School facilities: inclusive school playgrounds.

Plain English Breakdown

The exact details of future legislation increasing access to inclusive playgrounds remain unspecified.

Creating Inclusive School Playgrounds

AB-2241 establishes a committee to develop guidelines for inclusive school playgrounds and requires the State Department of Education to prioritize grant funding for projects that follow these guidelines.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes an advisory committee of nine members to coordinate with the department to develop model guidelines for inclusive school playgrounds by January 1, 2028.
• Requires the State Department of Education to amend existing grant programs to prioritize funding for projects that meet the model guidelines starting July 1, 2027.
• Encourages other state agencies to collaborate in providing funding mechanisms that incentivize inclusive playgrounds.

Who It Names or Affects

• School districts and community colleges using local or state funds for playground improvements.
• The State Department of Education and other agencies involved in funding school facilities.

Terms To Know

Inclusive School Playground Advisory Committee

A group made up of nine members who will create guidelines to help make sure all students, including those with disabilities, can use playgrounds safely and enjoyably.

Grant programs

Money given by the government or other organizations to support projects that benefit the public, like building new school playgrounds.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much money will be available for these changes.
• It is intended but not guaranteed that subsequent legislation may increase access to inclusive playgrounds.

Official Summary Text

AB 2241, as amended, Boerner.
Inclusive playgrounds.
School facilities: inclusive school playgrounds.
If state funds are used for a public building or facility or local funds are used for a school or community college building or facility, including a school playground, existing law prohibits a contract from being awarded until the Department of General Services issues a written approval stating that the plans and specifications comply with the intent of provisions governing access to public buildings by physically handicapped persons, including the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Existing law establishes various state grant and funding programs administered by the State Department of Education that may be used for school facilities and related improvements, including school playgrounds.
This bill would establish within the department a 9-member
Inclusive School Playground Advisory Committee to, among other duties, on or before January 1, 2028, coordinate with the department to develop and publish model guidelines for inclusive school playgrounds, as provided. The bill would require the department, on or before July 1, 2027, to identify any grant programs within the department that fund school playgrounds and amend guidelines for those grant programs to prioritize proposed projects that meet the model guidelines. The bill would require the department to collaborate with other state agencies to encourage funding mechanisms for other playgrounds to similarly incentivize projects that meet the model guidelines. The bill would require the committee, or before January 1, 2028, and every 5 years thereafter, to submit a report to the Legislature on inclusive school playgrounds that includes, but is not limited to, recommendations on resource allocation. The bill would also require the department to support the implementation of the bill with existing
funding allowable for these purposes or through grant funding.
Existing law establishes, within the Natural Resources Agency, the Department of Parks and Recreation, which controls the state parks. Existing law provides a process for the establishment of recreation and park districts. Existing law authorizes a recreation and park district to accept any revenue, money, grants, goods, or services from any federal, state, regional, or local agency or from any person for any lawful purpose of the district.
This bill would provide that it is the intent of the Legislature to enact subsequent legislation that would increase access to inclusive playgrounds.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF