ARTICLE 2. Definitions [56020. - 56035.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 2.
in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56020.5. Section 56020.5.

“Assistive technology device,” as provided in paragraph (1) of Section 1401 of Title 20 of the United States Code, means any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially without the need for modification, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of an individual with exceptional needs. The term does not include a medical device that is surgically implanted, or the replacement of that device.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56021.1. Section 56021.1.

“Consent,” as provided in Section 300.9 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, means all of the following: (a) The parent or guardian has been fully informed of all information relevant to the activity for which consent is sought, in his or her native language, or other mode of communication. (b) The parent or guardian understands and agrees in writing to the carrying out of the activity for which his or her consent is sought; and the consent describes that activity and lists the records, if any, that will be released and to whom. (c) The parent or guardian understands that the granting of consent is voluntary on the part of the parent or guardian and may be revoked at any time. If a parent or guardian revokes consent, that revocation is not retroactive to negate an action that has occurred after the consent was given and before the consent was revoked. A public agency is not required to amend the education records of a child to remove any reference to the child’s receipt of special education and services if the child’s parent or guardian submits a written revocation of consent after the initial provision of special education and related services to the child.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56026. Section 56026.

“Individuals with exceptional needs” means those persons who satisfy all the following: (a) Identified by an individualized education program team as a child with a disability, as that phrase is defined in Section 1401(3)(A) of Title 20 of the United States Code. (b) Their impairment, as described by subdivision (a), requires instruction and services which cannot be provided with modification of the regular school program in order to ensure that the individual is provided a free appropriate public education pursuant to Section 1401(9) of Title 20 of the United States Code. (c) Come within one of the following age categories: (1) Younger than three years of age and identified by the local educational agency as requiring intensive special education and services, as defined by the board. (2) Between the ages of three to five years, inclusive, and identified by the local educational agency pursuant to Section 56441.11. (3) Between the ages of five and 18 years, inclusive. (4) Between the ages of 19 and 21 years, inclusive; enrolled in or eligible for a program under this part or other special education program prior to his or her 19th birthday; and has not yet completed his or her prescribed course of study or who has not met proficiency standards or has not graduated from high school with a regular high school diploma. (A) Any person who becomes 22 years of age during the months of January to June, inclusive, while participating in a program under this part may continue his or her participation in the program for the remainder of the current fiscal year, including any extended school year program for individuals with exceptional needs established pursuant to Section 3043 of Title 5 of the California Code of Regulations and Section 300.106 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (B) Any person otherwise eligible to participate in a program under this part shall not be allowed to begin a new fiscal year in a program if he or she becomes 22 years of age in July, August, or September of that new fiscal year. However, if a person is in a year-round school program and is completing his or her individualized education program in a term that extends into the new fiscal year, then the person may complete that term. (C) Any person who becomes 22 years of age during the months of October, November, or December while participating in a program under this act shall be terminated from the program on December 31 of the current fiscal year, unless the person would otherwise complete his or her individualized education program at the end of the current fiscal year. (D) No local educational agency may develop an individualized education program that extends these eligibility dates, and in no event may a pupil be required or allowed to attend school under the provisions of this part beyond these eligibility dates solely on the basis that the individual has not met his or her goals or objectives. (d) Meet eligibility criteria set forth in regulations adopted by the board, including, but not limited to, those adopted pursuant to Article 2.5 (commencing with Section 56333) of Chapter 4. (e) Unless disabled within the meaning of subdivisions (a) to (d), inclusive, pupils whose educational needs are due primarily to limited English proficiency; a lack of instruction in reading or mathematics; temporary physical disabilities; social maladjustment; or environmental, cultural, or economic factors are not individuals with exceptional needs.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56026.1. Section 56026.1.

(a) As provided in Section 300.102(a)(3)(i) of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, an individual with exceptional needs who graduates from high school with a regular high school diploma is no longer eligible for special education and related services. (b) For purposes of this section and Section 56026, a “regular high school diploma” means a diploma conferred on a pupil who has met all local and state high school graduation requirements. (c) As used in this section, and in accordance with Section 300.102(a)(3)(iv) of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, “regular high school diploma” does not include an alternative degree that is not fully aligned with the academic standards of the State of California, such as a certificate or a General Educational Development credential (GED).

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56026.2. Section 56026.2.

“Language mode” means the method of communication used by hard-of-hearing and deaf children that may include the use of sign language to send or receive messages or the use of spoken language, with or without visual signs or cues.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56026.3. Section 56026.3.

“Local educational agency” means a school district, a county office of education, a nonprofit charter school participating as a member of a special education local plan area, or a special education local plan area.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56026.5. Section 56026.5.

“Low incidence disability” means a severe disabling condition with an expected incidence rate of less than one percent of the total statewide enrollment in kindergarten through grade 12. For purposes of this definition, severe disabling conditions are hearing impairments, vision impairments, and severe orthopedic impairments, or any combination thereof. For purposes of this definition, vision impairments do not include disabilities within the function of vision specified in Section 56338.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56027. Section 56027.

“Local plan” means a plan that meets the requirements of Chapter 2.5 (commencing with Section 56195) and Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 56205) and that is submitted by a single school district, two or more school districts, or one or more school districts together with one or more county offices of education.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56028. Section 56028.

(a) “Parent” means any of the following: (1) A biological or adoptive parent of a child. (2) A foster parent if the authority of the biological or adoptive parents to make educational decisions on the child’s behalf specifically has been limited by court order in accordance with Section 300.30(b)(1) or (2) of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations. (3) A guardian generally authorized to act as the child’s parent, or authorized to make educational decisions for the child, including a responsible adult appointed for the child in accordance with Sections 361 and 726 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (4) An individual acting in the place of a biological or adoptive parent, including a grandparent, stepparent, or other relative, with whom the child lives, or an individual who is legally responsible for the child’s welfare. (5) A surrogate parent who has been appointed pursuant to Section 7579.5 or 7579.6 of the Government Code, and in accordance with Section 300.519 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations and Section 1439(a)(5) of Title 20 of the United States Code. (b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), the biological or adoptive parent, when attempting to act as the parent under this part and when more than one party is qualified under subdivision (a) to act as a parent, shall be presumed to be the parent for purposes of this section unless the biological or adoptive parent does not have legal authority to make educational decisions for the child. (2) If a judicial decree or order identifies a specific person or persons under paragraphs (1) to (4), inclusive, of subdivision (a) to act as the “parent” of a child or to make educational decisions on behalf of a child, then that person or persons shall be determined to be the “parent” for purposes of this part, Article 1 (commencing with Section 48200) of Chapter 2 of Part 27 of Division 4 of Title 2, and Chapter 26.5 (commencing with Section 7570) of Division 7 of Title 1 of the Government Code, and Sections 361 and 726 of the Welfare and Institutions Code. (c) “Parent” does not include the state or any political subdivision of government. (d) “Parent” does not include a nonpublic, nonsectarian school or agency under contract with a local educational agency for the provision of special education or designated instruction and services for a child.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56028.3. Section 56028.3.

“Prone restraint” means the application of a behavioral restraint on a pupil in a facedown position for any period of time and includes the procedure known as prone containment.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56028.5. Section 56028.5.

“Public agency” means a school district, county office of education, special education local plan area, a nonprofit public charter school that is not otherwise included as a local educational agency and is not a school within a local educational agency, or any other public agency under the auspices of the state or any political subdivisions of the state providing special education or related services to individuals with exceptional needs. For purposes of this part, “public agency,” means all of the public agencies listed in Section 300.33 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56029. Section 56029.

“Referral for assessment” means any written request for assessment to identify an individual with exceptional needs made by any of the following: (a) A parent or guardian of the individual. (b) A teacher or other service provider of the individual. (c) A foster parent of the individual, consistent with the limitations contained in federal law.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56030. Section 56030.

“Responsible local agency” means the school district or county office of education designated in the local plan as the administrative entity the duties of which shall include, but are not limited to, receiving and distributing regionalized services funds, providing administrative support, and coordinating the implementation of the plan.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56030.5. Section 56030.5.

“Severely disabled” means individuals with exceptional needs who require intensive instruction and training in programs serving pupils with the following profound disabilities: autism, blindness, deafness, severe orthopedic impairments, serious emotional disturbances, severe intellectual disability, and those individuals who would have been eligible for enrollment in a development center for handicapped pupils under Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 56800), as it read on January 1, 1980.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56031. Section 56031.

(a) “Special education,” in accordance with Section 1401(29) of Title 20 of the United States Code, means specially designed instruction, at no cost to the parent, to meet the unique needs of individuals with exceptional needs, including instruction conducted in the classroom, in the home, in hospitals and institutions, and other settings, and instruction in physical education. (b) In accordance with Section 300.39 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, special education includes each of the following, if the services otherwise meet the requirements of subdivision (a): (1) Speech-language pathology services, or any other designated instruction and service or related service, pursuant to Section 56363, if the service is considered special education rather than a designated instruction and service or related service under state standards. (2) Travel training. (3) Vocational education. (c) Transition services for individuals with exceptional needs may be special education, in accordance with Section 300.43(b) of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, if provided as specially designed instruction, or a related service, if required to assist an individual with exceptional needs to benefit from special education. (d) Individuals with exceptional needs shall be grouped for instructional purposes according to their instructional needs. (e) This section shall not be construed to prohibit an individualized education program from including specialized deaf and hard-of-hearing related services as the only services.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56032. Section 56032.

“Individualized education program” means a written document described in Sections 56345 and 56345.1 for an individual with exceptional needs that is developed, reviewed, and revised in a meeting in accordance with Sections 300.320 to 300.328, inclusive, of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations and this part. It also means “individualized family service plan” as described in Section 1436 of Title 20 of the United States Code if the individualized education program pertains to an individual with exceptional needs younger than three years of age.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56033.5. Section 56033.5.

“Supplementary aids and services,” as provided in Section 1401(33) of Title 20 of the United States Code and in Section 300.42 of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations, means aids, services, and other supports that are provided in regular education classes or other education-related settings and in extracurricular and nonacademic settings, to enable individuals with exceptional needs to be educated with nondisabled children to the maximum extent appropriate in accordance with Section 1412(a)(5) of Title 20 of the United States Code and Sections 300.114 to 300.116, inclusive, of Title 34 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56034. Section 56034.

“Nonpublic, nonsectarian school” means a private, nonsectarian school that enrolls individuals with exceptional needs pursuant to an individualized education program and is certified by the department. It does not include an organization or agency that operates as a public agency or offers public service, including, but not limited to, a state or local agency, an affiliate of a state or local agency, including a private, nonprofit corporation established or operated by a state or local agency, or a public university or college. A nonpublic, nonsectarian school also shall meet standards as prescribed by the Superintendent and board.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 56035. Section 56035.

“Nonpublic, nonsectarian agency” means a private, nonsectarian establishment or individual that provides related services necessary for an individual with exceptional needs to benefit educationally from the pupils’ educational program pursuant to an individualized education program and that is certified by the department. It does not include an organization or agency that operates as a public agency or offers public service, including, but not limited to, a state or local agency, an affiliate of a state or local agency, including a private, nonprofit corporation established or operated by a state or local agency, a public university or college, or a public hospital. The nonpublic, nonsectarian agency shall also meet standards as prescribed by the superintendent and board.
Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026

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