Educational equity: lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning pupil resources.

Existing law establishes the system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state and provides for the establishment of local educational agencies to operate these schools and provide instruction to pupils. Existing law states the policy of the State of California to afford all persons in public schools, regardless of their disability, gender, gender identity, gender expression, nationality, race or ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or any other specified characteristic, equal rights and opportunities in the educational institutions of the state. Existing law requires, no later than July 1, 2021, the State Department of Education to develop resources or, as appropriate, update existing resources for in-service training on schoolsite and community resources for the support of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBTQ) pupils, and strategies to increase support for LGBTQ pupils, as specified. Existing law encourages schools operated by a school district or county office of education and charter schools to use those resources to provide training at least once every 2 years to teachers and other certificated employees of those schools that serve pupils in grades 7 to 12, inclusive. This bill, on or before July 1, 2022, would also require the State Department of Education to create an online training delivery platform and an online training curriculum on schoolsite and community resources for the support of LGBTQ pupils and strategies to increase support for LGBTQ pupils, as specified. The bill would encourage each school operated by a school district or county office of education and each charter school to use the online training delivery platform and curriculum to provide training at least once every 2 years to teachers and other certificated employees at those schools.