Schools and education
68 upcoming changes, soonest first.
January 2027 47
A certificate earned toward an associate degree no longer blocks College Promise waivers
Community college students who earned a certificate as part of a course sequence leading to an associate degree stay eligible for the California College Promise fee waiver. Other earlier degrees or certificates still make a student ineligible.
Branch campuses must name a contact person for LGBTQ students and staff
Cal State and community college districts must name an LGBTQ point of contact at branch campuses and satellite sites, not only main campuses. The University of California is asked, not required, to do the same.
Cal State and community college boards must post members' contact details and bios
The California State University and California Community Colleges must post each governing board member's name, email, phone, mailing address and a short biography on the board's website. The University of California is asked, but not required, to do the same.
Cal State and some community colleges must build transfer paths for tribal college students
Cal State and community college districts that offer bachelor's degrees must set up transfer and course-matching programs for students at California tribal colleges, including outreach, counseling and concurrent enrollment where there is room. The University of California is asked, not required, to join.
Cal State course instructors of record must be people who meet faculty rules
The instructor of record for a California State University course, and every faculty employee, must be a person who meets the trustees' rules for that faculty role. Employees may still use AI tools to help run the university or serve students.
Career technical education grant formula must hand out all of the money each year
The state Education Department, rather than the Superintendent, now runs the Career Technical Education Incentive Grant Program. It must write a new allocation formula so that all money appropriated in a year goes to applicants that same year, as far as practicable.
College students in harassment cases may bring both a support person and an adviser
Colleges that get state aid must let each student party in a sexual harassment complaint have both a support person and an adviser of their choice at every stage, from reporting to hearing and informal resolution. Before, it was one or the other.
Colleges with dorms must defer upfront housing costs for foster and homeless youth
Community colleges must now give current and former foster and homeless youth housing priority, as Cal State already does. Campuses with housing, and UC if the Regents agree, must ask about eligibility on applications and defer or waive upfront housing costs until financial aid arrives.
Community college chancellor's office takes over district audit and fiscal reports
The California Community Colleges chancellor's office, instead of the board of governors, reports to lawmakers on college district audit problems and on corrective actions for districts in fiscal trouble. Those fiscal actions must go to the Joint Legislative Audit Committee as well.
Community colleges must plan common course numbers for firefighting and police classes
California Community Colleges must send lawmakers a plan, with costs, for common course numbers in career public safety classes: firefighting, law enforcement and modern policing degree courses. Putting the system in place depends on funding being available.
Community school grant money may pay for leading Promise Neighborhood school networks
Districts and county offices in the California Community Schools Partnership Program may use the up to 10 percent of grant money they keep for administration to lead a network of schools in a Promise Neighborhood. That retained money must follow the state community schools framework.
County offices and charter schools can join teacher exchanges with other countries
Teacher exchanges with schools abroad, including Mexico and Spain, open to county offices of education and charter schools, not only districts, and the one-year limit is dropped. State rules become optional, but any rules must let J-1 visa sponsors place foreign teachers.
Cybersecurity skills to be considered in the next K-12 computer science standards
When the state next revises its computer science content standards for kindergarten through 12th grade, the Instructional Quality Commission must consider adding cybersecurity skills. Nothing in the law forces a revision.
District intern teaching credentials now require a verified teaching job
Applicants for a district intern credential must show a verified teaching job at a California school district, county office or charter school. School districts with 250,000 or more students, down from 400,000, may change some repair contracts up to 25% without new bids.
Districts must name a contact person for students leaving juvenile court schools
The school district or charter school a student will enroll in after a juvenile court school must assign a staff point person for the transition and work with the county education office. Transferring schools must also issue foster youth transcripts within two business days.
Expanded learning programs at high-need schools must put disadvantaged students first
In districts and charter schools where at least 55% of students are low-income, English learners or foster youth, expanded learning programs open to all students must give those students priority. That may include outreach to their families and help enrolling.
Foster youth 14 and older can see their own school records
School districts must give foster youth age 14 or older access to their own school records tied to their education, the same right homeless unaccompanied youth already have. Before, these records generally needed a parent's consent or a court order.
Heritage schools must tell parents the state education department does not oversee them
Heritage schools, which teach a world language and culture, must now tell parents at enrollment that the State Department of Education has no authority over them and does not monitor them. They may also serve younger kindergartners and transitional kindergartners.
LA Unified keeps a special hiring exception and may skip seniority in some layoffs
Los Angeles Unified keeps its power to hire beyond the top three ranked applicants for listed jobs that need skills like a second language or special license, minus IT technicians. It may also keep such hires in layoffs regardless of seniority.
Military dependents who reenroll keep in-state tuition after a parent's transfer
Students who are dependents of service members and return to a public college or university under reenrollment rights keep resident tuition status even if the service member has been transferred out of state or retired. Before, only continuously enrolled dependents kept it.
Montgomery GI Bill reservists can skip nonresident tuition at community colleges and Cal State
Students living in California who qualify for the Montgomery GI Bill-Selected Reserve program no longer pay nonresident tuition at community colleges and Cal State, joining four GI Bill programs already covered. Other federal eligibility rules still apply.
New state designation for colleges that serve Asian American and Pacific Islander students
A new state board can name campuses of the UC, CSU, community colleges and private colleges as California Asian American- and Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions. The community colleges chancellor's office runs applications, and each designation lasts five years.
Next school health framework must consider adding heat illness lessons
When the Health Framework for California Public Schools is next revised, the Instructional Quality Commission must consider adding content on preventing heat illness and spotting and responding to its symptoms, using public health guidance and high school sports federation policies.
Next school health framework must consider lessons on sleep, nutrition and screen balance
When the state's health education framework for public schools is next revised, the Instructional Quality Commission must consider adding evidence-based lessons on nutrition, food literacy, sleep, movement, stress management and digital balance.
Parents can meet a teacher by phone or video if they can't come in person
Parents, guardians and educational rights holders who can't attend a meeting in person about their child have the right to talk with the teacher by phone or a school-approved video platform. These meetings may not be recorded or transcribed.
Private college oversight law is extended, with new reporting duties for schools
The state law regulating private colleges and trade schools, which was set to end, is extended and tightened. Schools must report bankruptcies, felony charges and certain lawsuits, some fees rise, and commercial driver training programs lose the small-program exemption.
Religious holiday absences are excused without a parent note or principal's approval
Students must be excused from school to observe a holiday or ceremony of their religion. Before, this counted only as a personal reason that a parent had to request in writing and the principal had to approve.
Religious private schools can take special education placements but may not teach them religion
Private schools serving special education students no longer have to be nonsectarian, but public money cannot pay for religious instruction and placed students cannot receive it. The schools face new background check, credential and incident reporting rules.
School construction contracts during class hours must keep strangers off campus
School districts, county offices of education and charter schools must put security terms in contracts for construction or repair work done on a school site during school hours, limiting access to the work area and keeping unauthorized people off school grounds.
School districts must flag incomplete transfer requests within 30 days under new deals
Districts with interdistrict transfer agreements signed from this date must adopt and post a policy that includes telling parents within 30 days what an incomplete transfer request is missing. Parents can also send a request to both districts at once.
School employees and contractors are defined as natural persons in state education law
The Education Code now defines a public school employee, such as a teacher, counselor, principal or school nurse, and a contractor performing services in a public school as a natural person.
School meal program purchases no longer have to treat price as the main factor
School districts buying food and supplies for federal child nutrition programs no longer must make price the primary factor when awarding bids. Awards still go to the most responsive and responsible bidder, under federal purchasing standards.
School resource officers who give naloxone are shielded from most lawsuits
School resource officers who give an opioid overdose reversal drug at school cannot be sued or prosecuted for it except for gross negligence or willful misconduct. Starting in the 2027-28 school year, they must take overdose response training and repeat it every two years.
School-run child care programs can stock emergency albuterol inhalers
Rules for filling emergency stock albuterol inhaler orders now also cover child care programs run by or contracting with school districts, county offices and charter schools. Pharmacies may furnish the inhalers on a prescriber's written order, and wholesalers or distributors may also fill them.
Schools and colleges get new ways to sell or donate old computers and tech
School districts, community colleges and county education offices may declare old technology surplus and sell it at auction, by sealed bid, through trade-in programs or negotiated sale, or donate it. They must first adopt policies, including protecting student and staff data.
Schools must share any credible misconduct complaints when vetting staff hires
Schools checking a noncertificated or private school job applicant must share and ask about any credible complaints, investigations or discipline for egregious misconduct, not only substantiated cases. Schools must investigate such complaints, and contracts must require background checks of contractor staff who work with students.
Schools with JROTC must let homeschooled students in their area join
School districts, county offices of education and charter schools that offer a JROTC program must admit homeschooled pupils living in their attendance area who meet every other eligibility rule, as federal law already requires. The state Education Department must post JROTC information and yearly guidance.
State civil rights office adds a disability discrimination coordinator for schools
The state Office of Civil Rights must hire a Disability Discrimination Prevention Coordinator and four deputy coordinators on anti-Black, anti-Asian American and Pacific Islander, anti-Latino and anti-Native American discrimination. Its coordinators must train school staff to prevent discrimination.
State colleges must report ideas for teaching students about democracy
The Cal State and community college chancellors must send the Legislature recommendations on building students' knowledge of American democracy and civic engagement on campus, along with any support they need from the Legislature. The University of California is asked, not required, to do the same.
State must study school safety plans and recommend how they are written and approved
The state Education Commissioner must review existing school safety plans and recommend how they should be developed and approved and what they must contain, then report to lawmakers and the Department of Finance. Schools' current plan duties stay the same.
State sets up Cal-Bridge and ENLACE programs to guide students into STEM careers
Cal-Bridge, run jointly by the community colleges, CSU and UC, guides STEM students toward a PhD and faculty or tech jobs; ENLACE supports high school and college STEM students. Both run on funding set aside for them; UC joins only if its Regents agree.
Substitute teachers get a training path to the emergency career substitute permit
For an emergency career substitute permit, the credentialing commission must accept 5 hours of training, an orientation and an assigned mentor instead of 90 substitute days in each of 3 years. These permit holders may teach up to 70 days in one classroom.
Team USA athletes training in California keep in-state tuition with no end date
Team USA athletes training in California in an Olympic or Paralympic elite program keep in-state tuition at community colleges and Cal State for good, instead of losing it at a set cutoff. UC is covered only if its regents agree.
Tenth graders can earn credit for work experience and charter schools can run it
Students in grade 10, not only grades 11 and 12, earn credit for completing work experience education, and charter schools, county offices and state special schools gain the same powers as districts. Dual enrollment students may do work-based learning tied to college courses.
Tribal colleges in California are counted as part of public higher education
State education law now lists tribal colleges and universities in California that are run by an Indian tribal government as part of public higher education, alongside the community colleges, California State University and University of California.
Yearly school notice to parents must promote the state college planning website
The yearly notice schools send parents of students entering grades 7 to 12 about dual enrollment and International Baccalaureate courses must also explain the benefits of the California College Guidance Initiative and encourage parents to create accounts.
Districts must reclassify English learners who met the test score in the 2025-26 school year
Since the law took effect, English learners who reach the state board's score on the English proficiency test or its alternate are reclassified on that score alone, replacing teacher, parent and skills criteria. Districts must catch up on students who hit it in the 2025-26 school year.
June 2027 1
Schools that screen students for suicide risk must report the numbers to the state
Schools and districts that run suicide risk screenings must report each year how many students were screened and with which tools; screening stays optional. A state mental health commission must build free online suicide prevention training for staff, students 13 and up, and parents.
July 2027 12
Colleges must extend deadlines for students whose financial aid is delayed
Starting in the 2027-28 academic year, Cal State, community colleges and state-aided private colleges must extend enrollment deadlines, and may extend payment deadlines, for students whose aid is late through no fault of their own. They can't block future enrollment, charge late fees or hold transcripts over it.
Colleges must set a policy for estimating and adjusting student costs to keep Cal Grants
To stay eligible for Cal Grant students, a college must adopt a cost of attendance policy that follows federal standards by the start of the 2027-28 academic year, letting students ask for higher estimates for costs such as housing, a computer, transportation or child care.
Colleges must waive or defer unpaid fees for foster youth until financial aid arrives
Starting in the 2027-28 academic year, community colleges, Cal State and private colleges that get state aid must waive, or defer until financial aid arrives, unpaid fees and costs for verified foster youth who applied for aid. UC is asked, not required.
High school and school-run sports coaches must take mental health training every two years
Coaches at high schools in the state interscholastic sports federation, including private schools, must complete mental health training before their season and again every two years. Coaches in other school-run athletic programs must take training on sudden cardiac arrest and mental health.
High school sports federation must update heat illness rules every year
The California Interscholastic Federation must review and, as needed, update its heat illness prevention guidelines and safety standards for student athletes every year, with special attention to hotter regions of the state. Before, it only had to write them once.
Required mental health training for school coaches must cover suicide risk and team culture
Starting in the 2027-28 school year, the mental health training required for high school coaches and coaches of other school-run sports programs must cover trauma-informed care, suicide prevention, team culture and referrals to counselors. The state must also offer a model training for youth league coaches.
Schools can no longer require kindergartners to take home school laptops or tablets
Starting with the 2027-28 school year, schools may let kindergarten and transitional kindergarten pupils take home school-issued devices but can't require it, except for needs such as a special education plan. The state Education Department must post screen time guidance.
Schools can't make social media feeds the only way to reach families or a condition for clubs
Starting in the 2027-28 school year, districts, county education offices and charter schools may not bar students from sports, clubs or other activities for not using apps with personalized feeds, or use those apps as their only way to contact students and parents.
Schools must adopt a policy on handling off-campus, after-hours cyberbullying
Each school district, county office of education and charter school must adopt a policy, or update its bullying procedures, on handling reports of after-hours cyberbullying severe enough to create a hostile school environment. The policy must be posted on district and school websites.
Schools with grades 7 to 12 must post sextortion warning posters in student restrooms
By the start of the 2027-28 school year, every school serving grades 7 to 12 must hang a sextortion poster in at least one men's, one women's and one all-gender student restroom, in English and any language 15% of students speak, with police contacts.
Veterans keep college priority registration with no time limit
Community colleges and CSU must give priority registration to California veteran students and State Guard members without the old cap of four academic years used within 15 years of leaving active duty. UC is asked to do the same.
College programs whose graduates earn too little lose federal student loan eligibility
An earnings test that limited only career-training programs now covers every college program: those whose graduates fail to out-earn a comparison group, such as high school graduates, in two of three years lose Direct Loans. The debt-to-earnings test ends, and school reporting is cut back.
August 2027 1
College harassment rules now cover sextortion, stalking and sexual deepfakes
Under the state's college anti-discrimination law, sexual harassment expressly includes sextortion, stalking and technology-facilitated harassment, and sexual exploitation includes making or sharing sexual deepfakes without written consent. Affirmative consent gets a written definition.
September 2027 2
Colleges cannot bar students over pregnancy or family status, and must offer leave
Colleges cannot discriminate against students or applicants over pregnancy, marital or family status, and must accommodate pregnant students. Pregnancy and parental leave with extra time to finish, until now only for graduate students, extends to undergraduates. Each college must name a coordinator.
Public colleges must accept high school IEPs and 504 plans as proof of disability
Community colleges, Cal State and UC campuses that require proof of disability for academic accommodations must accept a student's individualized education program, 504 plan or regional center plan, and can't demand a new diagnostic evaluation just to confirm it. Campuses may ask for other information.
January 2028 1
State may cut the 50% local match for charter schools facing undue financial burden
Charter schools in the state facilities program must cover half the cost themselves. In new filing rounds, the State Allocation Board may lower that share or the lease payments, and raise the grant, when paying in full is an undue financial burden for the school.
February 2028 1
California schools must phase out ultraprocessed foods of concern
The state health department must define "ultraprocessed foods of concern" and "restricted school foods," and schools must phase them out of meals and campus food sales in stages. Food vendors, except small businesses and home kitchens, must report yearly on products sold to schools.
June 2028 1
Schools must test kindergarten to second grade students in math
Districts, county offices and charter schools serving kindergarten through second grade must adopt a state-approved math diagnostic test, then test each of those students every year starting no later than the 2028-29 school year. Parents get information about the test and their child's results.
July 2028 1
College coaches and athletic trainers must complete student mental health training
Cal State campuses, community colleges and private colleges that get state aid must require athletic coaches and trainers, paid or volunteer, to complete student mental health training covering suicide prevention every two years. The University of California is asked, not required, to do the same.
July 2029 1
Colleges can seek restraining orders to protect the campus itself from threats
College leaders can ask a court for a restraining order on behalf of the institution, not only for a student, when they learn of violence or a credible threat against the campus. Repeated calls or emails to the school or its staff can count.