Assembly BillPassed first houseEducation
AB 2189: Statewide Special Education Parent Advocacy Collaborative.
What AB 2189 does, verified August 15, 2026
<p>The bill authorizes the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to award grants to a statewide advocacy organization. These grants, subject to legislative appropriation, would fund outreach and training activities through local meetings or forums. The purpose is to provide special education students and their families with information about special education rights and advocacy.</p>
Bill journey
✓IntroducedComplete
✓In CommitteeComplete
✓First Chamber FloorComplete
4Second ChamberCurrent
5GovernorPending
6ChapteredPending
Last action: In committee: Held under submission. (2026-08-13)Alert me
Author and sponsors
Full contact details, staff, and committees with Connect, $16/moUnlockRecent actions22 total · showing 5
| Aug. 13, 2026 | In committee: Held under submission. |
| Aug. 03, 2026 | In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file. |
| Jul. 02, 2026 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR. |
| Jun. 22, 2026 | From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on ED. |
| Jun. 16, 2026 | From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on ED. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 5. Noes 0.) (June 15). Re-referred to Com. on ED. |
Latest bill textAmended version, June 22, 2026 · 1,802 words
| Amended IN Senate June 22, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly May 18, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly April 27, 2026 |
| Amended IN Assembly April 16, 2026 |
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2025–2026 REGULAR SESSION
Assembly Bill
No. 2189
| Introduced by Assembly Member Nguyen (Coauthors: Assembly Members Arambula, Bonta, and Schiavo) |
February 19, 2026 |
An act to add Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 56870) to Part 30 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, relating to developmental services.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
AB 2189, as amended, Nguyen. Statewide Special Education Parent Advocacy Collaborative.
Existing law establishes the State Council on Developmental Disabilities to, among other things, serve as the state planning council responsible for developing the California Developmental Disabilities State Plan and monitoring and evaluating the implementation of the plan. Existing law requires the council to conduct activities related to meeting the objectives of the state plan. Existing law requires these activities to include, among other things, supporting and conducting technical assistance activities to assist public and private entities to contribute to the objectives of the state plan, and authorizes the activities to include, among other things, supporting and conducting activities to assist neighborhoods and communities to respond positively to individuals with disabilities and their families.
This bill would require the council to establish and administer a Statewide Special Education Parent Advocacy Collaborative to build statewide capacity for parent and pupil engagement in special education advocacy, systems change, and policy development. The bill would require the council to conduct a competitive grant process to award $800,000 annually for 3 fiscal years to a statewide advocacy organization. The bill would appropriate those funds from the General Fund to the council for that purpose for the 2027–28, 2028–29, and 2029–30 fiscal years. The bill would require the selected grantee to conduct outreach and training through meetings or forums to provide information on statewide special education advocacy, as specified. The bill would also require the grantee to, among other things, (1) identify key challenges and opportunities in state policy relating to improving outcomes for pupils with disabilities, (2) establish and facilitate a statewide collaborative of parents, pupils, and stakeholders to build advocacy and leadership skills for state-level advocacy, and (3) establish measurable outcomes aligned with statewide accountability systems, as provided. The bill would require the grantee to submit an annual report to the council and would require the council to submit a report, on or before December 31, 2030, to the Legislature and the Governor that includes the outcomes achieved, as provided. The bill would make these provisions contingent upon an appropriation for these purposes.
The people of the State of California do enact as follows:
SECTION 1.
(a) The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:(1) The federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.)(IDEA) guarantees pupils with disabilities the right to a free, appropriate public education and related services designed to meet their unique needs.
(2) Effective implementation and enforcement of the IDEA requires meaningful engagement of parents, families, and pupils, including those transitioning to postsecondary education or adulthood.
(3) Recent reductions in federal capacity to monitor and enforce the IDEA, including staffing reductions within the United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights and the United States Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs, have diminished the capacity of the federal government to oversee compliance with the IDEA, and heighten the importance of states’ responsibility to ensure compliance and accountability.
(4) California serves one of the largest populations of pupils with disabilities in the nation and has been identified as needing assistance or intervention in implementing IDEA requirements, underscoring the need for strengthened statewide oversight and support systems.
(5) Existing parent support structures, including the Family Empowerment Centers on Disability, the Early Start Family Resource Centers, and community advisory committees, provide critical local-level support, but are not charged with engaging in statewide systems-level advocacy and policy engagement.
(6) A coordinated, statewide structure that builds the capacity of parents and pupils to engage in systems advocacy, coalition building, and statewide policy processes is necessary to ensure consistent implementation of the IDEA and equitable outcomes for pupils with disabilities.
(7) The California Collaborative for Educational Excellence has developed a theory of action emphasizing continuous improvement, capacity building, and data-informed decisionmaking, which provides a framework for strengthening systems of support across California’s education system.
(b) Therefore, it is the intent of the Legislature to establish a statewide advocacy collaborative to engage parents of pupils with disabilities to build leadership capacity, coordinate statewide advocacy efforts, and engage in state policy processes, in order to improve outcomes for pupils with disabilities through systems change.
SEC. 2.
Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 56870) is added to Part 30 of Division 4 of Title 2 of the Education Code, to read:CHAPTER 9. Statewide Special Education Parent Advocacy Collaborative
56870.
For purposes of this chapter, the following definitions apply:(a) “Advocacy” means activities that promote, support, or influence public policy, systems, or practices at the local, regional, or state level to improve outcomes for pupils with disabilities, including systems advocacy, capacity building, and systems change. “Advocacy” does not include representation of individual pupils in due process hearings or individualized education program disputes.
(b) “Collaborative” means the Statewide Special Education Parent Advocacy Collaborative established pursuant to this chapter.
(c) “Council” means the State Council on Developmental Disabilities.
(d) “Grantee” means the nonprofit statewide advocacy organization selected pursuant to Section 56872.
(e) “Parent” means both of the following:
(1) A parent, guardian, or other family member responsible for the care or support of a pupil with a disability.
(2) An education rights holder of a pupil with a disability.
(f) “Pupil with a disability” means an individual with a disability with a particular impairment described in Section 1401 of Title 20 of the United States Code, including infants, toddlers, children, youth, and individuals up to 21 years of age, inclusive, and including those transitioning to postsecondary education or adulthood.
(g) “Statewide advocacy organization” means an organization with demonstrated success representing the interests of families and individuals with disabilities with particular impairments described in Section 1401 of Title 20 of the United States Code, through local or statewide forums.
56871.
The council shall establish and administer a Statewide Special Education Parent Advocacy Collaborative for the purpose of building statewide capacity for parent and pupil engagement in special education advocacy, systems change, and policy development.56872.
(a) The council shall conduct a competitive grant process to award eight hundred thousand dollars ($800,000) annually for three fiscal years to an eligible nonprofit statewide advocacy organization.(b) The council may retain up to 5 percent of the grant funding described in subdivision (a) for purposes of administering the grant.
(c) The grantee shall conduct outreach and training through meetings or forums for the purpose of providing parent leaders, pupil advocates, and other stakeholders, inclusive of postsecondary students, with culturally and linguistically responsive information regarding statewide special education advocacy for the purpose of systems advocacy, capacity building, and systems change.
(d) The grant shall be awarded through a competitive process that includes a public solicitation of applications and an evaluation based on established criteria.
(e) In awarding the grant, the council shall consider evaluate whether an applicant has all of the following:
(1) Demonstrated experience in statewide community organizing.
(2) Demonstrated experience in coalition building across diverse geographic regions.
(3) Demonstrated experience in advocacy on behalf of pupils with disabilities and their families.
(4) Ability to coordinate with existing entities, including, but not limited to, the Family Empowerment Centers on Disability, the Early Start Family Resource Centers, community advisory committees, Parent Training and Information Centers, and local educational agencies.
56873.
The grantee shall, at a minimum, do all of the following:(a) Work with parents, pupils, family support entities, and stakeholders to identify key challenges and opportunities in state policy relating to improving outcomes for pupils with disabilities.
(b) Identify and build a network of at least 200 leader stakeholders engaged in advocacy for pupils with disabilities.
(c) Establish and facilitate a statewide collaborative of parents, pupils, and stakeholders, including identifying and supporting a cohort of approximately 40 to 50 parent and pupil leaders representing diverse geographic regions of the state to build advocacy and leadership skills for state-level advocacy.
(d) Conduct not fewer than three convenings annually to provide training, build relationships, and coordinate statewide advocacy efforts.
(e) Develop and implement a statewide training program, including virtual and in-person opportunities, to build participant knowledge and skills.
(f) Provide training and technical assistance designed to develop participant capacity in all of the following areas:
(1) State-level advocacy and legislative engagement.
(2) Statewide communications, messaging, and public engagement.
(3) Sharing best practices in effective parent and pupil advocacy and leadership development.
(4) Coalition building and community organizing across regions.
(5) Understanding and monitoring compliance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.).
(6) Use of data, including the California School Dashboard and the State Performance Plan, to inform advocacy and systems change.
(g) Coordinate with and leverage existing local, regional, and statewide parent and family support structures to ensure alignment and avoid duplication of services.
(h) Collect, analyze, and elevate the experiences of parents and pupils to inform state-level policymaking, oversight, and systems improvement.
56874.
Activities conducted pursuant to this chapter shall be guided by the California Collaborative for Educational Excellence’s theory of action, including principles of continuous improvement, capacity building, and data-driven decisionmaking.56875.
The grantee shall establish measurable outcomes aligned with statewide accountability systems, including the California School Dashboard and the State Performance Plan. The outcomes shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:(a) Increased participation of parents and pupils in statewide advocacy efforts.
(b) Improved coordination among parent and family support organizations.
(c) Increased capacity of participants to engage in systems-level advocacy.
(d) Contributions to improved outcomes for pupils with disabilities, as measured by relevant state indicators.
56876.
(a) The grantee shall submit an annual report to the council.(b) (1) The council shall submit a report, on or before December 31, 2030, to the Legislature and the Governor, in compliance with Section 9795 of the Government Code, that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:
(A) A description of activities conducted pursuant to this section.
(B) The number and geographic distribution of participants.
(C) Outcomes achieved, including alignment with the California School Dashboard and State Performance Plan indicators.
(D) Recommendations for improving statewide special education advocacy and oversight.
(2) The report shall be made publicly available on the council’s internet website.
56877.
The implementation of this chapter is contingent upon an appropriation in the annual Budget Act or another statute for these purposes.Text of AB 2189 as amended, from the official record. Connect Plus keeps every version and highlights what changed.Compare versions