Educational equity: discrimination: antisemitism prevention.

Assembly Members Zbur and Addis anchor a measure that aims to curb discrimination and antisemitism in California public schools by establishing a new Office of Civil Rights within the Government Operations Agency and appointing an Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator to work directly with local educational agencies. The proposal also creates expanded prohibitions on discriminatory content in instructional materials and professional development, and it ties implementation to a companion education-equity measure that must become law by early 2026 to take effect. The authors note, in their findings, that antisemitism has been a persistent concern in California schools and cite a recent public report showing antisemitic bias events comprise a large share of religious hate crimes.

The bill would amend multiple Education Code provisions to codify the new prohibitions and remedies and to broaden accountability mechanisms. It would prohibit the adoption or approval of textbooks, instructional materials, supplementary materials, and professional development that subject a pupil to unlawful discrimination, and it would require investigation and remediation—potentially including restorative justice practices—when a governing board knows or has reason to know that such materials were used. It would also authorize appeals to the state department when a local process fails to issue an investigation report within prescribed timelines and would permit direct filing with the Superintendent under specified conditions. Additional changes require parental notification to include protections and responsibilities under the bill, mandate management bulletins, and establish a dedicated antisemitism resources web page. The measure also introduces new enforcement against contracted providers of materials or services found to violate prohibitions, including reimbursement of funds and public disclosure of determinations, with penalties that may affect a local educational agency’s funding.

The bill would establish the Office of Civil Rights as a distinct entity within the Government Operations Agency, with the Director appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate. Core duties include providing education and resources to identify and prevent antisemitism and discrimination, sharing applicable laws with state agencies, LEAs, and community stakeholders, and annually reporting on discrimination and bias in LEAs serving K‑12 students. An Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator would be appointed to develop antisemitism education for school personnel, coordinate with the Legislature on related legislation, advise on office actions, and engage with local agencies. The office would operate with de-identified data in its public reports and would collaborate with the department and the executive director of the state board, under the supervision of the Government Operations Agency, with guidance and input from community stakeholders as determined by the coordinator.

Implementation and policy context revolve around structural changes, data handling, and sequencing. Local educational agencies would face new duties to avoid discriminatory materials and to remediate violations, including the potential use of restorative justice activities and the possibility of corrective action plans developed with the Antisemitism Prevention Coordinator. The measure contemplates annual management bulletins and a centralized web presence as primary information channels, and it specifies data-deidentification requirements for public reporting. Fiscal considerations note the measure would impose a state-mandated local program with potential reimbursements if costs are deemed mandated, and it contemplates funding for new offices, training modules, and technical assistance, subject to appropriations. The operative provisions hinge on a companion statute becoming law by the start of 2026, with specific timelines for timely action, data reporting, and later tracking of antisemitism-related complaints beginning in 2027. In sum, the proposal creates a centralized enforcement and guidance framework to monitor and address discrimination and antisemitism in schools, links to ongoing legislative efforts on equity, and sets up new accountability mechanisms for materials, professional development, and contracted providers.