Special education: nonpublic, nonsectarian schools.

Existing law requires that services provided by nonpublic, nonsectarian schools and agencies be made available to local educational agencies and parents for the purpose of providing alternative special education services to individuals with exceptional needs. Existing law requires a nonpublic, nonsectarian school that provides special education and related services to an individual with exceptional needs to certify in writing to the Superintendent of Public Instruction that the school satisfies various requirements, including, among others, that it will not accept a pupil with exceptional needs if it cannot provide or ensure the provision of the services outlined in the pupil's individualized education program (IEP) . This bill would revise that requirement regarding pupil acceptance to allow a nonpublic, nonsectarian school to accept a pupil if the local educational agency and the parent or guardian of the pupil agree that the pupil may be accepted when, on a temporary basis, the nonpublic, nonsectarian school cannot provide one or more of the services outlined in the pupil's IEP due to a shortage of qualified professionals.