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AB 2191

High school graduation requirements: alternate pathways for individuals with exceptional needs: statewide resources.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sharon Quirk-Silva

Establish a statewide resource and up to 10 expert leads to help California LEAs develop and implement alternate diploma pathways for students with exceptional needs.

In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.
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Bill Summary · AB 2191

Overview

AB 2191 (Quirk-Silva) seeks to create a statewide resource to support alternate pathways to high school diplomas for students with exceptional needs in California. The measure envisions building capacity within the state’s system of support, training, and technical assistance, and would be implemented subject to appropriation. The targeted deadline for establishing the statewide resource is July 1, 2027.

Purpose and Intent

  • Establish a statewide resource to help local educational agencies develop and implement alternate diploma pathways for individuals with exceptional needs, aligned with Education Code provisions permitting diploma alternatives for eligible students.
  • Build statewide capacity through training, technical assistance, and system-wide supports to improve outcomes for students with disabilities.

Key Provisions

  • Amends Education Code Section 52073.2 to redefine roles and processes related to special education resources within the statewide system of support.
  • Creates a process, administered by the Department of Education (and approved by the state board’s executive director in consultation with the Department of Finance), to select up to 10 special education resource leads. These leads will work with lead agencies designated under Sections 52073 and 52073.1 and other county offices of education.
  • Resource leads:
    • Must provide specific expertise on special education issues within the statewide system of support.
    • Should include at least three leads representing statewide regions to build local and regional capacity.
    • Are appointed for up to five-year terms.
  • Ongoing commitments (beginning with the grant cycle starting July 1, 2023):
    • At least one resource lead to support development and implementation of high-quality individualized education programs (IEPs).
    • At least one resource lead to work with family support organizations to provide capacity building, training, and technical assistance on family support, conflict prevention, and alternative dispute resolution in special education.
  • Statewide resource on alternate diploma pathways:
    • Contingent on an appropriation in the Budget Act, the Department of Education and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence must establish a statewide resource by July 1, 2027 to facilitate alternate diploma pathways for students with exceptional needs (as authorized by Education Code 51225.31).
  • Definitions:
    • “Family support organization” includes state or federally funded organizations that support families of pupils with disabilities.

Who Is Affected

  • Local educational agencies (LEAs), including school districts, county offices of education, and consortia of special education local plan areas, that serve students with disabilities.
  • Special education students who may be eligible for alternate diploma pathways.
  • Families and caregivers of students with disabilities, through enhanced family support and dispute resolution resources.
  • State entities: California Department of Education and the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence, along with the state board and Department of Finance, which will oversee the selection of resource leads and the development of the statewide resource.

Procedural and Timeline Details

  • Selection of special education resource leads:
    • Process established by the Department of Education with approval from the state board’s executive director in consultation with the Department of Finance.
    • No more than 10 resource leads, with at least three representing statewide regions.
    • Lead terms: up to five years.
  • Implementation milestones:
    • Ongoing since July 1, 2023, with at least one resource lead supporting IEP development and at least one lead focusing on family support and conflict resolution (as described in (c)(1) and (c)(2)).
    • A statewide resource for alternate diploma pathways to be established by July 1, 2027, pending budget appropriations.
  • Legislative intent statement identifies the goal of creating a statewide resource to assist LEAs in establishing alternate pathways to a diploma for students with exceptional needs, through capacity building within the state’s system of support.

Financial Considerations

  • The statewide resource and related activities are expressly “subject to an appropriation.” No new mandatory funding is provided in the bill itself; funding would be determined in subsequent Budget Act allocations.

Summary

AB 2191 aims to institutionalize statewide support for alternative diploma pathways for students with disabilities by creating a small, expert cadre of special education resource leads and a dedicated statewide resource by mid-2027. It enhances capacity-building, training, and family-centered supports within California’s system of support to improve graduation outcomes for individuals with exceptional needs.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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