Section 60852.5 Of Chapter 9. High School Exit Examination From California Education Code >> Division 4. >> Title 2. >> Part 33. >> Chapter 9.
60852.5
. (a) By January 31, 2004, the Superintendent of Public
Instruction shall develop, and the State Board of Education shall
approve, a request for a proposal for an independent consultant to
assess options and provide recommendations for alternatives to the
high school exit examination for pupils with disabilities to be
eligible for a high school diploma. By April 30, 2004, an independent
consultant shall be selected by a selection panel consisting of one
representative appointed by each of the following persons and
entities:
(1) The President pro Tempore of the Senate.
(2) The Speaker of the Assembly.
(3) The Legislative Analyst's Office.
(4) The State Department of Education.
(5) The Department of Finance.
(b) The independent consultant should possess expertise on the
federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec.
1400 et seq.) and applicable state law, as well as assessment
methodologies concerning pupils with disabilities.
(c) The independent consultant shall, in consultation with the
advisory panel established pursuant to Section 60852.6, prepare a
report that does all of the following:
(1) Recommends options for graduation requirements and assessments
for pupils who are individuals with exceptional needs, as defined in
Section 56026, or who are disabled, as defined in Section 504 of the
federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794).
(2) Identifies those provisions of state and federal law and
regulation that are relevant to graduation requirements and
assessments for pupils who are individuals with exceptional needs.
(3) Recommends the steps that would be taken to bring California
into full compliance with the state and federal law and regulations
that are identified pursuant to paragraph (2).
(d) The independent consultant shall provide the advisory panel
established pursuant to Section 60852.6 with a preliminary report of
findings and shall include the advisory panel's concerns and
recommendations in a final report. The final report shall be
disseminated to the members of the advisory panel, the Legislature,
the Legislative Analyst's Office, the Department of Finance, the
State Department of Education, and interested parties no later than
May 1, 2005.
(e) The Superintendent of Public Instruction may, upon approval of
an expenditure plan by the Department of Finance and the Joint
Legislative Budget Committee, provide funds for the purposes of
implementing the recommendations provided pursuant to subdivision
(c).