The California State Legislature is busy this summer considering dozens of proposed education bills that could affect everything from charter schools and education funding, to how campuses can best prepare students for college and careers.
OCDE Newsroom has compiled a digest of a few of these bills. We will try to update this list, or write more in-depth posts on specific bills, in coming weeks as these bills make their way through the capital.
Assembly Bill 406, for-profit charter school operators: This bill, on and after July 1, 2019, would prohibit a charter petition for the establishment of a charter school or the renewal of a charter school that’s operated by a for-profit corporation, a for-profit educational management organization, or a for-profit charter management organization.
AB 1951, high school assessment: This bill would require the state Superintendent of Public Instruction to approve a nationally recognized high school assessment that local districts, at their own discretion, can administer beginning in the 2020-21 school year in lieu of the 11th grade Smarter Balanced Assessments currently required for public schools. Other states already use the SAT or ACT as their default state exam for high school students.
AB 1248, students wearing religious, ceremonial, or cultural adornments at school graduation ceremonies: This bill would declare that a student has the right to wear religious, ceremonial, or cultural adornments, as defined, at school graduation ceremonies. The bill would also declare that nothing in its provisions would limit a school or district from prohibiting an item that is likely to cause a substantial disruption of, or interference with, the ceremony.
AB 1747, school safety plans: This would provide that every K-12 public school develop a comprehensive school safety plan, and that all school staff be trained on this plan.
AB 1798, school bus seat belts: This bill would require that, on or before July 1, 2035, all school buses in use in California be equipped with a passenger restraint system. Because a violation of the bill’s requirements would be a crime, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
AB 1868, sexual health and social media: This bill would authorize a school district to provide optional instruction, as part of comprehensive sexual health education and HIV prevention education, regarding the potential risks and consequences of creating and sharing sexually suggestive or sexually explicit materials through cell phones, social networking sites, computer networks, or other digital media.
AB 2979, seal of Career Technical Education Pathway Completion: This bill would establish a State Seal of Career Technical Education Pathway Completion to recognize high school graduates who have attained a high level of knowledge and proficiency in career technical education pathways.