AB 860 California Assembly · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Local control and accountability plans: technical assistance: county superintendent of schools' recommendations.

Summary

Existing law requires school districts, county superintendents of schools, and charter schools to adopt and update a local control and accountability plan (LCAP) using a template adopted by the State Board of Education that requires an LCAP to include certain information, including, among other information, (1) a description of the annual goals to be achieved for specified state priorities, including, among others, pupil achievement and pupil outcomes, (2) a description of the specific actions that the local educational agency will take during each year of the LCAP to achieve these goals, and (3) an assessment of the effectiveness of the specific actions described in the existing LCAP toward achieving the goals, as provided. Existing law requires a school district, not later than 5 days after adoption of an LCAP or annual update to an LCAP, to file the LCAP or annual update to the LCAP with the county superintendent of schools. Existing law authorizes the county superintendent of schools to seek clarification regarding the LCAP or update to the LCAP and to submit recommendations for amendments to the school district regarding the LCAP or update to the LCAP. Existing law requires the governing board of the school district to consider the recommendations submitted by the county superintendent of schools, as specified. This bill would, for school districts that have been identified for certain technical assistance, instead require the county superintendent of schools to submit recommendations, in writing, for amendments to the LCAP or annual update to the LCAP. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies and officials, the bill would impose a state-mandated local 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.

Bill status failed 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Feb 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Feb 19, 2025 Last action Feb 2, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

04/21/25 - Amended Assembly → AB860 · 2 edits

MINOR

This diff represents a formatting and presentation change rather than a substantive policy change. The bill text of AB 860 (amending Education Code Section 52070) is substantively identical between versions; the changes reflect a transition from a formatted legislative document layout to a web-based rendering, including removal of page headers/footers and addition of website navigation elements. A minor rewording in the Legislative Counsel's Digest shifts emphasis from the governing board's obligation to include recommended amendments to the county superintendent's duty to submit written recommendations, but the underlying statutory language is unchanged.

TECHNICAL

The Legislative Counsel's Digest was reworded: the old version emphasized that the bill would require the governing board of a school district identified for technical assistance to include the county superintendent's recommended amendments in its LCAP and that the superintendent would approve if included. The new version emphasizes that the bill would require the county superintendent to submit recommendations in writing for districts identified for technical assistance. The actual statutory text is unchanged.

Formatting changes throughout: removal of printed document layout elements (page numbers, line numbers, page headers/footers) and addition of web navigation elements (skip to content, home, accessibility, FAQ, search boxes, bill tracking links). No substantive policy language was altered.

02/19/25 - Introduced → 03/24/25 - Amended Assembly · 6 edits · Mar 24, 2025

MODERATE

AB 860 was dramatically expanded from a simple statement of legislative intent into operative law amending Section 52070 of the Education Code. The amended bill establishes detailed procedures for county superintendents of schools to review, recommend changes to, and approve school district LCAPs, with a critical new requirement that districts identified for technical assistance must include the county superintendent's recommended amendments in their plans. This gives county superintendents significantly more enforcement power over underperforming districts.

Scope change

The bill expanded from a non-operative statement of legislative intent into operative law with binding requirements on school districts and county superintendents, creating a state-mandated local program with fiscal implications.

SCOPE

The bill now amends Section 52070 of the Education Code with detailed operative provisions, rather than merely stating legislative intent to enact future legislation.

REQUIREMENT

School districts identified for technical assistance under Section 52071 are now REQUIRED to include the county superintendent's recommended amendments in their LCAP or annual update. Districts not identified for technical assistance only need to consider recommendations in a public meeting.

Districts meeting criteria of Section 52071 or 52072 must include both actions implementing technical assistance work for improving outcomes of identified pupil groups AND the county superintendent's recommended amendments in their LCAP.

ENFORCEMENT

County superintendents of schools must approve a district's LCAP by October 8 if specified conditions are met, including that the plan adheres to the state board template, the budget is sufficient to implement actions, and expenditure requirements for unduplicated pupil funds are met.

TIMELINE

New deadlines established: districts must file LCAPs within 5 days of adoption; county superintendents may seek clarification by August 15; districts must respond to clarification requests within 15 days; recommendations must be submitted within 15 days of receiving the response; approval is due by October 8.

FISCAL

A state mandate reimbursement provision was added (new Section 2), and the bill's fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes' and state-mandated local program changed from 'no' to 'yes', reflecting that the new requirements impose costs on local agencies.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Feb 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.

lower

May 23, 2025

Lower · Passed

In committee: Held under submission.

lower

Apr 30, 2025

Committee

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

lower

Apr 22, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

lower

Apr 21, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read second time and amended.

lower

Apr 10, 2025

Introduced

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

lower

Mar 25, 2025

Committee

Re-referred to Com. on ED.

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Introduced

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

lower

Mar 24, 2025

Committee

Referred to Com. on ED.

lower

Feb 20, 2025

Lower · Passed

From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors