Public postsecondary education: disabled student services: assessments.

Senator Grayson's proposal to expand disability assessment coverage in California's public universities would require the California State University system, and request the University of California system, to fund diagnostic assessments for students receiving financial aid or qualifying for institutional health assistance, beginning July 1, 2027.

The legislation modifies existing provisions for disability services funding by broadening the scope of covered diagnostic assessments to include continuing evaluations, documentation requirements, and both individual and group assessments conducted by institutions or contracted providers. These assessments would serve dual purposes: defining specific disabilities and establishing proof for academic accommodations. Under the bill's provisions, institutions must document all associated costs to the Student Aid Commission, which would oversee reimbursements from state funds on an actual-cost basis.

The measure introduces new transparency requirements, mandating that covered institutions prominently display information about assessment coverage on their websites. While establishing these funding obligations, the bill preserves institutions' authority to refer students to external providers for diagnostic services. The legislation builds upon existing state frameworks for disability services funding, which categorize expenses as fixed operational costs, continuing variable costs that fluctuate with student needs, and one-time equipment purchases.