Plain English Breakdown
The exact definition of 'certain reported acts' will be determined when the model policy is developed by June 2026.
Model Policy for Off-Campus Cyberbullying
This law requires the state education department to create a sample policy on handling certain reported off-campus cyberbullying acts by June 30, 2026, and requires schools to adopt their own rules based on this model or with community input by July 1, 2027.
What This Bill Does
- Requires the State Department of Education to develop a model policy for addressing certain reported acts of cyberbullying occurring outside school hours and off-campus by June 30, 2026.
- States that schools are authorized but not required to address these specific off-campus acts under the new rules.
- Mandates that each local educational agency must adopt a policy or modify existing bullying prevention procedures regarding this issue by July 1, 2027.
- Allows districts to use the state's model policy directly or create their own version with input from stakeholders.
- Requires schools and districts to post a copy of their adopted policy on their official websites and each school site website.
Who It Names or Affects
- The California State Department of Education
- Local educational agencies, including school districts and charter schools
Terms To Know
- Model Policy
- A sample set of rules created by the state that local schools can use as a guide or adopt directly.
- Local Educational Agency
- The official name for school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools in California law.
Limits and Unknowns
- Schools are not required to investigate or punish off-campus cyberbullying; they only have the option to do so.
- The specific details of which acts count as 'certain reported acts' depend on how the department defines them in the final model policy.