School facilities: inclusive school playgrounds.

Plain English Breakdown

The exact composition of the advisory committee is unclear from the provided official source material.

Creating Inclusive School Playgrounds

This law establishes a committee within the Department of Education to develop guidelines for inclusive school playgrounds and requires grant programs to prioritize projects that follow these guidelines.

What This Bill Does

• Establishes an advisory committee with the State Department of Education to create model guidelines for inclusive school playgrounds by January 1, 2028.
• Requires the department to update grant program guidelines to prioritize projects that meet the new guidelines by July 1, 2027.
• Encourages other state agencies to support funding mechanisms for playground projects that follow the guidelines.
• Needs the committee to submit reports every five years starting from January 1, 2028, about inclusive school playgrounds and resource allocation.

Who It Names or Affects

• School districts using state or local funds for school playground improvements.
• The State Department of Education when managing grant programs for school facilities.
• Other state agencies involved in funding school facilities and playgrounds.

Terms To Know

Inclusive School Playground Advisory Committee

A group made up of experts who will create guidelines to help make sure all children can use school playgrounds, no matter if they have disabilities or not.

Model Guidelines

Rules and ideas that schools should follow when building new playgrounds to make them accessible for everyone.

Limits and Unknowns

• The bill does not specify how much funding will be available for these projects.
• It is unclear what specific actions other state agencies must take to encourage funding for inclusive playgrounds.

Official Summary Text

AB 2241, as amended, Boerner.
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
15-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.
The bill would authorize the State Board of Education to adopt regulations to implement these provisions.

Current Bill Text

Download Bill PDF