SECTIONS 59000-59008 - California Statutes

EDUCATION CODE

SECTION 59000-59008

59000. There are two state schools for the deaf, known and
designated as the California School for the Deaf, Northern
California, and the California School for the Deaf, Southern
California. The term "California School for the Deaf" shall refer to
both schools unless the context otherwise requires.

59001. The California School for the Deaf is part of the public
school system of the state except that it derives no revenue from the
State School Fund, and has for its object the education of the deaf
who, because of their severe hearing loss and educational needs,
cannot be provided an appropriate educational program and related
services in the regular public schools.

59001.2. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:
(a) It is essential for the well-being and growth of deaf and
hard-of-hearing pupils that educational programs recognize the unique
nature of deafness and ensure that all deaf and hard-of-hearing
pupils have appropriate, ongoing, and fully accessible educational
opportunities.
(b) It is essential that a deaf or hard-of-hearing pupil obtain an
education in which special education teachers, psychologists, speech
therapists, assessors, administrators, and other school and
residential program personnel understand the unique nature of
deafness and are trained to work with a deaf or hard-of-hearing
pupil.
(c) It is essential that a deaf or hard-of-hearing pupil obtain an
education in which his or her special education teachers are
proficient in the primary language mode of that pupil.
(d) It is essential that a deaf or hard-of-hearing pupil obtain an
education in which his or her parents are involved in determining
the extent, content, and purpose of programs.
(e) It is essential that a deaf or hard-of-hearing pupil, like all
pupils, have programs in which his or her unique vocational needs
are provided for, including appropriate research, curricula,
programs, staff, and outreach.
(f) Each deaf or hard-of-hearing pupil should receive an education
that allows him or her to master a primary language.

59001.4. It is the intent of the Legislature that programs at the
California School for the Deaf provide all of the following:
(a) Each pupil should be assured an education appropriate to his
or her needs in publicly supported programs through completion of his
or her prescribed course of study or until the time that he or she
has met proficiency standards.
(b) Each pupil should have his or her educational goals,
objectives, special education, and related services specified in a
written individualized education program.
(c) Procedures and materials for assessment and placement of
individuals with exceptional needs should be selected and
administered so as not to be racially, culturally, or sexually
discriminatory. No single assessment instrument should be the sole
criterion for determining placement of a pupil. The procedures and
materials for assessment and placement should be in the individual's
mode of communication. All assessment materials and procedures should
be selected and administered pursuant to Section 56320.
(d) Psychological and health services for individuals with
exceptional needs should be available to each schoolsite.
(e) Continuous evaluation of the effectiveness of these education
programs should be made to ensure the highest quality educational
offerings.
(f) Appropriate qualified staff should be employed, consistent
with credentialing requirements, to fulfill the educational
responsibilities, and positive efforts are made to employ qualified
deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals.
(g) Educational and residential program personnel should be
adequately prepared to provide educational instruction and services
to individuals with exceptional needs in the appropriate
communication mode, including American Sign Language.
(h) There should be appropriate access to information and training
in American Sign Language for parents and pupils to ensure that they
are able to appropriately communicate with their families.

59002. The California Schools for the Deaf are under the
administration of the State Department of Education.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction, in connection with the
California Schools for the Deaf, shall do all of the following:
(a) Provide educational assessments and individual educational
recommendations for individuals who are referred for those services
pursuant to Section 56326.
(b) Maintain a comprehensive elementary educational program,
including related services, for deaf individuals.
(c) Serve as a regional secondary educational program providing a
comprehensive secondary education, including a full-range academic
curriculum, appropriate prevocational and vocational preparation
opportunities, and nonacademic and extracurricular activities.

59002.5. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, in connection
with the California Schools for the Deaf and in cooperation with
public and private agencies, may do one or more of the following:
(a) Serve as a demonstration school to promote personnel
development through student teaching, in-service education,
internships, professional observations for special education and
related services personnel in cooperation with institutions of higher
education and local education agencies.
(b) Serve as a resource center to develop and disseminate special
curriculum, media teaching methods, and instructional materials
adapted for deaf individuals, achievement tests and other assessment
methods useful to the instruction of deaf individuals.
(c) Provide counseling and information services for parents,
guardians, and families of deaf individuals, and public information
about deafness to community groups and other agencies.
(d) Conduct experimental programs and projects to promote
improvement in special education for deaf individuals.
(e) Promote and coordinate community and continuing education
opportunities for deaf individuals utilizing existing community
resources.

59003. The State Department of Education in relation to the
California Schools for the Deaf shall:
(a) Prescribe rules for the government of the schools.
(b) Appoint the superintendents and other officers and employees.
(c) Remove for cause any officer, teacher, or employee.
(d) Fix the compensation of officers, teachers, and employees.

59004. The superintendent of the school shall have had not less
than three years' experience in the art of teaching the deaf and
shall hold a credential issued by the State Board of Education
authorizing him to teach in secondary schools of this state.

59005. The powers and duties of the superintendents of the schools
are such as are assigned by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

59006. The Superintendent of Public Instruction may authorize the
California Schools for the Deaf to establish and maintain teacher
training courses designed to prepare teachers of the public schools
and such other persons holding a credential issued by the State Board
of Education as are recommended by the president of a campus of the
California State University, to give instruction to the deaf and the
hard of hearing. The Superintendent of Public Instruction shall
prescribe standards for the admission of persons to the courses, and
for the content of the courses.
The California Schools for the Deaf may enter into agreements with
the Trustees of the California State University, the University of
California, or any other university or college accredited by the
State Board of Education as a teacher training educational
institution, to provide practice teaching required for issuance of
the credential authorizing the holder to teach the deaf and severely
hard of hearing. The agreement may provide a reasonable payment, for
services rendered, to teachers of the California Schools for the Deaf
who have practice teachers under their direction.

59007. The State Department of Education may employ any person,
otherwise qualified, who has retired for service under either the
Public Employees' Retirement System or the State Teachers' Retirement
System as a substitute in a position requiring certification
qualifications at the California Schools for the Deaf, except that
the total of that service and any service rendered pursuant to
Section 23919 shall not exceed 90 teaching days in any one fiscal
year.

59008. (a) The Department of Personnel Administration shall
consider making salaries for teachers, specialists, and
administrators of the California School for the Deaf competitive with
the salaries of similarly qualified school teachers, specialists,
and administrators who are employed by the encompassing school
districts.
(b) For purposes of this section, "teachers," "teacher
specialists," and "administrators" mean those individuals who hold
the appropriate teaching, service, or teaching and administrative
credential, as appropriate, as issued by the Commission on Teacher
Credentialing, as determined by the employing state agency.