relating to special education pursuant to the above-described provisions. Existing law authorizes a public agency, as defined, to request the state board to grant a waiver of any provision of education laws or regulations adopted pursuant to those provisions if the waiver (A) is necessary or beneficial to the content and implementation of a pupil's individualized education program and (B) does not abrogate any rights provided to individuals with exceptional needs and their parents or guardians, or affect the compliance of a local educational agency with specified federal regulations. Existing law authorizes the state board to grant, in whole or in part, any of those requests when the facts indicate that a failure to do so would hinder implementation of a pupil's individualized education program or compliance by a local educational agency with specified federal mandates. This bill would prohibit a waiver submitted by a public agency on or after January 1, 2027, that is related to the placement of a pupil other than at a local educational agency to waive specified requirements from being approved unless it includes, among other things, a description of how the public agency requesting the waiver will oversee and evaluate the pupil's placement and that certain requirements are met, as provided. (4) Existing law requires the Commission on Teacher Credentialing to establish standards and procedures for the issuance and renewal of credentials, certificates, and permits. Existing law requires the commission to make available to each private school a listing of all credentialholders who have had final adverse action taken against their credential which is required to be identical to that made available to public schools in the state. This bill would require the commission to also make available the above-described listing to the State Department of Education. The bill would require the department to request notice from the commission regarding the list, monitor the status of the credentialholders at nonpublic schools, and confirm that a credentialholder has been removed from contact with California pupils when a credentialholder has their credential suspended or revoked, and would impose the same requirements on a local educational agency with respect to each nonpublic school that it has a master contract with, as provided. (5) This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 48986 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1943 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1943 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 51225.2 of the Education Code proposed by AB 1659 to be operative only if this bill and AB 1659 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. (6) 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
The California Constitution, pursuant to provisions enacted by the Proposition 209, an initiative measure adopted by the voters at the November 5, 1996, statewide general election, prohibits the state from discriminating against, or granting preferential treatment to, any individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in the operation of public employment, public education, or public contracting, as specified. This measure, the Closing the Student Opportunity and Achievement Gap Act, would, instead, limit the above prohibition to the operation of public employment, public higher education admissions and enrollment, and public contracting. The measure would require that it appear on the ballot at the November 7, 2028, statewide general election.
Existing law authorizes the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, in consultation with the California State University and the University of California, to authorize the establishment of community college district baccalaureate degree programs, as provided. Existing law requires a governing board of a community college district that is seeking authorization to offer a baccalaureate degree program to submit specified information for review by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and approval by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Beginning January 1, 2028, this bill would additionally require, among other things, a community college district to submit information relating to a determination of unmet current or future projected workforce need and consultation with the California State University and the University of California regarding collaborative approaches to meeting regional workforce needs. The bill would require this information to be submitted for review by the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges and the Chancellor of the California State University, and approval by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law requires the Chancellor of Community Colleges to ensure, for the application and review process for community college districts to participate in the baccalaureate degree program, that only 15 baccalaureate degree programs are approved during each application period and that the total number of baccalaureate degree programs offered by a community college district, at any time, does not exceed 25% of the total number of associate degree programs offered, among other things. This bill would instead prohibit a community college district from submitting more than 3 applications during an academic year and would require a community college district offering a baccalaureate degree program to not displace enrollment opportunities for students seeking associate degrees, associate degrees for transfer, certificates, or noncredit instruction, and maintain access to lower division instructional offerings. Existing law requires the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to consult with and seek feedback from the Chancellor of the California State University, the President of the University of California, and the President of the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities on proposed baccalaureate degree programs, as specified. Existing law authorizes the California State University and the University of California to assess whether proposed baccalaureate degree programs are duplicative of existing baccalaureate programs offered by state universities. If the California State University or the University of California believes there is program duplication, existing law requires them to submit written objections with supporting evidence to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges within 30 working days of receipt of the proposal, and requires the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, within 30 working days after receiving the written objections, to convene with the applicant and the segment or segments that raised an objection to collaborate and establish a written agreement before the program is approved. This bill would instead require written objections with supporting evidence to be submitted to the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges within 45 working days of receipt of the proposal, except as provided, and would require the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to provide the application to the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development within 30 working days, as specified. Upon receipt of a written objection filed by the California State University, the bill would instead require the Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development to determine if the proposed baccalaureate degree program addresses an unmet current or projected future workforce need and if the capacity of the substantially similar academic program of the California State University is sufficient to meet the regional workforce needs, as specified. This bill would require the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to report annually to the Legislature, no later than March 1, on the status of all baccalaureate degree programs approved under these provisions, as provided. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 78042 of the Education Code proposed by SB 960 to be operative only if this bill and SB 960 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. This bill would make the operation of its provisions contingent upon the enactment of SB 960 of the 2025–26 Regular Session.
Existing law authorizes the California College Guidance Initiative to provide its services to all California school districts, including services that provide pupils and their families with direct access to online tools and resources for college and career planning. Existing law requires a school district, county office of education, or charter school to annually notify the parents or guardians of pupils admitted to, or advancing to, grades 7 to 12, inclusive, of any dual enrollment or International Baccalaureate courses offered by the local educational agency, as provided. This bill would require that notice to also include the benefits of the California College Guidance Initiative and encouragement to create parent accounts. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.
Existing law requires the governing board of a school district to determine the method of payment for construction contracts, including progress payments for completed portions of the work or for materials delivered on the ground or stored subject to the control of the board and unused. This bill would require the governing board or body of a local educational agency, as defined, to ensure that the contract or contracts for any construction project, as defined, taking place during school hours include security provisions that limit access to the construction site and keep unauthorized individuals off school property. To the extent the additional contract terms would impose additional duties on local educational agencies or other local entities or officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.
The Equity in Higher Education Act establishes the policy of the state to afford all persons, regardless of specified characteristics, including gender, gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, equal rights and opportunities in the postsecondary educational institutions of the state. The act requires the Trustees of the California State University and the governing board of a community colleges district, and requests the Regents of the University of California, to designate an employee at each of their respective campuses as a point of contact for the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, asexual, pansexual, transgender, gender-nonconforming, intersex, and two-spirit faculty, staff, and students. This bill would require the trustees and the governing board of a community college district, and would request the regents, to also designate an employee as a point of contact for the needs of the above-described faculty, staff, and students of a branch campus, satellite location, or site other than the main campus, as specified. The bill would define "branch campus," "satellite location," and "main campus" for this purpose. To the extent the bill would impose new duties on a community college district, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. 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.
Existing law declares that it is the policy of the state to afford all persons in public schools, regardless of specified characteristics, including race or ethnicity, equal rights and opportunities in the educational institutions of the state, and states that the purpose of related existing law is to prohibit acts that are contrary to that policy and to provide remedies. Existing law defines "race or ethnicity" to include ancestry, color, ethnic group identification, and ethnic background. This bill would define ethnicity to include Jewish identity. Existing law specifies certain requirements relative to state agencies, boards, and commissions that directly or by contract collect demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians, including the requirement to use separate collection categories and tabulations for each major Asian group and each major Pacific Islander group, as specified. Existing law requires these state agencies to include the demographic data in every demographic report on ancestry or ethnic origins of Californians by the state agency published or released on or after July 1, 2012. Existing law further requires these state agencies to make the collected data available to the public pursuant to state and federal law, except for personal identifying information, which existing law deems confidential. This bill would require a state agency that directly or by contract collects demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of Californians to use a separate collection category and tabulation for Jewish ancestry or ethnicity, as specified and subject to a certain exception. The bill would require these state agencies to include the demographic data in every demographic report on ancestry or ethnic origins of Californians by the state agency published on or after January 1, 2030. The bill would further require these state agencies to make the collected data available to the public pursuant to state and federal law. The bill would prohibit state agencies from disclosing personal identifying information about any person whose demographic data is collected, and would require those agencies to apply deidentification and privacy protection methods to that data. The bill would limit the purposes for which state agencies can use the demographic data collected under these provisions. The bill would exempt any state agency administering a multiyear grant program with an established end date that began collecting demographic data prior to January 1, 2029, from being required to include or use the demographic category described above for interim or final reports. Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation to collect voluntary self-identification information pertaining to race or ethnic origin of people admitted, in custody, and released and paroled, including, but not limited to, specified races and ethnic origins. Existing law requires the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, based on that voluntary self-identification information, to prepare and publish monthly demographic data pertaining to the race or ethnic origin of people admitted, in custody, and released and paroled, disaggregated by the same race and ethnicity categories used by the department for the purpose of voluntary self-identification information. Existing law requires the data, except for personally identifying information, which existing law deems confidential, to be publicly available on the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation's internet website via the Offender Data Points dashboard. This bill would include Jewish among those specified races and ethnic origins for self-identification. Existing law requires the Employment Development Department, in the administration of existing law relating to disability compensation, to collect demographic data for individuals who claim disability benefits or family temporary disability insurance benefits, including race and ethnicity data and sexual orientation and gender identity data, as prescribed. Existing law requires the Employment Development Department to develop and make available online a public-facing dashboard that publishes disaggregated demographic data pertaining to program participation by individuals and is updated on at least a quarterly basis. Existing law requires the Employment Development Department to implement these requirements by July 1, 2026. This bill would require the Employment Development Department to collect data on Jewish ancestry or ethnicity for these purposes in accordance with specified demographic data collection requirements for state agencies added by the bill. This bill would become operative on January 1, 2029. Existing constitutional provisions require that a statute that limits the right of access to the meetings of public bodies or the writings of public officials and agencies be adopted with findings demonstrating the interest protected by the limitation and the need for protecting that interest. This bill would make legislative findings to that effect.
Existing law establishes the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as the public segments of postsecondary education in the state. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature that public institutions of higher education in California shall provide a collegiate experience which gives each student the skills of communication and problem solving, the ideas and principles underlying the major areas of modern knowledge, the ability to consider ethical issues thoughtfully, the understanding that learning is a continuous lifelong process, and the knowledge of democracy necessary for good citizenship. This bill would require the Chancellor of the California State University and the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, and would request the President of the University of California, before the commencement of the 2028–29 academic year, and in consultation with their respective academic senates, to report to the Legislature recommendations on how to facilitate greater knowledge of American democracy and meaningful civic engagement opportunities for students on campuses, and any necessary support from the Legislature to achieve those recommendations. The bill would repeal these provisions on January 1, 2033.
Existing law requires the California State University, and requests the University of California, to require each campus in their respective systems to grant students the right to reenroll in their baccalaureate degree program after withdrawing or stopping out, if the student was in good academic standing with the university. Existing law establishes uniform student residency requirements for purposes of ascertaining the amount of tuition and fees to be paid by students of public postsecondary educational institutions. Existing law entitles a student to resident classification for the purpose of determining tuition and fees if the student is a member, or a natural or adopted child, stepchild, or spouse who is a dependent of a member, of the Armed Forces of the United States stationed in the state on active duty, except as specified. Existing law prohibits a student who is attending, or has been admitted to, a public postsecondary educational institution from losing their resident classification if they are continuously enrolled at that institution and a dependent of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, even if that member is (1) thereafter transferred on military orders to a place outside this state where the member continues to serve in the Armed Forces of the United States, or (2) thereafter retired as an active member of the Armed Forces of the United States. This bill would extend the prohibition against losing resident classification to those same student dependents of a member of the Armed Forces of the United States who are granted the right to reenroll even if the member of the Armed Forces has been transferred out of state or has retired from active duty.
The Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998 provides for the adoption of rules, regulations, and procedures, under the administration of the Director of General Services, for the allocation of state funds by the State Allocation Board for the construction and modernization of public school facilities. Existing law establishes the Charter Schools Facilities Program within the Leroy F. Greene School Facilities Act of 1998 to provide funding to qualifying entities for the purpose of establishing school facilities for charter school pupils. Existing law requires that a 50% matching share be provided by charter schools applying for facilities funding under the program. Existing law requires the California School Finance Authority, in consultation with the board, to adopt regulations for the program, including, among other regulations, the process for determining the manner in which the applicant will pay its local matching share, including the method for determining lease payments to be made in lieu of the local matching share. This bill would, commencing January 1, 2028, for filing rounds opened on or after January 1, 2028, if the 50% local share matching obligation or lease payments would result in the applicant charter school suffering an undue financial burden, as provided, require the authority to notify the board and authorize the board to reduce the 50% local share matching obligation or lease payments, and correspondingly increase the grant amount, as necessary for the school to reach a reasonable level of debt service. The bill would require the authority, in consultation with the board, to adopt regulations for that purpose and would require the authority and the board to adopt the method for determining whether the 50% local share matching obligation or lease payments would result in the charter school suffering an undue financial burden, in consultation with the department and the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team. The bill would also make conforming changes.
