(a) Each special education local plan area submitting a local plan to the Superintendent under this part shall ensure, in conformity with Sections 1412(a) and 1413(a)(1) of Title 20 of the United States Code, and in accordance with Section 300.201 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, that it has in effect policies, procedures, and programs that are consistent with state laws, regulations, and policies governing the following:

(1) Free appropriate public education.

(2) Full educational opportunity.

(3) Child find and referral.

(4) Individualized education programs, including development, implementation, review, and revision.

(5) Least restrictive environment.

(6) Procedural safeguards.

(7) Annual and triennial assessments.

(8) Confidentiality.

(9) Transition from Subchapter III (commencing with Section 1431) of Title 20 of the United States Code to the preschool program.

(10) Children in private schools.

(11) Compliance assurances, including general compliance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.), Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794), the federal Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. Sec. 12101 et seq.), federal regulations relating thereto, and this part.

(12) (A) A description of the governance and administration of the local plan, including identification of the governing body of a multidistrict local plan or the individual responsible for administration in a single district local plan, and of the elected officials to whom the governing body or individual is responsible.

(B) A description of the regionalized operations and services listed in Section 56836.23 and the direct instructional support provided by program specialists in accordance with Section 56368 to be provided through the local plan.

(C) Verification that a community advisory committee has been established pursuant to Section 56190.

(D) Multidistrict local plans, submitted pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 56195.1, shall do the following:

(i) Specify the responsibilities of each participating county office and district governing board in the policymaking process, the responsibilities of the superintendents of each participating district and county in the implementation of the local plan, and the responsibilities of district and county administrators of special education in coordinating the administration of the local plan.

(ii) Identify the respective roles of the administrative unit and the administrator of the special education local plan area and the individual local educational agencies within the special education local plan area in relation to the following:

(I) The hiring, supervision, evaluation, and discipline of the administrator of the special education local plan area and staff employed by the administrative unit in support of the local plan.

(II) The allocation from the state of federal and state funds to the special education local plan area administrative unit or to local educational agencies within the special education local plan area.

(III) The operation of special education programs.

(IV) Monitoring the appropriate use of federal, state, and local funds allocated for special education programs.

(V) The preparation of program and fiscal reports required of the special education local plan area by the state.

(iii) Include copies of joint powers agreements or contractual agreements, as appropriate, for districts and counties that elect to enter into those agreements pursuant to subdivision (b) or (c) of Section 56195.1.

(E) The description of the governance and administration of the local plan, and the policymaking process, shall be consistent with subdivision (f) of Section 56001, subdivision (a) of Section 56195.3, and Section 56195.9, and shall reflect a schedule of regular consultations regarding policy and budget development with representatives of special education and regular education teachers and administrators selected by the groups they represent and parent members of the community advisory committee established pursuant to Article 7 (commencing with Section 56190) of Chapter 2.

(13) Personnel qualifications to ensure that personnel, including special education teachers and personnel and paraprofessionals providing related services, necessary to implement this part are appropriately and adequately prepared and trained in accordance with Sections 56058 and 56070 and Sections 1412(a)(14) and 1413(a)(3) of Title 20 of the United States Code.

(14) Performance goals and indicators.

(15) Participation in state and districtwide assessments, including assessments described under Section 1111 of the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. Sec. 6301 et seq.) and alternate assessments in accordance with Section 1412(a)(16) of Title 20 of the United States Code, and reports relating to assessments.

(16) Supplementation of state, local, and other federal funds, including nonsupplantation of funds.

(17) Maintenance of financial effort.

(18) Opportunities for public participation before adoption of policies and procedures.

(19) Suspension and expulsion rates.

(20) Access to instructional materials by blind individuals with exceptional needs and others with print disabilities in accordance with Section 1412(a)(23) of Title 20 of the United States Code.

(21) Overidentification and disproportionate representation by race and ethnicity of children as individuals with exceptional needs, including children with disabilities with a particular impairment described in Section 1401 of Title 20 of the United States Code and in accordance with Section 1412(a)(24) of Title 20 of the United States Code.

(22) Prohibition of mandatory medication use pursuant to Section 56040.5 and in accordance with Section 1412(a)(25) of Title 20 of the United States Code.

(b) Each local plan submitted to the Superintendent under this part shall also contain all the following:

(1) An annual budget plan that shall be adopted at a public hearing held by the special education local plan area. Notice of this hearing shall be posted in each school in the local plan area at least 15 days before the hearing. The annual budget plan may be revised during any fiscal year according to the policymaking process established pursuant to subparagraphs (D) and (E) of paragraph (12) of subdivision (a) and consistent with subdivision (f) of Section 56001 and Section 56195.9. The annual budget plan shall identify expected expenditures for all items required by this part which shall include, but not be limited to, the following:

(A) A description of the special education local plan area’s allocation plan in accordance with Chapter 7.2 (commencing with Section 56836), including funds apportioned to the administrative unit of the special education local plan area.

(B) All revenues by revenue source received by the special education local plan area specifically for the purpose of special education, including any property taxes allocated to the special education local plan area as designated in Section 2572.

(C) A breakdown of the distribution of funds to each local educational agency within the special education local plan area.

(D) A description of projected total special education expenditures by local educational agency, including supplemental aids and services to meet the individual needs of pupils placed in regular education classrooms and environments and special education services to pupils with low incidence disabilities.

(E) A description of projected total expenditures by the special education local plan area and the local educational agencies within the special education local plan area by standardized account code structure object code.

(F) A description of projected funding to be received specifically for regionalized operations and a breakdown of projected special education local plan area operating expenditures by standardized account code structure object code.

(2) An annual service plan that shall be adopted at a public hearing held by the special education local plan area. Notice of this hearing shall be posted in each school in the special education local plan area at least 15 days before the hearing. The annual service plan may be revised during any fiscal year according to the policymaking process established pursuant to subparagraphs (D) and (E) of paragraph (12) of subdivision (a) and consistent with subdivision (f) of Section 56001 and with Section 56195.9. The annual service plan shall include a description of services to be provided by each local educational agency, including the nature of the services and the physical location at which the services will be provided, including alternative schools, opportunity schools and classes, community day schools operated by districts, community schools operated by county offices, and juvenile court schools, regardless of whether the local educational agency is participating in the local plan. This description shall demonstrate that all individuals with exceptional needs shall have access to services and instruction appropriate to meet their needs as specified in their individualized education programs.

(3) An annual assurances support plan that shall be adopted at a public hearing held by the special education local plan area. Notice of this hearing shall be posted in each school in the special education local plan area at least 15 days before the hearing. The annual assurances support plan may be revised during any fiscal year according to the policymaking process established pursuant to subparagraphs (D) and (E) of paragraph (12) of subdivision (a) and consistent with subdivision (f) of Section 56001 and with Section 56195.9. The annual assurances support plan shall meet the requirements of subdivision (c) of Section 56122.

(4) A description of programs for early childhood special education from birth through five years of age.

(5) A description of the method by which members of the public, including parents or guardians of individuals with exceptional needs who are receiving services under the local plan, may address questions or concerns to the governing body or individual identified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (12) of subdivision (a).

(6) A description of a dispute resolution process, including mediation and final and binding arbitration to resolve disputes over the distribution of funding, the responsibility for service provision, and the other governance activities specified within the local plan.

(7) Verification that the local plan has been reviewed by the community advisory committee and that the committee had at least 30 days to conduct this review before submission of the local plan to the Superintendent.

(8) A description of the process being utilized to meet the requirements of Section 56303.

(c) A description of the process being utilized to oversee and evaluate placements in nonpublic, nonsectarian schools and the method of ensuring that all requirements of each pupil’s individualized education program are being met. The description shall include a method for evaluating whether the pupil is making appropriate educational progress.

(d) The local plan, budget plan, annual service plan, and annual assurances support plan shall adhere to the guidelines established pursuant to Section 56122, and shall be written in language that is understandable to the general public.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 32, Sec. 93. (AB 1808) Effective June 27, 2018.)