20250AB__219198AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-19 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-26 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Quirk-Silva LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Quirk-Silva

An act to amend

Section 52073.2 of the Education Code, relating to pupil instruction. pupil instruction High school graduation requirements: alternate pathways for individuals with exceptional needs: statewide resources. Existing law establishes the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence to advise and assist school districts, county superintendents of schools, and charter schools in achieving their local control and accountability plan goals.

Existing law requires a local educational agency to exempt an individual with exceptional needs who satisfies specific eligibility criteria from all courses and other requirements adopted by the governing board or body of the local educational agency that are additional to the statewide course requirements and to award the pupil a diploma of graduation from high school, as provided.

The bill would, subject to an appropriation, require the State Department of Education and the collaborative to, on or before July 1, 2027, establish a statewide resource focused on establishing alternate pathways to a diploma for individuals with exceptional needs through capacity building within the state’s system of support, training, and technical assistance. MAJORITY NO YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1. It is the intent of the Legislature to establish a statewide resource for local educational agencies to establish alternate pathways to a diploma for individuals with exceptional needs as authorized in

Section 51225.31 of the Education Code through capacity building within the state’s system of support, training, and technical assistance.

SEC.

Section 52073.2 of the Education Code is amended to read: 52073.2. (

a) The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence and the department shall establish a process, administered by the department, to select, subject to approval by the executive director of the state board in consultation with the Department of Finance, special education local plan areas, county offices of education, or consortia of special education local plan areas and county offices of education to serve as special education resource leads to work with lead agencies selected pursuant to Sections and 52073.1, and other county offices of education, to improve pupil outcomes as part of the statewide system of support pursuant to this article. (

b) The process to select special education resource leads shall ensure that no more than special education resource leads are selected to provide specific expertise on special education issues within the statewide system of support. At least three resource leads shall be selected in a manner to ensure statewide representation and focus directly on building local and regional capacity to support local educational agencies in achieving the goals, actions, and services identified in their local control and accountability plans. Special education resource leads shall be selected for a term not to exceed five years. (

c) Commencing with the grant cycle beginning July 1, 2023, both of the following shall occur:

(1) At least one resource lead shall be selected to support the development and implementation of high-quality individualized education programs.

(2) At least one resource lead shall be selected to, in partnership with a family support organization, or coalition of family support organizations, that provides support to families of pupils with disabilities, provide capacity building, training, and technical assistance on family support for families of pupils with disabilities, and conflict prevention and alternate dispute resolution in special education. (

d) Subject to an appropriation included in the annual Budget Act for this purpose, the department and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, on or before July 1, 2027, shall establish a statewide resource focused on establishing alternate pathways to a diploma for individuals with exceptional needs as authorized pursuant to

Section 51225.31 through capacity building within the state’s system of support, training, and technical assistance. (

e) For purposes of this section, “family support organization that provides support to families of pupils with disabilities” includes, but is not limited to, a state or federally funded organization that provides support to families of pupils with disabilities.