Special education: inclusive education: universal design for learning: inclusive practices.

Existing law finds and declares that all individuals with exceptional needs have a right to participate in free appropriate public education and special educational instruction and services for these persons are needed in order to ensure the right to an appropriate educational opportunity to meet their unique needs. Existing law provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that education programs are provided under an approved local plan for special education, as provided. Existing law further provides that it is the intent of the Legislature that appropriate qualified staff are employed, consistent with credential requirements, to fulfill the responsibilities of the local plan. Existing law establishes in state government the Commission on Teacher Credentialing and requires it to adopt standards for the issuance of teaching credentials, as provided. This bill would require the commission, on or before June 30, 2025, to revise its administrative services credential standards and performance expectations to include and strengthen preparation for inclusion, with a focus on, among other things, universal design for learning (UDL) , as defined. The bill would require administrator preparation programs to ensure faculty are prepared in, among other things, UDL and inclusive practices, as defined. Contingent upon an appropriation, the bill would require the State Department of Education, in consultation with the commission, on or before March 31, 2027, to develop and disseminate joint guidance clarifying the ways in which inclusive classrooms and placements may be staffed under current law, as provided. The bill would require the department, in consultation with the commission, on or before March 31, 2026, to submit a report to the Legislature on recommendations for statutory or regulatory changes necessary to eliminate barriers to the staffing of inclusive placements. This bill would require, for children who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind, inclusive practices and strategies to improve pupil outcomes to mean placement in settings that provide full access to language and specialized services, as provided. The bill would require any discussion of deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind pupils in the local educational agency setting to ensure the input and participation of the deaf, hard of hearing, blind, visually impaired, or deaf-blind communities, as provided. To the extent that this bill would require a new duty of a local educational agency, the bill would impose a state-mandated program. 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.