Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.
There is one state school for the blind, known and designated as the California School for the Blind.
Article 1 - Administration
California Education Code — §§ 59100-59105
Sections (7)
Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 759, Sec. 53. Effective September 21, 1992.
The California School for the Blind is a 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 visually impaired, blind, and deaf-blind pupils who, because of their severe sensory loss and educational needs, cannot be provided an appropriate educational program and related services in the regular public schools.
Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 759, Sec. 54. Effective September 21, 1992.
The California School for the Blind is under the administration of the State Department of Education.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction, in connection with the California School for the Blind, shall do all of the following:
(a)Provide educational assessments and individual educational recommendations for individuals referred for those services pursuant to Section 56326.
(b)Maintain a comprehensive elementary and secondary educational program, including related services and nonacademic and extracurricular activities for visually impaired, blind, and deaf-blind individuals.
Amended by Stats. 1992, Ch. 759, Sec. 55. Effective September 21, 1992.
The Superintendent of Public Instruction, in connection with the California School for the Blind and in cooperation with public and private agencies, may:
(a)Serve as a demonstration school to promote personnel development through student teaching, in-service education, internships, and 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 visually impaired, blind, and deaf-blind individuals, achievement tests, and other assessment methods useful to the instruction of visually impaired, blind, and deaf-blind individuals.
(c)Provide counseling and information services to parents, guardians, and families of visually impaired, blind, or deaf-blind individuals, and public information about sensory losses to community groups and other agencies.
(d)Conduct experimental programs and projects to promote improvement in special education for visually impaired, blind, and deaf-blind individuals.
(e)Promote community and continuing education opportunities for visually impaired, blind, and deaf-blind individuals utilizing existing community resources.
Enacted by Stats. 1976, Ch. 1010.
The Department of Education in relation to the California School for the Blind shall:
(a)Prescribe rules for the government of the school.
(b)Appoint the superintendent and other officers and employees.
(c)Remove for cause any officer, teacher, or employee.
(d)Fix the compensation of officers, teachers, and employees.
Amended by Stats. 2012, Ch. 665, Sec. 11. (SB 1308) Effective January 1, 2013.
(a)The Department of Human Resources shall consider making salaries for teachers, specialists, and administrators of the California School for the Blind 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.
Added by Stats. 2025, Ch. 113, Sec. 24. (SB 160) Effective September 17, 2025.
(a)The department may require employees, prospective employees, volunteers, contractors, and subcontractors for the California School for the Blind, as defined in Section 59100, to undergo a fingerprint-based state and national criminal history background check.
(b)The department shall electronically submit to the Department of Justice fingerprint images and related information for individuals specified in subdivision (a) who are subject to a state and national criminal history background check, pursuant to subdivision (u) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code. The Department of Justice shall provide a state- and federal-level response pursuant to subdivision (p) of Section 11105 of the Penal Code.