Pupil health: eye and vision health.

Existing law requires a school nurse or other authorized person to appraise the vision of a pupil during kindergarten, or upon first enrollment or entry of that pupil in a California school district at an elementary school, and in grades 2, 5, and 8, as specified. Existing law requires the State Department of Education to adopt guidelines to implement the provisions relating to these pupil vision appraisals, including training requirements and a method of testing for near vision. This bill would apply these provisions to elementary schools under county offices of education and to charter schools that serve elementary school pupils, in addition to elementary schools under school districts, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the department to adopt regulations, instead of guidelines, to implement these provisions, and would require the regulations to include followup procedures for a pupil who fails a vision appraisal. The bill would require the department, in coordination with specified persons and entities, to develop an information sheet regarding pediatric vision and eye health that includes specified information. The bill would require a school district, county office of education, or charter school to make the information sheet available annually to teachers at every schoolsite that serves elementary school pupils, thereby imposing a state-mandated local program. The bill would authorize a school district, county office of education, or charter school to provide the information sheet to parents and guardians of pupils, as specified. The bill would require the department, in cooperation with the State Board of Optometry, to establish a pilot program for the purpose of improving early detection of eye and vision problems to help pupils achieve better educational outcomes. The bill would require the pilot program to take place in participating school districts during the 2020–23 school years. 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.