ARTICLE 5. Licensed Children’s Institutions and Foster Family Homes [56155. - 56166.5.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 5.
in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56155. Section 56155.

The provisions of this article shall only apply to individuals with exceptional needs placed in a licensed children’s institution or foster family home by a court, regional center for the developmentally disabled, or public agency, other than an educational agency.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56155.5. Section 56155.5.

(a) As used in this part, “licensed children’s institution” means a residential facility that is licensed by the state, or other public agency having delegated authority by contract with the state to license, to provide nonmedical care to children, including, but not limited to, individuals with exceptional needs. “Licensed children’s institution” includes a group home or short-term residential therapeutic program, as defined in Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code. As used in this article and Article 3 (commencing with Section 56836.165) of Chapter 7.2, a “licensed children’s institution” does not include any of the following: (1) A juvenile court school, juvenile hall, juvenile home, day center, juvenile ranch, or juvenile camp administered pursuant to Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 48645) of Chapter 4 of Part 27. (2) A county community school program provided pursuant to Section 1981. (3) Any special education programs provided pursuant to Section 56150. (4) Any other public agency. (b) As used in this part, “foster family home” means a family residence that is licensed by the state, or other public agency having delegated authority by contract with the state to license, to provide 24-hour nonmedical care and supervision for not more than six foster children, including, but not necessarily limited to, individuals with exceptional needs. “Foster family home” includes a small family home as defined in paragraph (6) of subdivision (a) of Section 1502 of the Health and Safety Code, a certified family home of a foster family agency as defined in Section 1506 of the Health and Safety Code, and a resource family as defined in Section 1517 of the Health and Safety Code and Section 16519.5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56155.7. Section 56155.7.

A licensed children’s institution shall not require that a child be identified as an individual with exceptional needs as a condition of admission or residency.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56156. Section 56156.

(a) Each court, regional center for the developmentally disabled, or public agency that engages in referring children to, or placing children in, licensed children’s institutions shall report to the special education administrator of the special education local plan area in which the licensed children’s institution is located any referral or admission of a child who is potentially eligible for special education. (b) At the time of placement in a licensed children’s institution or foster family home, each court, regional center for the developmentally disabled, or public agency shall identify all of the following: (1) Whether the courts have specifically limited the rights of the parent or guardian to make educational decisions for a child who is a ward or dependent of the court. (2) The location of the parents, in the event that the parents retain the right to make educational decisions. (3) Whether the location of the parents is unknown. (c) Each person licensed by the state to operate a licensed children’s institution, or his or her designee, shall notify the special education administrator of the special education local plan area in which the licensed children’s institution is located of any child potentially eligible for special education who resides at the facility. (d) The Superintendent shall provide each county office of education with a current list of licensed children’s institutions in that county at least biannually. The county office shall maintain the most current list of licensed children’s institutions located within the county and shall notify each district and special education local plan area within the county of the names of licensed children’s institutions located in the geographical area of the county covered by the district and special education local plan area. The county office shall notify the director of each licensed children’s institution of the appropriate person to contact regarding individuals with exceptional needs.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56156.4. Section 56156.4.

(a) Each special education local plan area shall be responsible for providing appropriate education to individuals with exceptional needs residing in licensed children’s institutions and foster family homes located in the geographical area covered by the local plan. (b) In multidistrict and district and county office local plan areas, local written agreements shall be developed, pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 56195.7, to identify the public education entities that will provide the special education services. (c) If there is no local agreement, special education services for individuals with exceptional needs residing in licensed children’s institutions shall be the responsibility of the county office in the county in which the institution is located, if the county office is part of the special education local plan area, and special education services for individuals with exceptional needs residing in foster family homes shall be the responsibility of the district in which the foster family home is located. If a county office is not a part of the special education local plan area, special education services for individuals with exceptional needs residing in licensed children’s institutions, pursuant to this subdivision, shall be the responsibility of the responsible local agency or other administrative entity of the special education local plan area. This program responsibility shall continue until the time local written agreements are developed pursuant to subdivision (f) of Section 56195.7. (d) This section shall apply to special education local plan areas that are submitting a revised local plan for approval pursuant to Section 56836.03 or that have an approved revised local plan pursuant to Section 56836.03.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56157. Section 56157.

(a) In providing appropriate programs to individuals with exceptional needs residing in licensed children’s institutions or foster family homes, the local educational agency shall first consider services in programs operated by public educational agencies for individuals with exceptional needs. If those programs are not appropriate, special education and related services shall be provided by contract with a nonpublic, nonsectarian school. (b) (1) An individual with exceptional needs residing in a licensed children’s institution or foster family home shall not be referred to, or placed in, a nonpublic, nonsectarian school unless his or her individualized education program specifies that the placement is appropriate. (2) If special education and related services are provided by contract with a nonpublic, nonsectarian school, or with a licensed children’s institution under this article, the terms of the contract shall be developed in accordance with Section 56366. (c) If an individual with exceptional needs residing in a licensed children’s institution or foster family home is placed in a nonpublic, nonsectarian school, the local educational agency that made the placement shall conduct an annual evaluation, in accordance with federal law as part of the annual individualized education program process, of whether the placement is the least restrictive environment that is appropriate to meet the pupil’s needs. (d) If an individual with exceptional needs residing in a licensed children’s institution or foster family home is placed in a nonpublic, nonsectarian school, the nonpublic, nonsectarian school shall report to the local educational agency that made the placement, on a quarterly or trimester basis, as appropriate, the educational progress demonstrated by the individual with exceptional needs towards the attainment of the goals and objectives specified in the individual’s individualized education program. Pursuant to federal law, no local educational agency shall refer a pupil to a nonpublic, nonsectarian school unless the services required by the individualized education program of the pupil can be ensured.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56159. Section 56159.

If a district, special education local plan area, or county office does not make the placement decision of an individual with exceptional needs in a licensed children’s institution or in a foster family home, the regional center for the developmentally disabled or public agency, excluding an education agency, placing the individual in the institution, shall be responsible for the residential costs and the cost of noneducation services of the individual.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56162. Section 56162.

Individuals with exceptional needs placed in a licensed children’s institution or foster family home by a court, regional center for the developmentally disabled, or public agency, other than an educational agency, prior to the effective date of this article, shall be considered residents of the geographical area of the local plan in which the licensed children’s institution or foster family home is located, for special education and related services pursuant to the provisions of this article.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56163. Section 56163.

A licensed children’s institution which provides nonsectarian educational programs for individuals with exceptional needs shall be certified by the department as prescribed by subdivision (c) of Section 56366.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56165. Section 56165.

This article shall not apply to individuals with exceptional needs placed in a licensed children’s institution pursuant to Section 56365.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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