(a) No person shall be initially assigned to assist in instruction for work as an aide for instructional purposes in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive, unless the person has demonstrated proficiency in basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills pursuant to Section 45330.

(b) As used in this section, “initially assigned” means any assignment, including substitute, temporary, probationary, or permanent employment, to assist in instruction as an aide for instructional purposes.

(c) A school district may charge a fee to prospective aides taking the district proficiency test pursuant to the requirements of this section to fund the costs incurred by the district in giving the test. This fee may be subject to negotiation between the district and the exclusive representative of instructional aides, but in no event shall the fee exceed seven dollars ($7).

(d) The school district governing board, at a public meeting, may grant an exemption from this requirement to any person, for a period of one year, if the person is to be assigned as a bilingual-crosscultural aide and the governing board determines that there is no other person available to serve in the same capacity. Upon or prior to the expiration of the one-year period, the bilingual-crosscultural aide shall be required to take and pass the basic skills test required by this section. A bilingual-crosscultural aide who has not demonstrated his or her basic skills proficiency through these means may not be compensated for work as a bilingual-crosscultural aide. A bilingual-crosscultural aide may only be granted one exemption from this requirement. The authority of district governing boards to grant these exemptions shall cease on June 30, 1985.

(e) An aide who passes a district proficiency test as required by this section who transfers to another district and is employed in the same capacity, shall be considered to have met the proficiency standards for purposes of this section unless the district to which he or she has transferred determines that the test taken by the aide is not comparable to the standards required by the employing district.

(f) An aide who passes a district proficiency test, as required by this section, and who is reassigned to another school or program in the district and is employed in the same capacity, shall be considered to have met the state basic skills proficiency test requirement.

(Amended by Stats. 2002, Ch. 1080, Sec. 4. Effective January 1, 2003.)