Pupil records: social security numbers.

Existing law authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction, in order to assist the state in evaluating the effectiveness of special education programs, including transition and work experience programs, to collect and utilize social security numbers of individuals with exceptional needs as pupil identification numbers beginning in the 1993–94 fiscal year and phased in over a 2-year period. In a situation where a social security number is not available, existing law requires the Superintendent to assign another pupil identification number for purposes of evaluating special education programs and related services. This bill would repeal that authorization and would instead require the Superintendent, commencing with the 2017–18 fiscal year and phased in over a 2-year period, to assign a pupil identification number to individuals with exceptional needs for purposes of evaluating special education programs and related services. The bill would prohibit school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools from collecting or soliciting social security numbers or the last 4 digits of social security numbers from pupils or their parents or guardians unless otherwise required to do so by state or federal law, and would authorize the State Department of Education to additionally prohibit the collection and solicitation of other personally identifiable information, as recommended by the Superintendent and approved by the State Board of Education.