Existing law prohibits a school district from permitting access to pupil records to a person without written parental consent or under judicial order except as authorized by law. Existing law requires access to those particular records relevant to the legitimate educational interests of the pupil to, among other individuals, a pupil 14 years of age or older who is both a homeless child or youth, as defined, and an unaccompanied youth, as defined. This bill would additionally require access to those particular records relevant to the legitimate educational interests of the pupil to a pupil 14 years of age or older who is a foster youth, as defined. To the extent the bill would impose additional duties on school districts related to pupil record requests, 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. This bill would incorporate additional changes to Section 49076 of the Education Code proposed by AB 2478 to be operative only if this bill and AB 2478 are enacted and this bill is enacted last.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, the California State University, under the administration of the Trustees of the California State University, and the University of California, under the administration of the Regents of the University of California, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. Existing law, the NextUp program, authorizes the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to enter into agreements with community college districts to provide, and allocate to selected community colleges within a community college district, funds for services in support of postsecondary education for foster youth. Existing law requires a student participant in the program to be a current or former foster youth whose dependency was established or continued by a court on or after the youth's 13th birthday and who is no older than 25 years of age at the commencement of the academic year in which the student first enrolls in the program. Existing law requires the California State University and each community college district, and requests the University of California, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, to grant priority in that system to, among others, foster youth and former foster youth whose dependency was established or continued by a court on or after the youth's 13th birthday and who is no older than 25 years of age at the commencement of the academic year. This bill would extend the requirement and request for priority enrollment to current or former foster youth whose dependency was established or continued by a court on or after the youth's 13th birthday and who is older than 25 years of age so long as they are enrolled in the NextUp program. Existing law requests campuses of the California Community Colleges, requires campuses of the California State University, and, subject to the Regents of the University of California's agreement by resolution, requires University of California campuses, that maintain student housing facilities, to: (1) give priority for student housing to current and former foster youth and current and former homeless youth, and (2) as to campuses that maintain student housing facilities open for occupation during school breaks, or on a year-round basis, give first priority to current and former foster youth and current and former homeless youth for residence in housing facilities that are open for uninterrupted year-round occupation and next give priority to current and former foster youth and current and former homeless youth for housing that is open for occupation during the most days in the calendar year. This bill would require, instead of request, campuses of the California Community Colleges to give this priority for student housing to current and former foster youth and current and former homeless youth. The bill would require campuses of the California Community Colleges and campuses of the California State University, and, subject to the Regents of the University of California's agreement by resolution, require University of California campuses, that maintain student housing facilities, to, among other things: (1) include, in their student housing applications, questions designed to identify students who may be eligible for priority student housing as current and former foster youth and current and former homeless youth, (2) defer or waive the collection of housing-related costs, as defined, for those students granted this priority, and (3) post on its internet website information describing priority housing benefits and the eligibility criteria for those benefits, as specified. By adding to the duties of community colleges that maintain student housing facilities, this 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.
Existing law prescribes a calculation to annually apportion funding to special education local plan areas for each pupil with low-incidence disabilities, defined to include pupils with hearing impairments, vision impairments, and severe orthopedic impairments, or any combination thereof, in accordance with a per-pupil entitlement based on the number of pupils with low-incidence disabilities reported in the prior fiscal year. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to apportion these funds to special education local plan areas for purposes of providing special education and related services as required under the individualized education program for each pupil with low-incidence disabilities. This bill would, contingent upon an appropriation for its purposes, (1) require the per-pupil entitlement to also be based on the number of pupils eligible to take specified alternative assessments and (2) require the Superintendent to apportion these funds to special education local plan areas for purposes of also providing special education and related services as required under the individualized education program for each pupil who is eligible to take those alternative assessments.
(1) Existing law, the Local Agency Public Construction Act, authorizes job order contracting, as defined, for school districts until January 1, 2027. Existing law requires job order contractors to submit a questionnaire to the school district containing specified information verified under oath, under penalty of perjury. This bill would extend the termination date for these provisions until January 1, 2037. Existing law authorizes a school district to utilize job order contracting only if the school district has entered into a project labor agreement or agreements that will apply to all public works awarded through job order contracting and to all other public works of the school district that exceed a monetary threshold set by the school district until January 1, 2027, regardless of what contracting procedure is used to award that work. This bill would extend the termination date for these provisions until January 1, 2037. The bill would also prohibit job order contracting by a school district if the district finds, based on criteria and methodology established by the school district, that it will increase the total cost of the project without sufficient documented justification. Existing law requires a school district to prepare an execution plan for all modernization projects that may be eligible for job order contracting. Existing law requires the school district to select from that plan a sufficient number of projects to be initiated as job order contracts during each calendar year and to determine for each selected project that job order contracting will reduce the total cost of that project, as specified. This bill would delete the above provisions. Existing law requires school districts adopting job order contracting to, among other things, prepare an independent estimate for each individual job order developed under a job order contract. The estimate must be prepared prior to the receipt of the contractor's offer to perform work and must be compared to the contractor's proposed price to determine the reasonableness of that price before the issuance of any job order. This bill, instead, would require that the school district's estimate be prepared prior to the receipt of the contractor's proposal. The bill would delete the requirement for the school district to compare its estimate to the contractor's proposed price, as described. Existing law also authorizes job order contracting for community college districts until January 1, 2027. Existing law requires job order contractors to submit a questionnaire to the community college district containing specified information verified under oath, under penalty of perjury. This bill would extend the termination date for these provisions until January 1, 2037. Existing law authorizes a community college district to utilize job order contracting only if the community college district has entered into a project labor agreement or agreements that will apply to all public works awarded through job order contracting and to all other public works of the district that exceed a monetary threshold set by the district until January 1, 2027, regardless of what contracting procedure is used to award that work. This bill would extend the termination date for these provisions until January 1, 2037. By extending the operation of those provisions that expand the crime of perjury, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (2) Existing law authorizes continuing contracts for a school district to be made with an accepted vendor for work or services, or for apparatus or equipment, not to exceed 5 years, or for materials or supplies, not to exceed 3 years. This bill would prohibit the duration of any task order procurement contract or job order contract issued pursuant to specified Public Contract Code provisions from exceeding 5 years. The bill would additionally provide that any individual task order or job order issued pursuant to those contracts shall remain valid and enforceable despite the expiration of the term of the task order procurement contract or job order contract pursuant to which the individual task order or job order was validly issued. 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 no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.
Existing law authorizes the Department of Parks and Recreation to collect fees, rents, and other returns for the use of any state park system area, as provided. Existing law authorizes the department to establish the California State Park Adventure Pass to be available, upon application to the department, to any child in grade 4, or grade 4 equivalent, who is a California resident and enrolled in a California public school. Existing law authorizes the department to waive the day use entrance fees to an eligible unit of the state park system for any child who holds a valid pass, as provided. The bill would declare, among other things, that it is the policy of the state to ensure equitable and inclusive access to the state park system by empowering the department to administer programs that broaden public access to the state parks. The bill would authorize the department to work with the California State Library and individual library systems to provide park passes.
Existing law establishes the University of California, administered by the Regents of the University of California, the California State University, administered by the Trustees of the California State University, and the California Community Colleges, administered by the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as the 3 segments of public postsecondary education in the state. The Donahoe Higher Education Act prohibits the campuses of those segments from charging mandatory systemwide tuition or fees to specified students who apply for a waiver, including a child of any veteran of the United States military who has a service-connected disability, has been killed in service, or has died of a service-connected disability, an undergraduate student who is a recipient of a Medal of Honor, or an undergraduate student who is a child of a recipient of a Medal of Honor and who is no more than 27 years of age, if certain requirements are satisfied. This bill would require the California State University and each community college district, and would request the University of California, with respect to each campus in their respective jurisdictions that administers a priority enrollment system, commencing with the 2028–29 academic year, to grant priority for registration for enrollment to (1) a student who receives a fee waiver pursuant to the above-described provisions, and (2) a student who is using any federal GI Bill benefits. By requiring students to receive priority registration at community college districts, 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.
Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state, under the administration of community college district governing boards, and authorizes these districts to provide instruction at the community college campuses they operate. Existing law establishes a statewide baccalaureate degree program that authorizes up to a total of 30 baccalaureate degree programs at community college districts to be approved per academic year, as provided. This bill would require the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges to develop a Baccalaureate Degree in Nursing Pilot Program that authorizes select community college districts to offer a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree. The bill would limit the pilot program to 10 community college districts statewide and would require the chancellor's office to identify and select eligible community college districts based on specified criteria. The bill would require the chancellor's office to develop a process designed to assist community college districts with nursing programs that are applying for national accreditation for the purpose of qualifying for the pilot program, as provided. The bill would require each participating community college district to give priority registration for enrollment in the pilot program to students with an associate degree in nursing from that community college district. The bill would require the Legislative Analyst's Office to conduct an evaluation of the pilot program to determine the effectiveness of the program and the need to continue or expand the program, as specified, to be submitted to the Legislature on or before July 1, 2034. The bill would repeal these provisions as of January 1, 2036.
(1) The Equity in Higher Education Act states the policy of the state to afford all persons, 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 postsecondary educational institutions of the state. For purposes of the act, existing law defines "gender" as sex, including a person's gender identity and gender-related appearance and behavior, whether or not stereotypically associated with the person's assigned sex at birth. This bill would explicitly add ancestry, national origin, medical condition, marital status, familial status, citizenship, and primary language to the list of specified characteristics for purposes of that policy. The bill would also expand the definition of "gender" for purposes of the act to include pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions. (2) The Equity in Higher Education Act prohibits a postsecondary educational institution from requiring a graduate student to take a leave of absence, withdraw from the graduate program, or limit their graduate studies solely due to pregnancy or pregnancy-related issues. The act requires a postsecondary educational institution to reasonably accommodate pregnant graduate students, as specified, so that they may complete their graduate courses of study and research, including by allowing graduate students to take a leave of absence, as specified. This bill would, commencing September 1, 2027, prohibit a postsecondary educational institution from discriminating against a student or applicant based on the actual or potential familial status or marital status of the student or applicant, or based on the student's or applicant's pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, including by prohibiting the institution from requiring a student to take a leave of absence or withdraw from an educational or extracurricular program or activity, and prohibiting the institution from limiting the student's undergraduate or graduate program. The bill would require a postsecondary educational institution to provide reasonable accommodations to an institutional program for a student, including an undergraduate student, experiencing pregnancy or a pregnancy-related condition to ensure the student's equal access to the institution's educational programs and activities, as provided. This bill would, commencing September 1, 2027, require a postsecondary educational institution to designate at least one employee to coordinate its efforts to comply with and carry out its responsibilities under these provisions, as specified, and require certain employees, upon being directly informed by a student of the student's pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, to inform the student of their right to receive reasonable accommodations to maintain access to the educational program and provide the student with the contact information for the designated employee or employees. (3) The Equity in Higher Education Act allows a graduate student who is pregnant or has recently given birth to take a leave of absence for a period consistent with the policies of the postsecondary educational institution, or a period of 12 months, whichever is longer, and have an extension of at least 12 months toward normative time to degree while in candidacy for a graduate degree, unless a longer extension is medically necessary, as specified. The act also allows a graduate student who is not the birth parent to take a leave of absence for a period consistent with the policies of the postsecondary educational institution, or a period of one month, whichever is longer, and have an extension of at least one month toward normative time to degree while in candidacy for a graduate degree, unless a longer extension is medically necessary to care for the student's partner or child, as specified. This bill would, commencing September 1, 2027, also allow any undergraduate student who is pregnant or has recently given birth or who is not the birth parent to take the above-described leave of absence and have an extension toward normative time to degree or certificate, as specified. (4) The Equity in Higher Education Act requires a postsecondary educational institution to have a written policy for graduate students on pregnancy discrimination and procedures for addressing pregnancy discrimination complaints, as specified. Existing law requires a copy of the policy to be made available to all graduate students attending orientation sessions at a postsecondary educational institution. Existing law requires a public postsecondary institution to post on the institution's internet website, and to provide through on-campus medical centers, notice of protections provided under Title IX, as specified. This bill would, commencing September 1, 2027, require a postsecondary educational institution to revise that policy to include undergraduate students, and require a copy of the revised policy to be made available to all students attending orientation sessions. The bill would also require a postsecondary educational institution to post on the institution's internet website, and provide through on-campus medical centers, notice of the protections provided by these provisions. This bill would require the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, on or before July 1, 2027, to adopt regulations for a systemwide policy that include the requirements of these provisions and best practices for implementing those requirements. The bill would require the governing board of each community college district, on or before September 1, 2027, to adopt those regulations, as provided. (5) By imposing additional duties on community college districts, this 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.
Existing federal law, known as Title IX, prohibits a person, on the basis of sex, from being excluded from participation in, being denied the benefits of, or being subject to discrimination, which includes sexual harassment, under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Existing law requires, no later than January 1, 2022, except as specified, the governing board or body of a postsecondary educational institution that receives state financial assistance to provide students with procedural protections relating to complaints of sexual harassment, including the requirement to adopt and publish on its internet website grievance procedures providing for the prompt and equitable resolution of sexual harassment complaints filed by a student against an employee or another student. Existing law requires that the grievance procedures afford both student parties the opportunity to each have a support person or adviser accompany the student party during any stage of the process. This bill would instead require that the grievance procedures afford each student party the opportunity to have a support person and an advisor of their choice accompany the student party during any stage of the process, as specified. The bill would also require the governing board or body of a postsecondary educational institution that receives state financial assistance and state student financial aid to allow each complainant or respondent of a sexual harassment complaint to have a support person, in addition to an advisor, accompany the parties of a sexual harassment complaint during the grievance procedures that provide for the prompt and equitable resolution of sexual harassment complaints pursuant to the above-described procedural protections for students or Title IX, as specified. By imposing new duties on community college districts, 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.
(1) Existing law establishes a single system for providing support to local educational agencies and schools and for specified federal educational programs. Existing law provides that the purpose of the statewide system of support is to build the capacity of local educational agencies, as specified. Existing law requires the State Department of Education and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence to establish a process, administered by the department, to select, subject to approval by the executive director of the State Board of Education, an expert lead agency based on specific expertise in an area of need to conduct activities and build statewide capacity to address that area of need within the statewide system of support, as well as geographic lead agencies for other specified purposes, as provided. This bill would require the department and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, through contracts or memoranda of understanding with one or 2 county offices of education, to administer the Supporting Inclusive Practices project. The bill would provide that the purposes of the project are, among others, to improve pupil outcomes by increasing opportunities for pupils with disabilities to access education in general education settings, as provided, and to support the educator workforce to serve pupils with disabilities. The bill would require the collaborative, as part of the project, to administer the universal support components, including providing technical assistance to local educational agencies and charter schools focused on supporting evidence-based practices to increase access by pupils with disabilities to education in general education settings. The bill would require the department, as part of the project, to administer the direct support components by deploying targeted technical assistance to support local educational agencies and charter schools, as provided. The bill would require the department and the collaborative to coordinate their respective components, including a shared referral process by which local educational agencies and charter schools receiving assistance from the collaborative may be referred to the department for direct support, as provided. (2) Existing law appropriates $15,000,000 from the General Fund to the State Department of Education for allocation to the Riverside County Office of Education and the El Dorado County Office of Education in equal amounts in support of the Supporting Inclusive Practices project, as provided. Existing law also appropriates, for the 2026–27 fiscal year, $30,000,000 from the General Fund to the department for allocation to the Riverside County Office of Education and the El Dorado County Office of Education in equal amounts in support of the Supporting Inclusive Practices project, as provided. Existing law requires the Riverside County Office of Education and the El Dorado County Office of Education to submit an expenditure plan to the State Department of Education on or before August 1 of each year that funding is made available, and requires the Supporting Inclusive Practices project to submit a report to the Superintendent of Public Instruction on or before June 30 of each year until the appropriated funds have been fully expended, as provided. This bill would revise those provisions by (A) instead appropriating the $30,000,000 to the department for allocation to the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence for allocation to only the El Dorado County Office of Education for the purposes of implementing the requirements described above in paragraph (1) on behalf of the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence and (B) limiting those expenditure plan and reporting requirements only for purposes of the $15,000,000 appropriation. By changing the terms of a previous appropriation, the bill would make an appropriation.
