Dear County and District Superintendents and Charter School Administrators:

Countywide Plans for Provision of Educational Services to
Expelled Students

I am writing to remind you that your 2027 Countywide Plans for Provision of Educational Services to Expelled Students (Countywide Plans) are due to the California Department of Education (CDE) no later than June 30, 2027.

Assembly Bill 1230 (Bonta), signed into law by Governor Gavin Newsom on October 3, 2025 (Chapter 294), revised California Education Code (EC) sections 48916, 48916.1, and 48926 related to pupil expulsions. Specifically, EC Section 48926, as amended, introduced new requirements for Countywide Plans. The new statutory requirements are outlined in this letter. Additional detail can be found at CDE Program Summary (Countywide Plans for Expelled Students) web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/eo/ex/summarycowideplans.asp.

California Education Code Requirements

EC Section 48926 requires county superintendents in counties that operate community schools pursuant to Section 1980, in conjunction with superintendents of school districts within the county, to develop a plan for providing educational services, including services that may be required pursuant to a pupil’s individualized education program or plan pursuant to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec 794), to all expelled pupils in that county.

The law required submission of the initial plan to the State Superintendent of Public Instruction (SSPI) in 1997 after adoption by the governing board of each school district within the county and by the county board of education. EC Section 48926 also requires that each county superintendent of schools, in conjunction with district superintendents in the county, submit a triennial update to that plan to the SSPI that reflects the outcome pursuant to Section 48916.1.

EC Section 48926 provides that:

The plan shall enumerate existing educational alternatives for expelled pupils, identify gaps in educational services to expelled pupils, and strategies for filling those service gaps. The plan shall also identify multiple educational programs and services, including timely readmission processes.

Countywide Plan Requirements and Recommendations

The recommended content of the Countywide Plan must address additional, more detailed questions that were raised and supported by the State School Attendance Review Board and Student Programs and Services Steering Committee of the California County Superintendents Educational Services Association. These questions concern behavioral intervention approaches used to minimize the number of suspensions and expulsions, including a focus on how such practices may impact the disproportionate number of minority students being suspended or expelled.

1. The Countywide Plan must list and describe the educational alternatives currently available for expelled students. It is recommended that the plan also describe strategies for improvement during the next three years, including:
   
   
   • Any behavioral intervention practices, at the site and district levels, and options used to:
     
     • Minimize the number of suspensions leading to expulsions
     • Minimize the number of expulsions being ordered
     • Support students returning from expulsions
       
       
   • Specific explanation of how those practices relate to any disproportionate representation of minority students in such interventions.
     
     
2. The Countywide Plan must address gaps in educational services and strategies for filling them. If a 2024 Countywide Plan identified gaps in educational services to expelled pupils, it is recommended the 2027 plan include the following information regarding the implementation of strategies outlined for filling those service gaps:
   
   
   • Were the strategies successful or not? Please explain why and how they were or were not successful.
   • Were any additional strategies implemented? If so, explain why and how they were or were not successful.
   • For strategies that were not successful, describe any additional measure(s) or approach(es) taken, and the outcome(s).
     
     
3. Identify multiple educational programs and services.
   
   
   • AB 1230 amended EC Section 48916.1(a) to provide that, before an expulsion order is finalized, the governing board shall notify the pupil and the pupil’s family of the available educational options for expelled pupils as outlined in the plan pursuant to EC Section 48926.
     
     
   • EC Section 48915.2 provides as follows:
     
     A pupil expelled from school for any of the offenses listed in subdivision (a) or (c) of Section 48915, shall not be permitted to enroll in any other school or school district during the period of expulsion unless it is a county community school pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1981, or a juvenile court school, as described in Section 48645.1, or a community day school pursuant to Article 3 (commencing with Section 48660) of Chapter 4 of Part 27.
     
     
   • The prohibitions in EC Section 48915.2 do not apply to students for whom the enforcement of the expulsion order is suspended per EC Section 48917.
     
     
   • The prohibitions in EC Section 48915.2 do not apply to charter schools. A charter school is generally exempt from most laws governing school districts, except where specifically noted in the law per EC Section 47610
     
     
4. Outline a timely readmission process after the expulsion term is complete.
   
   Additional detail regarding the development of the readmission plan can be found on the CDE Program Summary (Countywide Plans for Expelled Students) web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/eo/ex/summarycowideplans.asp.
   
   
   • AB 1230 amended EC Section 48916 to provide that the governing board shall recommend a plan of rehabilitation for the pupil at the time of the expulsion order, which shall include, but not be limited to, periodic review and a preliminary assessment for readmission at least 45 days before the end of the expulsion term. The plan shall be tailored to the individual pupil’s needs and address the pupil’s behavior that led to the expulsion. The plan may be developed in consultation with school personnel who have knowledge or special expertise regarding the pupil and include recommendations for improved academic performance, tutoring, special education assessments, job training, counseling, employment, community service, or other rehabilitative programs.
     
     
   • EC Section 48916 now also provides that the governing board of each school district shall adopt rules and regulations establishing a procedure for the filing and processing of requests for readmission, a process for the required review of all expelled pupils for readmission, and a procedure for the transition process for readmitted pupils. As part of the process for a required review, the governing board shall indicate whether or not the pupil had access to the necessary resources to complete their rehabilitation plan.
     
     
5. Describe the steps to be taken by the school district, in collaboration with the county office of education, to support the successful transition of a pupil upon readmission.
   
   
6. Identify alternative placements for pupils who are expelled and placed in district community day school programs but who fail to meet the terms and conditions of their rehabilitation plan or pose a danger to other district pupils, as determined by the governing board.

Submission of Countywide Plans

Please email the following information to Dan Sackheim at dsackheim@cde.ca.gov and the High School Innovations and Initiatives Office mailbox at CountywidePlans@cde.ca.gov no later than June 30, 2027:

• An electronic version of the 2027 Countywide Plan
• Links to the 2024 and 2027 Countywide Plans posted on your county’s website

Maintaining Access to Countywide Plans

Please maintain links to both the 2024 and 2027 Countywide Plans on your county’s website. The CDE will establish an outside link from the CDE Countywide Plans web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/sp/eo/ex/countywideplans.asp to each county plan. The purpose of the availability of both plan versions on the CDE Countywide Plans web page is to show each county’s progress in providing educational services to expelled pupils.

If you have any questions regarding the electronic submission of the Countywide Plans or links, please contact the High School Innovations and Initiatives Office at 916-323-2183 or CountywidePlans@cde.ca.gov.

If you have any questions regarding the requirements for Countywide Plans, please contact Dan Sackheim, Education Programs Consultant, High School Innovations and Initiatives Office, at dsackheim@cde.ca.gov.

Sincerely,

Signed by

Erika F. Torres, Deputy Superintendent
Student Success and Career Readiness Branch

EFT:ds