Section 60852.5.

(a) By January 31, 2004, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall develop, and the State Board of Education shall approve, a request for a proposal for an independent consultant to assess options and provide recommendations for alternatives to the high school exit examination for pupils with disabilities to be eligible for a high school diploma. By April 30, 2004, an independent consultant shall be selected by a selection panel consisting of one representative appointed by each of the following persons and entities:

(1) The President pro Tempore of the Senate.

(2) The Speaker of the Assembly.

(3) The Legislative Analyst's Office.

(4) The State Department of Education.

(5) The Department of Finance.

(b) The independent consultant should possess expertise on the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 U.S.C. Sec. 1400 et seq.) and applicable state law, as well as assessment methodologies concerning pupils with disabilities.

(c) The independent consultant shall, in consultation with the advisory panel established pursuant to Section 60852.6, prepare a report that does all of the following:

(1) Recommends options for graduation requirements and assessments for pupils who are individuals with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 56026, or who are disabled, as defined in Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794).

(2) Identifies those provisions of state and federal law and regulation that are relevant to graduation requirements and assessments for pupils who are individuals with exceptional needs.

(3) Recommends the steps that would be taken to bring California into full compliance with the state and federal law and regulations that are identified pursuant to paragraph (2).

(d) The independent consultant shall provide the advisory panel established pursuant to Section 60852.6 with a preliminary report of findings and shall include the advisory panel's concerns and recommendations in a final report. The final report shall be disseminated to the members of the advisory panel, the Legislature, the Legislative Analyst's Office, the Department of Finance, the State Department of Education, and interested parties no later than May 1, 2005.

(e) The Superintendent of Public Instruction may, upon approval of an expenditure plan by the Department of Finance and the Joint Legislative Budget Committee, provide funds for the purposes of implementing the recommendations provided pursuant to subdivision (c).

(Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 803, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2004.)