Special education: nonpublic, nonsectarian schools or agencies.

Senator Grove's legislation to modify California's special education framework introduces new oversight requirements for nonpublic, nonsectarian schools serving students with disabilities. The bill expands existing procedural safeguards by requiring schools to provide both parents and students with copies of their rights and information about contacting the State Department of Education's Equitable Services Ombudsman.

The legislation strengthens monitoring of nonpublic schools through several key provisions. Local educational agencies must conduct annual onsite visits that include private meetings with students to evaluate health and safety conditions. Schools must also facilitate quarterly check-ins between students and agency representatives through unmonitored phone calls. The Department of Education will develop a standardized form by July 2026 to document these monitoring activities, including assessments of student dignity, behavioral support systems, and abuse prevention protocols.

Before certifying nonpublic schools, the Superintendent must now review restraint policies for alignment with state law, verify accessible complaint procedures, and examine protocols for obtaining informed consent for treatment. The bill also requires schools to ensure confidential communication channels, including telecommunications access, between students and their individualized education program teams or the department's ombudsman. A tiered certification fee structure based on enrollment is established, ranging from $300 for schools serving 1-5 students to $2,000 for those with 76 or more students.

The measure maintains separate operational requirements for entities running both nonpublic schools and licensed children's institutions, including distinct financial records and detailed documentation of services provided through each program. Implementation costs deemed state-mandated will be reimbursed to local agencies through existing Government Code provisions.