52073.2. (a) The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence and the department shall establish a process, administered by the department, to select, subject to approval by the executive director of the state board in consultation with the Department of Finance, special education local plan areas, county offices of education, or consortia of special education local plan areas and county offices of education to serve as special education resource leads to work with lead agencies selected pursuant to Sections 52073 and 52073.1, and other county offices of education, to improve pupil outcomes as part of the statewide system of support pursuant to this article.
(b) The process to select special education resource leads shall ensure that no more than 10 special education resource leads are selected to provide specific expertise on special education issues within the statewide system of support. At least three resource leads shall be selected in a manner to ensure statewide representation and focus directly on building local and regional capacity to support local educational agencies in achieving the goals, actions, and services identified in their local control and accountability plans. Special education resource leads shall be selected for a term not to exceed five years.
(c) Commencing with the grant cycle beginning July 1, 2023, both of the following shall occur:
(1) At least one resource lead shall be selected to support the development and implementation of high-quality individualized education programs.
(2) At least one resource lead shall be selected to, in partnership with a family support organization, or coalition of family support organizations, that provides support to families of pupils with disabilities, provide capacity building, training, and technical assistance on family support for families of pupils with disabilities, and conflict prevention and alternate dispute resolution in special education.
(d) For purposes of this section, “family support organization that provides support to families of pupils with disabilities” includes, but is not limited to, a state or federally funded organization that provides support to families of pupils with disabilities.
(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 52, Sec. 86. (AB 181) Effective June 30, 2022.)