9 New Laws Aimed at California Schools Affect Incoming Students

Children attend a school assembly at a school in Garden Grove, Calif., on Nov. 15, 2022. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

As schools across the state open again, California’s lawmakers have passed nine new laws that they believe will make the educational experience safer, healthier, and more inclusive.

Spoiler alert: They didn’t ban the pop quiz.

Here are the new laws:

Recess Requirements

Starting this school year, public elementary schools must provide at least 30 minutes of recess on regular instructional days and 15 minutes on days with shortened schedules. This rule (SB 291) ensures students have ample time for physical activity and unstructured play, except in cases where there is an immediate threat to the safety of the students or their peers.

Suspension Policy Updates

Since July, public schools have been prohibited from suspending students in grades K-12 for disruptions or defiance, often known as willful defiance suspensions.

Traditionally, willful defiance suspensions have been used for behaviors such as wearing hats backward, falling asleep in class, using inappropriate language, or arguing with teachers, according to the office of state Sen. Nancy Skinner, the bill’s author.

Under the new law (SB 274), teachers can remove a student from class for disruptive behavior, but the student cannot be suspended. Instead, school administrators are tasked with evaluating and providing appropriate in-school interventions or support.

Additionally, the law bans suspensions or expulsions for tardiness or truancy.

It is set to expire on July 1, 2029.

Parent Notification

The law prohibits California school staff from disclosing a student’s preferred gender identity, sexual orientation, or gender expression to parents without the student’s consent.

The law (AB 1955) also protects teachers and school staff from retaliation for not sharing such information.

Media Literacy Education

The law requires all K-12 public schools to integrate media literacy education into their mathematics, science, and history-social science curricula.

According to Assemblyman Marc Berman, who authored the bill (AB 873), the measure aims to improve students’ critical thinking skills about media content, enabling them to differentiate between accurate and misleading information and grasp the effects of misinformation.

Climate Change Education Law

The law mandates that climate change education be integrated into science curricula for grades 1-12 in California public schools, focusing on the causes, effects, and strategies for mitigating and adapting to climate change.

This legislation (AB 285) positions California among the few states requiring comprehensive climate change education for all grade levels.

College Course Cost Transparency

For students considering a California State University or California Community Colleges, the law (AB 607) mandates that these institutions disclose the estimated cost of materials for each course on the course schedule. The policy will be phased in gradually, requiring 40 percent of courses to list costs by 2025 and 75 percent by 2028.

Opioids Safety Plans

Under the new law, public schools serving grades 7-12 must include education about the dangers of opioids, including deadly synthetic pills containing fentanyl, in their safety plans.

The bill (SB 10) also creates a state framework to ensure students are aware of the risks associated with fentanyl and have access to resources for preventing and responding to fentanyl poisoning and overdoses.

Named Melanie’s Law after Melanie Ramos, a 15-year-old who overdosed on fentanyl and died in a high school restroom in Hollywood in September 2022, the law aims to address the growing risk of opioid exposure among students.

Religious Event Absences

Students can now be excused from school for a full day per semester to attend a religious event—an increase from the previous four-hour limit, thanks to the new Religious Event Absences (AB 1503).

Free Menstrual Products

Last year, the Menstruation Equity for All Act (AB 230) required public schools serving grades 6-12 to provide free menstruation products. A new law now extends this requirement to schools serving grades 3-5.

A Senate analysis cites a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report indicating that 10 percent of menstruation periods begin by age 10.

The new law also mandates that schools provide free menstrual products in all-gender and girls’ restrooms, as well as in at least one boys’ restroom on each campus.