20250AB__224898AMD INTRODUCED 2026-02-19 AMENDED_ASSEMBLY 2026-03-26 2025 AB AMD Introduced by Assembly Member Hoover LEAD_AUTHOR ASSEMBLY Hoover

An act to amend

Section 48980.6 of the Education Code, relating to pupil services. pupil services Pupil services: educational counseling: California College Guidance Initiative. Existing law authorizes the California College Guidance Initiative to provide its services to all California school districts, including services that provide pupils and their families with direct access to online tools and resources for college and career planning.

Existing law requires a school district, county office of education, or charter school to annually notify the parents or guardians of pupils admitted to, or advancing to, grades to 12, inclusive, of any dual enrollment or International Baccalaureate courses offered by the local educational agency, as provided. This bill would require that notice to also include the benefits of the California College Guidance Initiative and encouragement to create parent accounts. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, 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 authorizes the governing board of a school district to provide access to a comprehensive educational counseling program for all pupils enrolled in the school district.

For schools that enroll pupils in grades to 12, inclusive, existing law defines educational counseling to include, among other things, counseling to encourage participation in the early college, dual enrollment, advanced placement, and international baccalaureate programs.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>This bill would require the governing board of each school district and the governing body of each charter school maintaining any of grades to 12, inclusive, to ensure that all pupils in those grades, and their parents or guardians, receive, on or before October of each year, a written notice of the advanced academic programs available to pupils, as provided.

The bill would require the notice to include, among other information, the benefits of participating in advanced academic programs, including any available weighted grade-point-average credit, college credit, or other academic advantages, and how these benefits can help pupils save time and money toward a postsecondary degree. The bill would require each pupil to also receive notice of advanced academic programs through at least one direct communication.

The bill would require schools to annually hold at least one informational session for parents and guardians about options for advanced academic programs and the enrollment processes, and to make reasonable efforts to notify all parents and guardians of the date, time, and location of the session. The bill would require the Superintendent of Public Instruction to issue guidelines to facilitate the implementation of these provisions.

By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>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.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>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.</xhtml:p>"?> MAJORITY NO YES YES NO NO NO NO NO NO NO The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION

Section 48980.6 of the Education Code is amended to read: 48980.6. (a)

(1) At the beginning of the first semester or quarter of the regular school term, a local educational agency shall notify the parents or guardians of pupils admitted to, or advancing to, grades to 12, inclusive, of both of the following: (

A) Any dual enrollment or International Baccalaureate courses offered by the local educational agency. (

B) The benefits of the California College Guidance Initiative, authorized pursuant to

Section 60900.5, and encouragement to create parent accounts.

(2) School districts shall provide the notice as part of the annual notification required pursuant to

Section 48980. (

b) For purposes of this section, “local educational agency” means a school district, county office of education, or charter school.

SEC. 2. If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to

Part 7 (commencing with

Section 17500) of Division of Title of the Government Code. <caml:Num>SECTION 1.</caml:Num><caml:ActionLine action="IS_ADDED" xlink:href="urn:caml:codes:EDC:caml#xpointer(%2Fcaml%3ALawDoc%2Fcaml%3ACode%2F%2Fcaml%3ALawSection%5Bcaml%3ANum%3D'51229.5'%5D)" xlink:label="fractionType: LAW_SECTION" xlink:type="locator">Section 51229.5 is added to the <caml:DocName>Education Code</caml:DocName>, to read:</caml:ActionLine><caml:Fragment><caml:LawSection id="id_00825ECC-18FB-4FF9-A0D3-6C350239F284"><caml:Num>51229.5.</caml:Num><caml:LawSectionVersion id="id_C138AEFB-3A4D-431B-B800-667370FC9D1C"><caml:Content><xhtml:p>(a)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The governing board of each school district and the governing body of each charter school maintaining any of grades to 12, inclusive, shall ensure that all pupils in those grades, and their parents or guardians, receive, on or before October of each school year, a notice of the advanced academic programs available to pupils at or through their school for that year.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>For purposes of this section, “advanced academic programs” includes, but is not limited to, Advanced Placement (AP) courses, International Baccalaureate courses, honors courses, dual enrollment or concurrent enrollment opportunities with college institutions, such as College and Career Access Pathways dual enrollment programs, and other programs through which pupils may earn college credit or advanced standing.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(b)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The notice shall include all of the following:</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(1)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>A list and brief description of all advanced academic programs available on campus or by partnership.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(2)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The benefits of participating in advanced academic programs, in language that is clear and accessible to families, including families of pupils who are the first in their families to pursue postsecondary education.

The notice shall explain how these benefits, including any available weighted grade point average credit, college credit, or other academic advantages, can support pupils in saving time and money toward a postsecondary degree.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(3)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The necessary steps or prerequisites to enroll in each advanced academic program, such as any required preparatory coursework or registration process.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(4)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Information on academic and counseling supports available to help pupils succeed in advanced academic programs, as well as information on any fee waivers or financial assistance for costs, such as AP exams.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(c)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The notice shall be provided in writing to the pupil and the pupil’s parents or guardians by electronic means or mail and posted on the school’s website.

Each pupil shall also receive notice through at least one direct communication, such as during a counseling session, academic planning meeting, or homeroom presentation, to ensure that the pupil understands the opportunities available to them.

The notice shall be provided, whenever possible, in the five most spoken languages in the school district to ensure access to limited-English-proficient families.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(d)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>Each school shall annually hold at least one informational session for parents and guardians about options for advanced academic programs and their enrollment processes and shall make reasonable efforts to notify all parents and guardians of the date, time, and location of the session.

Attendance at an informational session shall be voluntary.</xhtml:p><xhtml:p>(e)<xhtml:span class="EnSpace"/>The Superintendent shall issue guidelines to facilitate implementation of this section, which may include a sample notice template and best practices for encouraging participation by pupils underrepresented in advanced academic programs.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:LawSectionVersion></caml:LawSection></caml:Fragment></caml:BillSection><caml:BillSection id="id_E7C50762-0523-40E8-BDE8-4FE2B06E7F4C"><caml:Num>SEC. 2.</caml:Num><caml:Content><xhtml:p>If the Commission on State Mandates determines that this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made pursuant to

Part 7 (commencing with

Section 17500) of Division of Title of the Government Code.</xhtml:p></caml:Content></caml:BillSection>"?>