Impactful new education laws come into effect as the school year kicks off

California students, inclusive of those at lower grade levels, are set to receive improved access to mental health services, free menstrual products, and education on climate change in the upcoming academic year. Furthermore, the extension of transitional kindergarten will result in an increased presence of 4-year-old students on elementary school grounds.

A range of new education laws are slated to be implemented during this school year, encompassing regulations that prevent schools from suspending students for willful defiance, as well as guidelines offering college students enhanced openness regarding course costs and necessary materials.

Several new laws are expected to have an impact on students throughout the 2024-25 academic year.

Mandatory Climate Change Education

The new laws mandate that science education across all grades, from first to twelfth, incorporate a focus on the causes and consequences of climate change, as well as strategies for mitigating and adapting to it. While numerous schools already cover climate change topics, the legislation now requires all schools to integrate this subject into their curriculum, commencing this academic year.

An analysis of Assembly Bill 285, which introduced this requirement, reveals that content related to climate change is present in some of the state’s curriculum frameworks.

Assemblymember Luz Rivas, D-Arieta, the bill’s author, emphasized that this legislation equips the next generation with essential tools to face the future and fosters a new cohort of climate policy leaders within California.

“Climate change is no longer a future problem awaiting action — it is here now,” noted Rivas in a statement. “Extreme climatic events are causing widespread devastation worldwide, escalating in severity each passing year.”

Provision of Menstrual Products in Elementary Schools

Under a new law enacted this year, elementary schools have been added to the list of public schools required to offer a sufficient and complimentary supply of menstrual products, catering to younger female students in need.

The scope of the previous Menstruation Equity for All Act, which was initiated last school year and obliged public schools serving sixth- through twelfth-grade students to provide menstrual products, has now expanded. This expansion encompasses public schools catering to students from third through fifth grade. According to a Senate analysis, about 10% of menstruation onset occurs by age 10, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The legislation dictates that affected schools must supply free menstrual products in all-gender restrooms, women’s restrooms, and at least one men’s restroom on each campus. Furthermore, the bill, spearheaded by Assemblymember Eloise Gómez Reyes, D-San Bernardino, mandates one men’s restroom per campus to facilitate transgender boys who menstruate.

Advocates of the bill stress that menstruation can be unpredictable and expensive, particularly for students facing food insecurity challenges.