Special education: individualized education programs: translation services.

(1) Existing law requires local educational agencies to identify, locate, and assess individuals with exceptional needs and to provide those pupils with a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, with special education and related services as reflected in an individualized education program. Existing law requires a local educational agency to initiate and conduct meetings for the purposes of developing, reviewing, and revising the individualized education program of each individual with exceptional needs in accordance federal law. Existing law requires the local educational agency to take any action necessary to ensure that the parent or guardian understands the proceedings at a meeting, including arranging for an interpreter for parents or guardians with deafness or whose native language is a language other than English. This bill would require a local educational agency to also provide translation services for a pupil's parent, guardian, or educational rights holder, as specified. The bill would require the local educational agency, if requested by a pupil's parent, guardian, or educational rights holder, to provide the parent, guardian, or educational rights holder with a translated copy of the individualized education program, any revisions to the individualized education program, and certain documents discussed at an individualized education program team meeting within 60 days of that meeting in the parent's, guardian's, or educational rights holder's primary language. The bill would require the documents to be translated by a qualified translator, as defined, who is proficient in both the English language and the non-English language to be used. The bill would require the State Department of Education to revise its notice of procedural safeguards, in English and in the primary languages for which the department has developed translated versions, to inform parents of their right to request the translation of these documents. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) 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 these statutory provisions.