AB 2555 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

English learners: reclassification.

Summary

Existing law requires each school district that has one or more pupils who are English learners, and, to the extent required by federal law, each county office of education and each charter school, to assess the English language development of each pupil in order to determine the pupil's level of proficiency, as specified. Existing law requires the assessment for initial identification to be conducted upon the initial enrollment of a pupil, as provided. Existing law requires the State Department of Education, with the approval of the State Board of Education, to establish procedures for conducting the assessment and for the reclassification of a pupil from English learner to English proficient. Existing law requires those reclassification procedures to use multiple criteria in determining whether to reclassify a pupil as proficient in English, including, (1) an assessment of language proficiency using an objective assessment instrument, including the English language development test that is developed or acquired by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, (2) teacher evaluation, (3) parental opinion and consultation, and (4) a comparison of the performance of the pupil in basic skills against an empirically established range of performance in basic skills based upon the performance of English proficient pupils of the same age that demonstrates whether the pupil is sufficiently proficient in English to participate effectively in a curriculum designed for pupils of the same age whose native language is English. Existing law provides that parents and guardians of children enrolled in public schools have the right and should have the opportunity, as mutually supportive and respectful partners in the education of their children within the public schools, to be informed by the school, and to participate in the education of their children, as specified, including by, among other things, meeting with their child's teacher or teachers and the principal of the school in which their child is enrolled within a reasonable time of their request. This bill would make the provisions related to reclassification procedures inoperative on July 1, 2027, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2028. Commencing July 1, 2027, this bill would require a school district, county office of education, or charter school to communicate to the parent or guardian of a pupil who is determined to be an English learner in a clear, concise, and comprehensible manner specified information regarding the pupil, including, among other things, that the pupil has been classified as an English learner, that the parent or guardian is encouraged to engage as a partner with the school, as provided, and that the pupil will take an assessment each year to measure the pupil's progress toward becoming proficient in English. The bill would instead require that an English learner pupil who, in the 2025–26 school year or any school year thereafter, meets the score established by the state board for purposes of reclassification on an assessment of English language proficiency identified or developed pursuant to specified provisions, or, if applicable, the pupil meets the score established by the state board for purposes of reclassification on the statewide alternate assessment for English language proficiency, as provided, be reclassified as English proficient, as specified. Commencing July 1, 2027, the bill would require the department, as those pupil scores become available, to record the pupils who meet the scores established by the state board as reclassified in the appropriate data system. After a pupil is reclassified, the bill would require a local educational agency to ensure that the pupil's instructional program and placement reflects that the pupil is a reclassified pupil and communicate to the pupil's parent or guardian that their child has been reclassified, as provided. Commencing July 1, 2028, and subject to the availability of rubrics and sample alternate pupil work and performance tasks described below, the bill would require a pupil who (1) is an English learner, (2) has an individualized education program (IEP) , (3) received English language development instruction but has not achieved the proficiency level required for purposes of reclassification, (4) has used all designated supports and accommodations and any domain exemptions required by the pupil's IEP, and (5) either scored an overall performance level that is one level below the level established by the state board for purposes of reclassification, or, as applicable, received any score on the statewide alternate assessment for English language proficiency, and whose local educational agency determines that the pupil has demonstrated, through the use of specified alternate coursework and performance tasks, that the pupil has reached a level of proficiency that is comparable to the threshold for reclassification on the assessment of English language proficiency or the statewide alternate assessment for English language proficiency, to be reported to the department by the local educational agency as reclassified as English proficient. The bill would require a local educational agency, for a pupil who has been reclassified as English proficient, to monitor the pupil's progress to ensure, among other things, that English proficiency is not a barrier to the pupil's academic success, as provided. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would provide that, commencing January 1, 2027, parents or guardians of children enrolled in public schools also have the right to, among other things, meet with their child's teacher or teachers to discuss their child's progress toward reaching proficiency in English, as provided. By imposing new duties on public schools, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. This bill would require the state board, on or before January 1, 2028, to identify (1) means of monitoring reclassified pupils for 4 years after reclassification and (2) an appropriate instrument to be used for purposes of monitoring the progress of reclassified English learners, as provided. The bill would require the department, on or before January 1, 2028, to identify appropriate interventions for pupils who have been determined as needing additional support for their English language, as provided. Commencing with the 2027–28 school year, and subject to state and federal law regarding the privacy of pupil information, the bill would require the department to annually post on its internet website the reclassification rates of each local educational agency and charter school, statewide reclassification rates, and outcomes of reclassified pupils, as provided. Existing law requires the Sacramento County Office of Education to utilize specified funding appropriated in the Budget Act of 2026 to develop resources and provide technical assistance to support the implementation of alternative pathways and means to a diploma, as provided. This bill would require the Sacramento County Office of Education to utilize the same funding described above to (1) develop rubrics and sample alternate pupil work and performance tasks to enable pupils who are English learners and have IEPs to demonstrate proficiency for purposes of reclassification, and (2) submit the completed rubrics and sample alternate pupil work and performance tasks to the department on or before January 1, 2028. By expanding the purposes for which previously appropriated funds may be used, this bill would make an appropriation. The bill would require the department to (1) post the completed rubrics and sample alternate pupil work and performance tasks submitted by the Sacramento County Office of Education on its internet website on or before June 30, 2028, and (2) , subject to an appropriation for these purposes, contract for an evaluation of the effects of the changes to the reclassification criteria and process required by the bill to be completed and sent to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature on or before January 1, 2032, as provided. This bill would delete obsolete provisions. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 51101 of the Education Code proposed by SB 1412 to be operative only if this bill and SB 1412 are enacted and this bill is enacted last. 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. This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.

Issues: ✓ Education

Bill status passed both 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2026

Committee Review

Aug 2026

Assembly Passage

Aug 2026

Senate Passage

Aug 2026

Governor

Introduced Feb 20, 2026 Last action Aug 27, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 6 comparisons

What changed between versions

08/20/26 - Amended Senate → AB2555 · 2 edits

MINOR

This diff reflects the transition of AB 2555 from its Amended Senate version (08/20/26) to its enrolled version (09/01/26). The changes are primarily technical and presentational: the plain-text legislative document format was replaced with a web page layout including navigation elements, metadata, and status information. No substantive policy language was added or removed between these two versions.

TECHNICAL

The bill's presentation changed from a plain-text legislative document (with line numbers, page headers, and Legislative Counsel's Digest) to a web page format with navigation menus, search tools, version history, and status indicators.

Website metadata was added showing the bill's enrolled status (September 1, 2026), passage in Senate (August 26, 2026) and Assembly (August 27, 2026), and a list of all prior amendment versions.

08/13/26 - Amended Senate → 08/20/26 - Amended Senate · 7 edits · Aug 20, 2026

MODERATE

The August 20 Senate amendment to AB 2555 makes several substantive changes: it adds a mandatory reclassification deadline of January 31, 2027 for pupils who met the proficiency threshold in 2025-26 but were not reclassified; shifts responsibility for developing alternate assessment rubrics from the state department or any county office to specifically the Sacramento County Office of Education using existing Budget Act funding; changes the appropriation status from 'no' to 'yes'; and adds a coordination provision with SB 1412.

REQUIREMENT

A new deadline requires local educational agencies to reclassify as English proficient any pupil who met the proficiency threshold on the 2025-26 summative assessment but was not reclassified during that school year, with reclassification required on or before January 31, 2027.

The effective date of reclassification changed from 'the date the pupil demonstrated proficiency' to 'the day after the pupil demonstrated proficiency,' shifting the official reclassification date by one day.

FISCAL

Responsibility for developing rubrics and sample alternate pupil work shifted from the state department or any county office of education to specifically the Sacramento County Office of Education, which must use funding already appropriated in the Budget Act of 2026. The completed materials are submitted to the department (rather than posted by the developer) and the department posts them by June 30, 2028 instead of January 1, 2028.

The bill's appropriation status changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting that the bill now makes an appropriation by expanding the purposes for which previously appropriated funds may be used.

SCOPE

A new provision incorporates additional changes to Section 51101 proposed by SB 1412, operative only if both bills are enacted and AB 2555 is enacted last. The bill title now also references amending Section 51225.33.

DEFINITION

In the new Section 313, the list of sections constituting the state's standardized entry and exit procedures was updated to reference 'Sections 313.3 and 313.4, and subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 51225.33' instead of 'Sections 313.3, 313.4, and 313.8.'

TECHNICAL

The term 'Superintendent' was changed to 'Education Commissioner' in several places within the new Section 313, reflecting a title change for that office.

06/10/26 - Amended Senate → 08/13/26 - Amended Senate · 7 edits · Aug 13, 2026

MODERATE

The August 13 Senate amendment to AB 2555 makes several substantive changes to California's English learner reclassification system. Most significantly, it expands reclassification eligibility to include pupils who scored proficient in the 2025-26 school year (not just 2026-27), broadens the pathway for IEP pupils to be reclassified, adds an urgency clause so the bill takes effect immediately, and shifts the deadline for posting rubrics from June 30 to January 1, 2028.

ELIGIBILITY

Reclassification now applies to pupils who met the proficiency score in either the 2025-26 or 2026-27 school year, rather than only the 2026-27 school year. This means pupils who already scored proficient last year can be reclassified under the new single-criterion system.

For IEP pupils who do not take the statewide alternate assessment, the reclassification criterion was broadened from requiring a score one level below the threshold to allowing either a score one level below OR any score on the statewide alternate assessment. This gives more IEP pupils a path to reclassification.

REQUIREMENT

The IEP pupil reclassification provision is now conditioned on the availability of rubrics and sample alternate pupil work and performance tasks, meaning those materials must exist before districts can use this pathway.

TIMELINE

The deadline for posting completed rubrics and sample alternate pupil work changed from June 30 (year unspecified in old text) to January 1, 2028.

An urgency clause was added, declaring the bill takes effect immediately rather than on July 1. The required vote changed from a simple majority to two-thirds, as required for urgency statutes.

The parent and guardian right to meet with teachers to discuss their child's progress toward English proficiency now has an explicit start date of January 1, 2027.

SCOPE

The scope of the rubric development requirement was narrowed: it no longer limits the target population to IEP pupils who do not qualify for the statewide alternate assessment, but now covers all English learners with IEPs.

04/15/26 - Amended Assembly → 06/10/26 - Amended Senate · 8 edits · Jun 10, 2026

MODERATE

The Senate amendment to AB 2555 makes several substantive changes to California's English learner reclassification system. Most significantly, it adds a start date of the 2026-27 school year for automatic reclassification based on assessment scores, removes the May 30 annual deadline for the department to record reclassified pupils (replacing it with 'as scores become available' starting July 1, 2027), tightens the criteria for reclassifying IEP pupils by adding a requirement that they score one level below the proficiency threshold, and moves up the deadline for posting rubrics and alternate coursework from June 30, 2028 to January 1, 2028.

Scope change

The bill's scope is largely unchanged but its timeline was tightened: automatic reclassification now explicitly begins with the 2026-27 school year, and the deadline for developing alternate assessment tools for IEP pupils was moved up by six months to January 1, 2028.

TIMELINE

Added 'beginning with the 2026-27 school year' as the start date for automatic reclassification of English learners who meet the state board's score threshold on the English language proficiency assessment.

Removed the 'on or before May 30 of each year' deadline for the department to record reclassified pupils in the data system. Replaced with 'as those pupil scores become available,' commencing July 1, 2027.

Moved up the deadline for posting completed rubrics and sample alternate coursework from June 30, 2028 to January 1, 2028 - a six-month acceleration.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a new criterion (5) for IEP pupils who do not take the statewide alternate assessment: they must have scored an overall performance level one level below the level established by the state board for reclassification. Also clarified that the pupil must have received English language development instruction but not achieved the required proficiency level.

REQUIREMENT

Split the state board's monitoring duties into two parts: (1) means of monitoring reclassified pupils for 4 years after reclassification, and (2) an appropriate instrument for monitoring progress. Separately assigned to the department the duty to identify appropriate interventions for pupils needing additional English language support, with a deadline of January 1, 2028.

Simplified the post-reclassification monitoring standard from requiring that the pupil not fail to progress academically due to insufficient English proficiency to simply requiring that English proficiency is not a barrier to the pupil's academic success.

SCOPE

Expanded who may contract for development of rubrics and sample alternate coursework from 'the department' alone to 'the department or a county office of education.'

TECHNICAL

Added Assembly Members Bonta, Macedo, and Muratsuchi as coauthors. Changed 'established 50 years ago' to 'established nearly 50 years ago through amendments to the Chacon-Moscone Bilingual-Bicultural Education Act of 1976' in legislative findings for greater precision.

03/16/26 - Amended Assembly → 04/15/26 - Amended Assembly · 7 edits · Apr 15, 2026

MODERATE

The April 15 amendment to AB 2555 expands the bill's scope by adding a parent rights provision (amending Section 51101 of the Education Code), modifies the reclassification pathway for English learners with IEPs, adds a new legislative finding about the 226-day average delay in reclassification, and clarifies that eligibility for the alternate English language assessment does not require eligibility for the alternate performance assessment in ELA or math. The department's role in developing alternative coursework was changed to contracting for its development.

SCOPE

The bill now amends Section 51101 of the Education Code to give parents or guardians of English learners the right to meet with their child's teacher or teachers to discuss progress toward reaching English proficiency. This is a new state-mandated local program.

The bill now includes a provision to delete obsolete provisions from the Education Code, which was not present in the prior version.

ELIGIBILITY

The reclassification pathway for English learners with IEPs now requires that the pupil has 'received English language development instruction' (new requirement), changes 'test accommodations' to 'designated supports and accommodations,' references 'specified alternate coursework and performance tasks,' and delays the effective date to July 1, 2028.

REQUIREMENT

A new legislative finding states that on average it takes 226 days for a pupil who scores proficient in English to be reclassified, and many pupils score proficient for multiple years before being reclassified. This supports the bill's rationale for streamlining reclassification.

The department's annual data posting requirement now includes outcomes of reclassified pupils in addition to reclassification rates, and the scope was expanded to include charter schools explicitly.

DEFINITION

New subdivision (d)(2) of Section 313 clarifies that a pupil's eligibility to take the statewide alternate assessment for English language proficiency does not require a determination that the pupil is eligible to take the alternate performance assessment in English language arts or mathematics under Section 60640.

FISCAL

The department's obligation changed from directly developing alternative coursework and performance tasks to contracting for the development of rubrics and sample alternative coursework, with a separate requirement to post the completed materials on its website by June 30, 2028. The fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' indicating a state fiscal impact.

02/20/26 - Introduced → 03/16/26 - Amended Assembly · 12 edits · Mar 16, 2026

MAJOR

The amended version of AB 2555 dramatically expands the bill from a simple amendment to Section 313 into a comprehensive overhaul of California's English learner reclassification system. The core change replaces the current four-criteria reclassification standard (assessment score, teacher evaluation, parental opinion, and basic skills comparison) with a single criterion: meeting a state board-established score on the English language proficiency assessment. The amendment adds six new code sections covering parent communication, monitoring of reclassified pupils, public reporting of reclassification rates, alternative pathways for students with IEPs, and a legislative evaluation requirement.

REQUIREMENT

Replaces the four-criteria reclassification system (assessment, teacher evaluation, parental opinion, basic skills comparison) with a single criterion: meeting the state board-established score on the English language proficiency assessment or the statewide alternate assessment. This takes effect July 1, 2027.

New Section 313.3 requires schools to communicate to parents in a clear, concise, and comprehensible manner (translated if applicable) that their child is classified as an English learner, about California's vision for EL success, the annual assessment, and that reclassification is a step toward biliteracy and the State Seal of Biliteracy.

New Section 313.6 requires local educational agencies to monitor reclassified pupils for four years to ensure they do not fail to progress academically due to insufficient English proficiency, that academic deficits are remedied, and that the pupil is meaningfully participating in standard instruction. The state board must identify monitoring instruments and interventions by January 1, 2028.

Section 313.3 (renumbered to 314) is modified so the standardized English language teacher observation protocol is now designed for formative assessment of English learners and monitoring reclassified pupils, rather than serving as a required component of the multi-criteria reclassification decision.

ELIGIBILITY

New Section 313.4(c) creates an alternative reclassification pathway for English learners with IEPs who do not take the statewide alternate assessment: if they have used all accommodations and domain exemptions required by their IEP, failed to meet the score threshold, and demonstrate comparable proficiency through alternative coursework and performance tasks, the local educational agency may report them as reclassified.

ENFORCEMENT

New Section 313.7 requires the department to annually post on its website (starting 2027-28 school year) the reclassification rates of each school district, county office of education, and charter school, plus statewide rates disaggregated by grade, disability status, and the 10 most commonly spoken home languages.

FISCAL

New Section 313.8 requires the department to develop and post alternative coursework and performance tasks by June 30, 2028 for ELs with IEPs who do not qualify for the alternate assessment, subject to an appropriation in the Budget Act or another statute.

New Section 313.9 requires the department to contract for a comprehensive evaluation of the effects of the reclassification changes, to be completed and sent to legislative committees by January 1, 2032, subject to an appropriation.

SCOPE

The bill's scope expands from amending only Section 313 to amending and renumbering Section 313.3 (to 314), repealing and replacing Section 313, and adding Sections 313.3, 313.4, 313.6, 313.7, 313.8, and 313.9 to the Education Code.

TIMELINE

The old Section 313 becomes inoperative on July 1, 2027 and is repealed as of January 1, 2028. The new Section 313 (streamlined assessment requirements without multi-criteria reclassification) becomes operative on July 1, 2027.

TECHNICAL

The bill's fiscal notes change: state-mandated local program changes from 'no' to 'yes,' and fiscal committee review changes from 'no' to 'yes.' A new Section 11 adds state mandate reimbursement language under the Government Code.

DEFINITION

New Section 313.4(b)(2)(C) establishes that once a pupil is reclassified as English proficient, the pupil shall not be classified as an English learner (a one-way door provision).

Floor votes · Senate Aug 26, 2026 · Assembly May 26, 2026

How they voted

40–0

Passed

Total votes 40

Aug 26, 2026

D Democratic30

30 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican10

10 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Aug 27, 2026

Lower · Passed

Urgency clause adopted. Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 77. Noes 0.).

lower

Aug 27, 2026

Introduced

In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.

lower

Aug 26, 2026

Senate · Passed

Senate Vote: pass (40-0)

senate

Aug 26, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time. Urgency clause adopted. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).

upper

Aug 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

upper

Aug 13, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.

upper

Aug 13, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).

upper

Aug 3, 2026

Committee

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.

upper

Jun 25, 2026

Upper · Passed

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (June 24). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

upper

Jun 10, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on ED.

upper

Jun 10, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on ED.

upper

May 26, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 78. Noes 0.)

lower

May 14, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 14).

lower

May 13, 2026

Committee

In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to APPR. suspense file.

lower

May 6, 2026

Lower · Passed

In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.

lower

Apr 16, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 15, 2026

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 14, 2026

Introduced

From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 9. Noes 0.) (April 8).

lower

Mar 17, 2026

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on ED.

lower

Mar 16, 2026

Introduced

From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ED. Read second time and amended.

lower

Mar 9, 2026

Committee

Referred to Com. on ED.

lower

Feb 21, 2026

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.

lower

1 primary · 8 co-sponsors