CA SB 373

Title: Special education: nonpublic, nonsectarian schools or agencies.
Author: Susan Rubio

Summary
SB 373, as amended, Grove. Special education: nonpublic, nonsectarian schools or agencies. (1) Existing law requires local educational agencies to identify, locate, and assess individuals with exceptional needs and to provide those pupils with a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment, with special education and related services as reflected in an individualized education program. Existing law requires, in accordance with specified federal laws, parents to be given a copy of their rights and procedural safeguards, as specified.This bill would require pupils to also be given a copy of their rights and procedural safeguards and would require both parents and pupils to be given information on how to contact the State Department of Education’s Equitable Services Ombudsman. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.(2) Existing law permits, under certain circumstances, contracts to be entered into for the provision of special education and related services by nonpublic, nonsectarian schools or agencies, as defined. Existing law authorizes a master contract for special education and related services provided by a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency only if the school or agency has been certified by the Superintendent of Public Instruction as meeting specified standards. Existing law requires, before certification, the Superintendent to conduct an onsite review of the facility and program for which the applicant seeks certification, as specified.This bill, commencing with the 2026–27 school year, would require the Superintendent, before certifying a nonpublic, nonsectarian school, to take additional actions, including, among other things, to review policies on restraint and seclusion to evaluate consistency with California laws and to interview pupils with an individualized education program to discuss progress and address any concerns respecting any limitations due to the pupil’s disability, as specified. The bill would require the Superintendent, by July 1, 2026, to develop a tool for purposes of the interviews, as provided, and would require the tool to be made available to local educational agencies for their own use, which the bill would authorize.Existing law requires a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency that seeks certification to file an application with the Superintendent on forms provided by the department, and to include specified information on the application.This bill would add assurances of compliance with specified laws relating to behavioral interventions to be included in that required information on the application.Existing law requires, commencing with the 2020–21 school year, a local educational agency that enters into a master contract with a nonpublic, nonsectarian school to conduct at least one onsite monitoring visit during each school year to the nonpublic, nonsectarian school at which the local educational agency has a pupil attending and with which it maintains a master contract. Existing law requires the monitoring visit to include, among other things, an observation of the pupil during instruction and a walkthrough of the facility. Existing law requires the local educational agency to report the findings resulting from the monitoring visit to the department within 60 calendar days of the onsite visit. Existing law requires, before June 30, 2020, the department to, with input from special education local plan area administrators, create and publish criteria for reporting this information to the department.This bill would require the monitoring visit to include an in-person interview with the pupil, in a manner consistent with their individualized education program, to evaluate their health and safety. The bill would require the local educational agency to report the findings resulting from the monitoring visit to the department using a specified form developed and published by the department o

Status
Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

Bill Documents
CA SB 373 - 07/17/25 - Amended Assembly
07/17/25 - CA SB 373 (07/17/25 - Amended Assembly)