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Bill Summary · AB 1713

Summary of AB 1713 (2025-2026) – Public postsecondary education: students with disabilities: verification: academic accommodations

Purpose and intent

  • AB 1713 aims to modernize and unify how public higher education institutions verify a student’s disability for the purpose of providing academic accommodations.
  • The bill would require campuses of the California Community Colleges (CCC), California State University (CSU), and the University of California (UC) to recognize certain education plans as valid proof of disability, and to limit the need for new diagnostic evaluations when accommodations are requested.
  • The changes would take effect on September 1, 2027, and apply specifically to verification of disability documentation used to authorize academic accommodations.

Key provisions and changes

  1. New verification standard (effective Sept. 1, 2027)

    • Public higher education institutions must accept as verification an Individualized Education Program (IEP) and/or a 504 Plan issued by a Local Educational Agency (LEA) such as a school district, county office of education, or charter school.
    • This verification is to document the existence of a student’s disability for the purpose of granting academic accommodations.

  2. Limitations on additional evaluations (effective Sept. 1, 2027)

    • If a student requests accommodations, campuses may not require new or additional diagnostic evaluations solely to verify the existence of a disability already documented in an IEP or 504 plan.
    • Institutions may seek supplemental information to determine the most appropriate reasonable accommodations, but such information must not be used to dispute or invalidate the underlying disability determination.

  3. Use of supplemental information (effective Sept. 1, 2027)

    • Institutions may request supplemental information to tailor reasonable accommodations, ensuring that academic requirements do not have a discriminatory effect.
    • Supplemental information may inform accommodation decisions but cannot be used to challenge the validity of the original IEP/504-based disability determination.

  4. ADA/Section 504 alignment and Title IX considerations

    • Provisions must be implemented in a manner consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
    • The section does not alter Title IX or related provisions, and applies notwithstanding Section 67400 in relation to UC.

  5. Scope of applicability

    • Notwithstanding general rules, UC is explicitly included under the new verification requirements.

  6. Non-substantive alignment to pupil data system (Education Code adjustments)

    • The bill contains non-substantive changes related to the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System (CALPADS) and related attendance data reporting, to align with the bill’s broader education data context. These changes do not alter substantive CALPADS requirements.

Who would be affected

  • Public higher education institutions: CCC, CSU, and UC campuses would implement the verification standard and related procedures.
  • Students with disabilities who have IEPs or 504 Plans issued by LEAs: they would have a streamlined path to provide verifiable documentation for accommodations, reducing the need for duplicative testing.
  • LEAs (school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools): their IEPs and 504 Plans would serve as official verification documents for postsecondary accommodations.
  • Postsecondary offices of disability services and academic accommodations offices: would adjust intake processes to rely on LEA documents and provide supplemental information only as needed for appropriate accommodations.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Effective date for core provisions: September 1, 2027.
  • Implementation requires campuses to accept IEPs/504 Plans as verification starting Sept. 1, 2027.
  • If a student has a disability documented in an IEP/504 Plan, new diagnostic evaluations are not required solely for verification purposes.
  • Supplemental information can be requested to determine appropriate accommodations, but cannot undermine the validity of the documented disability.
  • The bill also includes conforming, non-substantive changes to CALPADS reporting provisions (attendance data) without altering core CALPADS objectives.

Practical impact and considerations

  • Streamlines and standardizes disability verification across all three public higher education systems.
  • Potentially reduces cost and time for students seeking accommodations by avoiding redundant therapies or assessments.
  • Emphasizes continued alignment with ADA and Section 504 protections and preserves protection against discriminatory effects in accommodation determinations.
  • Requires coordination among LEAs, postsecondary disability services, and general counsel or compliance offices to ensure consistent implementation and protection of student rights.

If you’d like, I can provide a comparative note on how this approach differs from current verification practices or outline potential implementation steps for campuses.

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

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