CHAPTER 8. Special Education Programs for Individuals With Exceptional Needs Residing in State Hospitals [56850. - 56865.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 8.
in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56850. Section 56850.

(a) The purpose of the Legislature, in enacting this chapter, is to recognize that individuals with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 56026, between 3 and 21 years of age, residing in California’s state hospitals and developmental centers, are entitled to, under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.), and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 701 et seq.), the same access to educational programs as is provided for individuals with exceptional needs residing in our communities. (b) It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that services shall be provided in the community near the individual state hospitals and developmental centers to the maximum extent appropriate, and in the least restrictive environment. (c) It is the further intent of the Legislature to ensure equal access to the educational process and to a full continuum of educational services for all individuals, regardless of their physical residence. (d) It is the further intent of the Legislature that educational services designated for state hospital or developmental center residents not eligible for services mandated by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.) shall not be reduced or limited in any manner as a result of the enactment of this chapter. (e) It is the further intent of the Legislature that any cooperative agreements to provide educational services for state hospitals and developmental centers shall seek to maximize federal financial participation in funding these services.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56851. Section 56851.

(a) In developing the individualized education program for an individual residing in a state hospital or developmental center who is eligible for services under the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.), a state hospital or developmental center shall include on its interdisciplinary team a representative of the local educational agency from the district in which the state hospital or developmental center is located, and the individual’s state hospital or developmental center teacher, depending on whether the state hospital or developmental center is otherwise working with the local educational agency for the provision of special education programs and related services to individuals with exceptional needs residing in state hospitals and developmental centers. However, if a district or special education local plan area that is required by this section to provide a representative from the district or special education local plan area does not do so, the county office of education shall provide a representative. (b) The state hospital or developmental center shall reimburse the local educational agency for the costs, including salary, of providing the representative who is qualified to provide, or supervise the provision of, specially designed instruction to meet the unique needs of individuals with exceptional needs. (c) Once the individual with exceptional needs is enrolled in the community program, the local educational agency providing special education shall be responsible for reviewing and revising the individualized education program with the participation of a representative of the state hospital or developmental center and the educational rights holder, as defined in subdivision (b) of Section 56863. The public agency responsible for the individualized education program shall be responsible for all individual protections, including notification and due process.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56852. Section 56852.

In developing the individualized educational program and providing all special education programs and related services to individuals with exceptional needs residing in the state hospitals, the state hospitals shall comply with the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.), the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 701 et seq.), and special education provisions of this part and implementing regulations. Special education and related services shall be provided to each individual residing in a state hospital pursuant to the individualized education program for that individual.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56852.5. Section 56852.5.

The State Department of Education, within its existing program review process, shall specifically review the appropriateness of pupil placement for educational services as designated in the pupil’s individualized education program and the criteria used in determining such placement.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56853. Section 56853.

(a) This chapter does not affect the continued authority of the State Departments of Developmental Services and State Hospitals over educational programs for individuals not eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.) nor shall it affect the overall responsibility of the state hospitals and developmental centers for the care, treatment, and safety of individuals with exceptional needs under their control. The state hospitals and developmental centers shall continue to render appropriate and necessary developmental services, health related services, psychiatric services, and related services assigned to the state hospitals and developmental centers in the local written agreements, as part of their responsibilities for the care and treatment of state hospital and developmental center residents. (b) For purposes of this section, “health-related services” shall include services provided by physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, audiologists, registered nurses, social workers, physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychiatric technicians, rehabilitation therapists, and speech language pathologists, and shall be the responsibility of the state hospital or developmental center if the individual with exceptional needs requires these services while in the community program.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56854. Section 56854.

(a) The Superintendent and the Directors of the State Departments of Developmental Services and State Hospitals shall develop written interagency agreements to carry out the purposes of this chapter. (b) For each county in which a state hospital is located, the county superintendent of schools, with the approval of the county board of education and the administrator of the state hospital, shall develop a local written agreement to carry out the purposes of this chapter. These agreements shall be reviewed and updated annually and may be modified at any time with the concurrence of both parties to the agreements.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56855. Section 56855.

For each county in which a state hospital is located the county superintendent of schools shall ensure that appropriate special education and related services are available in the community for which the state hospitals can contract. Such contract shall provide for any eligible individual with exceptional needs residing in the state hospitals whose individualized education program specifies that educational services for that individual should be most appropriately provided, in whole or in part, in a program other than on the hospital grounds. The county board of education shall approve any programs operated by the county superintendent pursuant to this chapter.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56856. Section 56856.

In order to provide appropriate special education and related services to an individual residing in a state hospital, the State Departments of Developmental Services and State Hospitals shall contract with a county superintendent of schools, nonpublic, nonsectarian school, or other agency to provide all or part of the services that the individual’s individualized education program indicates should be provided in a program other than on state hospital grounds. A contract between a state hospital and a nonpublic, nonsectarian school shall only be entered into when no appropriate public education program is available.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56857. Section 56857.

Nothing in this chapter shall preclude the State Departments of Developmental Services and State Hospitals from contracting with a local public education agency, a nonpublic, nonsectarian school, or another agency to provide special education and related services on the state hospital grounds for those pupils whose individualized education programs do not indicate that such education and services should be provided in a program other than on state hospital grounds. These contracts shall not involve funds appropriated for purposes of community-based special education programs provided for state hospital pupils pursuant to this chapter.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56857.5. Section 56857.5.

(a) Community school agencies providing school programs on state hospital or developmental center grounds shall begin the orderly transfer of all state hospital or developmental center pupils whose individualized education programs indicate that a community school program is appropriate, to schools located in the community. (b) All pupils covered by subdivision (a) shall be served in community schools other than on state hospital or developmental center grounds, and the contracting provisions of this chapter shall apply only to pupils in community school programs other than on state hospital or developmental center grounds. (c) Waivers to subdivisions (a) and (b) may be granted only when approved by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and either the Director of the State Department of Developmental Services, for individuals receiving developmental disability services pursuant to Division 4.1 (commencing with Section 4400) of the Welfare and Institutions Code, or the Director of State Hospitals, for individuals receiving mental health services pursuant to Division 4 (commencing with Section 4000) of the Welfare and Institutions Code.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56858. Section 56858.

(a) On the first day of each month, the State Department of Developmental Services or the State Department of State Hospitals, as appropriate, upon submission of an invoice by the county superintendent of schools, shall pay to the county superintendent of schools the amount projected to cover the cost of hospital or developmental center pupils educated in community school programs. (b) The amount described in subdivision (a) shall be determined according to procedures agreed by the State Department of Developmental Services or the State Department of State Hospitals, and the State Department of Education. (c) Upon completion of the fiscal year, the county superintendent of schools shall calculate the actual cost of hospital pupils educated in community schools according to procedures in subdivision (b) approved by the State Department of Developmental Services or the State Department of State Hospitals and the State Department of Education. (d) If the calculated actual cost of educating these pupils is greater than the total amount the county superintendent of schools has received for the fiscal year pursuant to subdivision (a), the following years’ distribution shall be adjusted accordingly. (e) The county superintendent of schools shall distribute funds to participating districts on a pro rata basis.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56858.5. Section 56858.5.

(a) A contract prescribed by this chapter shall become effective unless disapproved by the State Department of Finance or State Department of General Services within 20 working days of receipt of the contract. Each department shall have 10 working days to consider the contract. (b) Contracts shall be submitted to the State Department of Developmental Services or the State Department of State Hospitals, as appropriate, for approval before May 15. (c) A payment shall not be processed before contract approval, and educational services shall not be provided in the community school programs before contract approval.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56858.7. Section 56858.7.

(a) Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the inclusion of in-kind services or the assignment of state hospital personnel in a contract for services pursuant to this chapter. (b) Ten percent of the contract costs shall be attributed to in-kind services. In-kind services above 10 percent of the contract costs shall be mutually agreed upon by both parties to the contract. Any disagreement over in-kind services above 10 percent shall not be cause for delaying approval of the contract. (c) A 60 day prior written notice shall be given by the state hospital to the county superintendent of schools for the initiation or removal of in-kind state hospital classified personnel.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56859. Section 56859.

All certificated state hospital or developmental center employees hired to provide educational services to individuals with exceptional needs shall possess an appropriate California credential in special education. Certificated state hospital or developmental center employees who do not possess appropriate California credentials in special education shall be reassigned to provide educational services to individuals residing in state hospitals and developmental centers who are not eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.).

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56862. Section 56862.

It is not the intent of this chapter to displace educational and related services personnel already employed by the state hospitals under the administration of the State Department of Developmental Services or the State Department of State Hospitals, or to reduce their salaries or other employee benefits. The State Department of Developmental Services and the State Department of State Hospitals shall complete an annual review of the impact that implementation of this act will have in reducing the need for positions in state hospitals due to time spent by residents in community education programs and shall submit a report on its findings to the Department of Finance for approval.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56863. Section 56863.

(a) The state hospital or developmental center, as part of the notification to the educational rights holder of their rights pursuant to the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.), the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 701 et seq.), and this part and implementing regulations, shall notify the educational rights holder of the right that the student can be considered for education programs other than on state hospital or developmental center grounds. (b) For purposes of this section, “educational rights holder” means a parent, a legal guardian, a conservator, a person acting as a parent of a child, an adult student who is not conserved, a surrogate parent appointed pursuant to Section 300.519 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, or any other person responsible for protecting the student’s rights and interests with respect to educational or developmental services, including any special education and related services. (c) Information and records concerning state hospital and developmental center patients in the possession of the Superintendent shall be treated as confidential under Section 5328 of the Welfare and Institutions Code and the federal Privacy Act of 1974, Public Law 93-579.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56864. Section 56864.

Individuals with exceptional needs residing in state hospitals shall not be included within the funding calculation made pursuant to Chapter 7.2 (commencing with Section 56836).

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56865. Section 56865.

Funds appropriated by Section 11 of Chapter 1191 of the Statutes of 1980 may be used for remodeling classrooms located in a community school, in addition to the purposes of Chapter 25 (commencing with Section 17785) of Part 10, in order to serve state hospital pupils whose individualized education programs require a community school program.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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