EDITOR'S NOTE: While this list is extensive, it is not complete and will continue to be updated. Know of any legislation that's not on this list? Let us know here.
February
- State Sen. Anthony J. Portantino, D-La Cañada Flintridge, reintroduced a school start time bill that require middle and high schools to start no earlier than 8:30 a.m.
- Assembly Bill 493, proposed by Todd Gloria – vice chair of the California Legislative LGBT Caucus – would require 7th- through 12th-grade teachers to be trained in LGBTQ resources for students. Every county office of education, school district and charter school would have to provide this training annually.
January
- A handful of education-related laws went into effect in California Jan. 1. Under a new bill, the state's education department has to come up with a list of professional development opportunities, instructional materials and other resources relating to media literacy.
- Two bullying laws also went into effect — one mandates all school employees who regularly interact with students to undergo a state-developed bullying and cyberbullying module, and the other says the state's schools have to have bullying and cyberbullying prevention procedures in place by the end of 2019.
- To address mental health needs in schools, two additional bills would bring more clinical professionals to schools and put the National Suicide Prevention lifeline phone number on students' school IDs.
- Under another recently passed law, teachers, under most circumstances, can't penalize students who struggle to repay a debt.
- Funding is a hot topic this year in the California State Legislature, which convened for its session on Jan. 7. Aside from a bill pushing for more education funding, a pledge moves to help schools pay their pension bills.
- Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, has also asked the legislature to draw up policy calling for more transparency within the state’s charter schools.
