2026 Advocacy
State Legislative Advocacy 2026
ACOE engages in state-level legislative advocacy for education policies that support its students and stakeholders.
ACOE has also taken advocacy positions on other bills introduced this legislative session consistent with the Policy Platform developed by ACOE's Policy Committee.
Enhance Learning Supports
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POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require CDE to create a registry where LEAs would be authorized, but not required, to list CTE equipment they are selling for purchase by other LEAs. Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would allow LEAs to deem a student who successfully completes a course or series of courses in an apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship program to have fulfilled the visual/performing arts, world language, or CTE course requirement if the program meets specified requirements. Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would create and coordinate apprenticeships for in- and out-of-school (opportunity) youth (16-24), identify a process for approving industry pathways for pre-apprenticeships and apprenticeship programs for students in high school, college, and adult education programs, provide paid training opportunities and support services to opportunity youth, establish a streamlined youth apprenticeship data system, and identify county and regional intermediaries, including COEs, to provide implementation support to LEAs and employers. Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would specify that a signature required by the Child Care and Development Services Act may be satisfied by use of an electronic signature in compliance with the UETA. The bill would authorize documents with an electronic signature to be created and stored in an electronic format in compliance with the UETA, and would authorize the department to adopt regulations to implement these provisions. Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
Current law allows unacompanied unhoused youth to access their own school records at 14 years old without consent from a parent or guardian. This bill would allow foster youth to also access their own pupil records at 14 years old without consent of a parent or guardian. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill establishes three-year pilot for technical assistance designed to enhance equity and inclusion within CTE pathways. The bill mandates the Superintendent of Public Instruction to designate a lead COE within six months to administer the program, supported by a $4 million General Fund appropriation. This lead COE must develop scalable inclusive models and toolkits, provide intensive technical assistance to two selected pilot regions, and prioritize COEs with high percentages of underserved students. The lead COE must provide services starting the following fiscal year and submit annual progress reports to the Governor and Legislature throughout the pilot's duration. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) and Director of State Board of Education to devise a new funding formula to ensure all funds appropriated to the California Career Technical Education Incentive Program are allocated to applicants in that fiscal year Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SPONSOR
This bill adds a requirement for LEAs to designate a transition liaison for court school students, mirroring the existing requirement for COE to designate a liason, to facilitate improved cooperation on pre existing statutory requirements including expeditious reenrollment, transfer of records, and transfer of credits. This bill would also place a 20 day limit on the assignment of credits and partial credits for delineated student groups including, but not limited to, court school students. Sponsor Letter Sponsor Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would delete the prohibition against an applicant being awarded more than the amount determined by the allocation formula and would require that grantees in a prior fiscal year receive a renewal grant for 3 additional years. The bill would also require, beginning in FY 2026–27 , up to 90% of the grants awarded pursuant to the program to be designated for renewal grants and up to 10% to be designated for grants for new applicants, unless otherwise determined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: OPPOSE
This bill would require CDE by 1/1/30 to build a database of all special education related complaints against school districts for which there is an investigation report. The bill will require investigation reports posted on the database include the summary of allegations, applicable citations, findings of fact, conclusions, and required corrective actions. Parents would be required to "opt in" to have their report entered into the database before the report is posted. This information on the database would be available to the public but all personally identifyable information would be redacted. Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require CCAP agreement protocols to no longer require students to submit a principal recommendation and authorize students to complete one application as a special part-time student CCAP participant. It would also eliminate the limit on the amount of courses a CCAP participant can take per term and require CCAP partners to annually report the total number of students who completed 12 or more units of college work, completed a certificate, or completed courses required for an associate's degree. Link to Bill Letter 1 Letter 2 -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require a city or county, upon the next update of 2 or more of the elements included in the general plan on or after January 1, 2028, to review and update the land use, circulation, housing, safety, and environmental justice elements, and any other element to address the childcare needs of the jurisdiction. The bill would also require the elements to be reviewed and updated to reflect the goal of ensuring every family has access to quality, convenient, safe, and affordable childcare. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would establish the statewide Early Childhood Integrated Data System under the State Department of Social Services. The purpose of the system would be to, among other things, link data across programs serving children from birth to five years of age.
The bill would also require the department to establish the Interagency Early Childhood Data Task force to coordinate efforts on development and implementation of the system, as specified, and would require the task force to annually submit a report to the Legislature on the progress in developing, establishing, and operating the data system. Finally, the bill would require the department to establish memoranda of understanding for data sharing with specified state entities, and would require the department to collect specified data.Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require local educational agencies, for purposes of offering access to expanded learning opportunity programs pursuant to those provisions, to prioritize offering access to unduplicated pupils. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would encourage LEAs to integrate outdoor learning into standards-aligned instruction across subject areas and authorize them to describe in LCAP how outdoor learning will support pupil engagement, environmental literacy, etc. It would establish the Statewide Outdoor Learning Pilot Program for 3 years to build statewide evidence and award six pilot LEAs across the state partnering with community-based outdoor learning providers. It would require the SPI to 1) develop and publish statewide guidance on outdoor learning (best practices, safety/risk management, equitable access, partnership strategies, etc.) after consulting with COEs, educators, tribal partners, environmental experts, and others by July 2028 and 2) publish a final report by Dec 31 of final year of pilot Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require the governing board of each school district and the governing body of each charter school maintaining any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, to ensure that all pupils in those grades, and their parents or guardians, receive, on or before October 1 of each year, a written notice of the advanced academic programs available to pupils Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require the Instructional Quality Commission to consider incorporating cybersecurity skills into the state’s computer science content standards when they are next revised after January 1, 2027 Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2027, to designate a Dual Language Immersion Coordinator to provide coordination between local educational agencies, as defined, to share resources and knowledge on dual language immersion programs, Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would expand the California Serves Program to promote access to effective service learning for student 6-12 enrolled at participating LEAs
Require CDE in partnership with CAVolunteers to review available evidence on ways to incorporate effective service learning for 6-12 and provide recommendations to Legislature on evidence-based strategies to expand access to high-quality service learning programs by Jan 2028Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would authorize LEAs to pool allocated funds on condition that expenditures for each schoolsite are in proportion to the allocation of each schoolsite and in compliance with expenditure plan adopted by principal or program director. The bill would require LEAs as part of annual certification to include calculations that compare existing funds available for arts education programs to current year expenditures for arts education. This bill would also establishe a mathematical formula to ensure that LEAs are using Prop 28 funding to supplement arts education programs rather than supplanting existing budgets. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would:
1) Effective date: Make changes to English learner (EL) reclassification system, effective for the 2027-28 school year. (Sec. 2, Sec. 3)
2) Reclassification criteria: Repeals existing reclassification criteria and makes the ELPAC score the sole criterion for reclassification. (Sec. 6) Reframes the OPTEL as for use in formative assessment and monitoring (Sec. 4), and adds parent
engagement at initial classification and at reclassification. (Sec. 5, Sec. 6)
3) Automatic reclassification: Eliminates local workload for reclassification by instituting an automatic process at the state level when a student achieves the ELPAC score required for reclassification. (Sec. 6)
4) Reclassification of dually identified students: For ELs with disabilities who are 1) not qualified to take the Alternate ELPAC, 2) have used all accommodations and any domain exemptions required by their IEP, and 3) fail to achieve the score on the
ELPAC necessary for reclassification, permits them to reclassify by showing proficiency in one or more of the domains of the ELPAC through alternate coursework and performance tasks (known as alternate means). Requires, subject to an appropriation, the CDE to contract for the development of the alternate means. (Sec. 6)
5) Parent engagement: Establishes parent engagement requirement when a student is initially classified as an English learner, which emphasizes the EL Roadmap’s vision for EL student success, explains their child’s entitlement to instruction in English, explains the reclassification process, and emphasizes that reclassification can be seen as a milestone on the path to biliteracy and the State Seal of Biliteracy. (Sec. 5)
6) Monitoring of reclassified students: Affirms current requirements that LEAs monitor ELs for four years after reclassification to determine if their English proficiency is
still posing a barrier to academic progress. Requires the State Board of Education (SBE) to identify an instrument, including the OPTEL, to designate as the means by which reclassified students are monitored. Also requires the SBE to identify
appropriate interventions. (Sec. 7)
7) Reclassification data: Requires the CDE to annually post on its website reclassification rates by each LEA/charter and statewide results disaggregated by grade, language, and disability. (Sec. 9)
8) Evaluation: Requires, subject to an appropriation, the CDE to contract for an evaluation of the effects of this measure, as specified. (Sec. 10)Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would establish the Cal-Bridge program between community colleges, CSUs, and UCs to create a pathway promoting STEM majors to pursue PhDs, including five subprograms to provide resources, research opportunities, and financial support. It would also establish the ENLACE program to create pathways that prepate high school and college students for post-secondary STEM education and workforce opportunities. Students must attend a CA community college, CSU, or UC and major in STEM. Link to Bill Letter Letter
Human Resources
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POSITION: OPPOSE
This bill would prohibit a public employer from questioning a public employee, a union rep, or an exclusive representative regarding communications made in confidence between an employee and a rep in connection with representation relating to any matter within the union’s scope. The bill would also prohibit a public employer from compelling a public employee, a union rep, or an exclusive representative to disclose those confidential communications to a third party. The bill would not apply to a criminal investigation or when a public safety officer is under investigation and certain circumstances exist. Link to Bill -
POSITION: OPPOSE
This bill would require certificated or classified employees who exhaust sick leave but remain out of work due to illness or accident for up to five months to receive their full salary. Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: OPPOSE
This bill would give extensive new requirements for notification of any technology use. This presents possible security concerns and would inhibit use of essential technologies. The bill would require employees be provided with a written notice that a workplace AI tool was used to assist the employer in making employment-related decisions or to surveil the workplace within a specified time frame, including info like the specific employment-related decisions potentially affected by the use of the workplace AI tool. Employees would be required to return a signed notice before the technology can be put into use, giving any employee the power to veto implementation of a technology for an entire agency by not turning in their signed form. The bill would require an employer to maintain an updated list of all workplace AI tools currently in use and to provide the list to workers annually. The bill would provide for enforcement by the Labor Commissioner or a public prosecutor and authorize workers to file civil action for damages (remedies and penalties up to $500 per employee for each violation). Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would authorize an employer to seek a workplace violence restraining order on behalf of a group or class of employees if a credible threat of violence is generally directed at the employer’s workplace or at the employer’s employees. Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: OPPOSE
Current law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary education in this state. Under this system, school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools employ personnel to provide instruction to and services for pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, at schoolsites throughout the state. This bill would explicitly define, for purposes of certain provisions relating to the employment of school employees, an “employee” or “person” to mean a natural person. Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would reestablish the 60 day substitution limit in general education and special education classrooms. The bill would require entrance into a collective bargaining agreement with the union on process for assignment of subs. LEAs without an agreement must adhere to specific requirements related to whether the substitute is covering for a teacher of record on statutory leave or the assignment is for a vacant position. For subs in place for over 30 days in general education classrooms or 20 days in special education classrooms, the bill would require LEAs to (1) obtain approval from the board at a regularly scheduled public meeting if the assignment is foreseeable, or (2) if the assignment is not foreseeable provide specified information at the next public board meeting. The bill would also require county superintendents to report to their county boards of education on the total number of substitute teachers employed by the county superintendent of schools who served during the prior quarter for more than 30 days in general education classrooms or 20 days in special education classrooms. County superintendents would be required to report to their county boards of education on the total number of substitute teachers employed by the county superintendent of schools who served during the prior quarter for more than 30 days in general education classrooms or 20 days in special education classrooms. If an LEA assigns a long term substitute and the substitute teacher does not have a preliminary or professional clear credential, the bill would require the LEA to ensure the substitute receives at least 5 hours of professional development, an orientation training, and an assigned teaching mentor program before beginning their long term substitution. If an LEA assigns a long term substitute and the substitute teacher does not have a preliminary or professional clear credential, the bill would require the LEA to ensure the substitute receives at least 5 hours of professional development, an orientation training, and an assigned teaching mentor program before beginning their long term substitution. Link to Bill Letter
Improve Fiscal Health and Governance
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POSITION: SUPPORT-->
This bill would expand reimbursement to cover direct program support, and administrative costs by expanding reimbursement criteria, allowing coverage for direct program, support, and administrative costs, each limited to 15% of the contract's maximum reimbursable amount, and their combined cost not over 25%. If this 25% is less than $300,000, a minimum reimbursement of $300,000 is required. The bill would also mandate that from July 1, 2026, programs maintaining 85% enrollment or higher will receive the maximum contractual reimbursement. If enrollment is below 85%, reimbursement will be lesser between net program costs or adjusted enrollment figures times the contract rate. If a preschool program fails to maintain 85% enrollment for three years in a row, without showing progress, it will be placed on conditional contract status by the State Department of Education. Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT-->-->
This bill would allow local educational agencies to satisfy the high school graduation requirement for personal finance by offering an integrated, year-long course that covers the mandatory financial literacy topics, rather than requiring a separate, stand-alone one-semester course. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: OPPOSE Unless Amended
Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT-->
This bill would require agencies to respond to PRA requests within 10 business days, instead of calendar days, and limit extended response time by no more than 14 business days. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would extend the authorization for the competitive selection process for awarding lease-leaseback (LLB) contracts for school construction projects by five years to July 1, 2032. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: OPPOSE
This bill would require a charter authority to notify the State Allocation Board if a charter school’s current payments on construction debt are found to be an "undue financial burden" and authorize the Board to reduce the school's construction debt and increase its grant funding starting January 2027. Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT-->
This bill would add the five-year rolling average as an option for school districts to count as funded ADA and allow school districts to exclude the lowest five days on which attendance was taken from current or prior fiscal years Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require a charter authority to notify the State Allocation Board if a charter school’s current payments on construction debt are found to be an "undue financial burden" and authorize the Board to reduce the school's construction debt and increase its grant funding starting January 2027. Link to Bill Letter
Increase Child, Youth, Educator, and Staff Wellness
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POSITION: OPPOSE
This bill would undo the CAIR system which is currently in place to process immunization exemptions and ensure that individual doctors are not providing high numbers of exemptions without adequate medical cause and address instances of over use or fraud. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT (no longer Taking Position following amendments)
This bill, subject to an appropriation, would require the State Department of Social Services to establish the California Success, Opportunity, and Academic Resilience (SOAR) Guaranteed Income Program. The program would award public school pupils in grade 12 who are homeless a guaranteed income of $1,000 each month for 4 months from May 1, 2026, to August 1, 2026. Link to Bill -
POSITION: OPPOSE
This bill would have required a rural school district or charter school to have at least one armed school resource officer, who would be authorized to carry a loaded firearm, to be present at each school of the school district or charter school during regular school hours. Link to Bill Letter (Assembly Education Committee) -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would strengthen newly instated protections for minors interacting with companion bots with a focus on preventing bots from producing or facilitating exchange of sexually explicit material. Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would encourage schools with a website to post information about community programs that offer nutrition assistance to families. Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill will require a school district or charter school to hire or contract with at least one armed school resource officer, as defined, authorized to carry a loaded firearm to be present at each school of the school district or charter school during regular school hours and any other time when pupils are present on campus, phased in by certain grade spans, as provided. By imposing an additional requirement on school districts and charter schools, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. Link to Bill Letter (Senate Education Committee) Letter (Senate Health Committee) Letter (Senate Appropriations) -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would establish the Unaccompanied Youth Transitional Housing Program which would provide funding for school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools to partner with local nonprofits, as defined, and to offer 5-year grants to fund transitional housing projects for unaccompanied homeless youth (16-17). This bill is sponsored by the SPI. Link to Bill -
POSITION: OPPOSE
This bill would reduce the safety of students and personnel in schools and daycares near metal shredders by significantly altering the regulatory framework surrounding metal shredding facilities and reclassifying the hazardous waste they produce as non hazardous material, removing hazardous-waste specific safety requirements. Link to Bill Letter (Senate Environmental Quality Committee) -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require a business providing test proctoring services to a school district, county office of education, or charter school for classroom- or course-based exams to use end-to-end encryption. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would add peace officers employed by a state agency to the ban on law enforcement wearing masks while performing their duties, addressing federal court concerns over SB 627 that resulted in a temporary block on the law in February 2026. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would eliminate the requirement that price be a primary consideration as school districts make procurement bid solicitations and awards for child nutrition programs. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require that the Instructional Quality Commission (IQC) consider including evidence-based preventative health instruction when they next revise the Health Education Framework to better equip students with practical tools that support lifelong health Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would strengthen privacy protections for students by addressing gaps in existing laws including the K-12 Pupil Online Personal Information Protection Act (KOPIPA), Early Learning Personal Information Protection Act (ELPIPA), and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). Specifically, this bill would prohibit education technology (EdTech) operators from using student data to train artificial intelligence systems; prohibit the collection, use, or disclosure of especially sensitive student information (reproductive/sexual health, immigration status, sexual orientation, gender identity) to protect vulnerable students; and implement data minimization requirements and limiting retention to what is “reasonably necessary” for the specific purpose for which the information was collected. Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would address a regulatory error that could restrict school based LVNs from providing vital care by authorizing LVNs to perform “basic respiratory services” which are defined as suctioning, oxygen therapy (as prescribed by the pupil’s physician), routine trach care, and, in the event of an emergency, “any procedure required to maintain or restore respiratory function until emergency personnel arrive.” Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would clarify that stock albuterol, a prescribed medicine used to prevent and treat wheezing, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, and coughing caused by lung diseases such as asthma, is authorized in all public schools, which now includes preschool. Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require the Office of Emergency Services to enable call transfers between 988 centers and subnetwork of LGBTQ+ suicide prevention providers, routing youth to a suicide prevention specialist by dialing 988 and pressing “3” or by text/chat. Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require all state and local agency officials to complete at least one hour of anti-hate speech training within the first 6 months of taking office and once every 4 years. Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require existing SROs to carry and be trained to use an opioid overdose reversal medications like Naloxone and CalRx. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require the Instructional Quality Commission to consider including info on signs and symptoms of heat illness during the next revision of the publication “Health Framework for California Public Schools” Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require the California Department of Education (CDE) to convene a stakeholder workgroup to review the current statutory requirements for comprehensive school safety plans and to make recommendations on streamlining the plans and the process for updating them to maximize school safety. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require the Instructional Quality Commission to consider including recommendations in the next revision of health curriculum framework. Recommendations include how to prevent human trafficking, exploitation for labor and services, how to stay safe from sexually exploitative materials and deep fakes, foundational digital citizenship skills, and skills-based content. It would require recommendations to be cumulative and age-appropriate. It would also require the Commission to consider including a recommendation that LEAs provide at least 3 staff members with annual training related to content related to human trafficking and online safety. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require the Instructional Quality Commission to consider recommendations to SBE including specific content related to sexual health instruction to educate students on dating abuse and digital violence. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would prohibit the use of state-owned property for purposes of immigration enforcement. It would require the Dept. of General Services to identify state owned property previously or likely to be used for immigration enforcement, require state agencies to post notices on the prohibition and use physical barriers to limit access, and require state agencies to develop procedures for mandatory reporting by a state employee who learns of use or attempted use by immigration enforcement. This bill would also direct state agencies to make educational materials available regarding the rights of employees, tenants, and security staff if federal agents enter state-owned property. Finally, this bill would require the AG’s office to design standardized signage and to make the signage available to download free of charge and post them on the AG’s website. Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: OPPOSE
This bill would require LEA boards to adopt provisions establishing a drug testing program for grades 7-12 as part of policies on participation in extracurriculars. This bill would require voluntary participation in athletics, and other activities if applicable, to be contingent on participation in the drug testing program and prohibit participation in the activity for the remainder of the season after the 3rd positive test. The bill would require the drug testing program to include testing for nicotine for athletic extracurriculars and authorize the program to include testing for alcohol and controlled substances and apply to non-athletic extracurriculars. Prohibit sharing of drug test results with law enforcement, except under specified circumstance, and require sharing of results with parents/guardians, the superintendent, and coach or other adult leader of the activity. The bill would also prohibit expulsion or suspension based on test results. Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require LEAs to provide an annual written notice to parents and guardians at the beginning of the first semester/quarter that must summarize state safe-storage laws, explain the risks of unsecured weapons, and be posted prominently on the school’s website (if applicable) and updated annually starting 2027-28 SY. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
Move responsibility from CDE to the Behavioural Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission for developing an evidence-based online training program on pupil suicide prevention (can be used by LEAs, COEs, and charters to train staff and pupils). Adds that this training should be trauma informed, and culturally and linguistically competent (in addition to evidence-based) and expands from 7-12th to 1st-12th. Link to Bill -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require health education courses in middle and high school to also include instruction on digital wellness. It would require instruction to include an introduction to relationship between digital technology use and mental health and reasonably designed instruction on overarching themes/core principles of digital wellness. It would also require CDE to develop a plan to expand digital wellness instruction in CA and include, among other things, recommendations for age-appropriate curriculum frameworks, guidance for schools with limited technology resources, and professional development opportunities with tech companies, mental health orgs, and media literacy experts Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
In the event of a lapse in federal funding that causes a withholding, suspension, or delay of CalFresh, this bill would require the California State Dept of Social Services to utilize state funds to make sure CalFresh benefits continue to be issued to existing recipients. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT-->
This bill would require DSS to notify all licensed and license-exempt family daycare home providers of a person’s rights under the Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution and require the department to designate a statewide entity to develop and provide a training program about those rights commencing July 1, 2026. The bill would also require licensed family daycare home providers to complete the training within specified timeframes. Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
Current law establishes a single system for providing support to local educational agencies and schools and for specified federal educational programs. Current law provides that the purpose of the statewide system of support is to build the capacity of local educational agencies, as specified. Current 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, contingent upon an appropriation for these purposes, commencing in the 2027–28 fiscal year, would require the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, through one or two county offices of education designated by the collaborative, to administer the Supporting Innovative Practices project and to expand the project and build on its alignment and partnerships with statewide improvement initiatives. 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 and to support the educator workforce to serve pupils with disabilities. The bill would require the project to conduct specified activities, 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, and supporting progress toward a high school diploma for children and pupils with disabilities. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would authorize a judicial officer designated by presiding judge to issue a work permit to minors who are under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court (re: ward, dependent child, placed in out-of-home care under supervision of probation or child welfare) Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require the Instructional Quality Commission to consider including recommendations in the next revision of health curriculum framework. Recommendations include how to prevent human trafficking, exploitation for labor and services, how to stay safe from sexually exploitative materials and deep fakes, foundational digital citizenship skills, and skills-based content. It would require recommendations to be cumulative and age-appropriate. It would also require the Commission to consider including a recommendation that LEAs provide at least 3 staff members with annual training related to content related to human trafficking and online safety. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require DTSC to evaluate opportunities to increase safety and convenience related to the management and disposal of vape pens confiscated from students by a school and identify recommendations by January 1, 2030. It would also authorize a permanent household hazardous waste collection facility to mechanically disassemble vape pens and devices that does not result in the unauthorized release of hazardous materials. The bill would protect young people and support educators by prohibiting a person from marketing, promoting, labeling, branding, advertising, distributing, offering for sale, or selling a vape product in this state by (A) imitating a product to conceal the nature of the vape product (B) using branding that is known to appeal to minors, or (C) including interactive video game capabilities within a vape product. Further, the bill would authorize a city, a county, a city and county, or the state to impose civil liability on a person or entity, or distributor, in violation of the prohibitions in specified fine amounts, including $1,000 for the first violation, or for a distributor, $50,000 per violation. It would also authorize a city, a county, a city and county, or the state to impose civil liability on a person or entity, or distributor, in violation of the prohibitions in specified fine amounts, including $1,000 for the first violation, or for a distributor, $50,000 per violation and make any person who violates the prohibitions guilty of an infraction punishable by a fine of up to $500. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would establish a pilot program focused on enrolling under-represented entities in the Fee Schedule that serve children 0 to 5, students in small and rural school districts, and transition-age youth (TAY). Link to Bill Letter Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require postsecondary institutions receiving state funding (except UC - request) to defer the unpaid portion of enrollment fees and costs for a student that is a foster youth or former foster youth, as defined, upon the student’s initial enrollment at the postsecondary educational institutional until the student has received an initial disbursement of the student’s financial aid award. Link to Bill Letter
Strengthen Education Workforce
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POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would require new regulations to authorize specified visa sponsors designated by the Department of State to sponsor teachers from Mexico for placement in CA LEAs, expand authorized exchanges to include COEs and charter schools, and eliminate the one-year time limit on the exchanges. Link to Bill Letter -
POSITION: SUPPORT
This bill would authorize candidates to fulfill subject matter or language requirement in a world language for which CTC does not administer an exam by completing comparable postsecondary language proficiency assessment maintained by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Link to Bill
Other Advocacy
State Budget Advocacy
- Chairs of Legislative Budget Committees and Budget Subcommittees on Education Finance RE: Support for $1B Investment in Community Schools
- Governor Newsom, Chairs of the California Senate and Assembly Budget Committees and Subcommittees on Education Finance RE: Request for $500 Million to Support Early Behavioral Interventions
- Governor Newsom RE: Local Education Agencies Outstanding Priorities for the 2026-7 State Budget
State Administrative Advocacy
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CTC RE: Re: 12.12.2025 CTC Agenda Item 3B: Improving Short-Term Staffing Options to Uphold Instructional Continuity for All Students During Credentialed Teacher Recruitment
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Governor RE: Follow-Up on Senate Bill 414 (Ashby) – Request for Consideration of Trailer Bill Language for Charter Oversight Reform
- Respiratory Care Board RE: Emergency Regulations on Licenced Vocational Nurse Tasks and Services
- SBE RE: College and Career Indicator Study Session
- CTC RE: Re: 2.12.2026 CTC Agenda Item 2B: Proposed Amendments to Title 5, Sections 80025.1 and 80025.3 Pertaining to General Education Substitute Teaching Assignments Beyond 30 Days
- SBE RE: Differentiated Assistance Criteria
Miscellaneous Advocacy