School employees: cultural competency training.

Education Labor

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Gipson
Last action: 2026-02-02
Official status: From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on costs or exemptions beyond mentioning them generally.

School Employees Must Take Cultural Training

This law requires school districts and charter schools in California to provide cultural competency training to their employees who work with students from kindergarten through grade 12, starting in the 2027-28 school year.

What This Bill Does

Requires the State Department of Education to develop an online cultural competency training platform by July 1, 2027.
School districts and charter schools must provide this training annually from the 2027–28 school year through the 2031–32 school year to all employees who work with students in kindergarten through grade 12.
Local educational agencies must pay their workers while they take the training during regular work hours or professional development time.
The State Department of Education will monitor compliance and report back to the government after five years.

Who It Names or Affects

School districts, county offices of education, and charter schools in California.
All school employees who work with students from kindergarten through grade 12.

Terms To Know

Cultural competency: Understanding and respecting different cultures to better serve people from diverse backgrounds.
Local educational agencies (LEAs): School districts, county offices of education, or charter schools that provide education services.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only applies until July 1, 2033.
It is not clear how much it will cost local schools to follow this rule.
Some employees might be exempt from the training if they have already completed similar training elsewhere.

Bill History

2026-02-02 California Legislative Information
From committee: Filed with the Chief Clerk pursuant to Joint Rule 56.
2026-01-31 California Legislative Information
Died pursuant to Art. IV, Sec. 10(c) of the Constitution.
2025-05-23 California Legislative Information
In committee: Held under submission.
2025-04-23 California Legislative Information
In committee: Set, first hearing. Referred to suspense file.
2025-04-01 California Legislative Information
Re-referred to Com. on APPR.
2025-03-28 California Legislative Information
Read second time and amended.
2025-03-27 California Legislative Information
From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 2.) (March 26).
2025-03-03 California Legislative Information
Referred to Com. on ED.
2025-02-20 California Legislative Information
From printer. May be heard in committee March 22.
2025-02-19 California Legislative Information
Read first time. To print.

Official Summary Text

AB 857, as amended, Gipson.
School employees: cultural competency training.
Existing law establishes a system of public elementary and secondary schools in this state and authorizes local educational agencies throughout the state to operate schools and provide instruction to pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 12, inclusive. Existing law authorizes local educational agencies to employ personnel to provide services in schools pursuant to that system.
This bill would require the State Department of Education to, on or before July 1, 2027, develop an online cultural competency training delivery platform and online cultural competency training curriculum for school employees to support pupils of color. The bill would, commencing with the 2027–28 school
year,
year and ending with the completion of the 2031–32 school year,
require a school district, county office of education, or charter school serving pupils in kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 12, inclusive, to
annually
provide that training to all school employees,
unless an employee is exempt from the training or an employee provides proof of completion for a cultural competency training completed while employed at another local educational agency,
as provided. The bill would also require local educational agencies to provide a proof of completion to school employees that complete the training and to ensure that all school employees complete the required training on paid time during the employees’ regular work hours or designated professional development hours,
as provided. By imposing additional duties on local educational agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.
The bill would require the department to (1) monitor compliance with the training requirement as part of the department’s annual compliance monitoring of state and federal programs, (2) report data, within 9 months of the completion of the 5-year training period, from that compliance monitoring to the Legislature, and (3) post the report on the department’s internet website, as provided. The bill would make these provisions inoperative on July 1, 2033, and would repeal them as of January 1, 2034.
The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making
that reimbursement.
This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Download Bill PDF