Existing law prohibits a permanent school employee from being dismissed, except for one or more of certain enumerated causes, including egregious misconduct, and prescribes specific procedures for dismissals and suspensions based solely on acts of egregious misconduct. Existing law authorizes a first- or 2nd-year probationary employee of a school district to be dismissed during the school year for unsatisfactory performance or for cause, pursuant to specified procedures. Existing law specifies that those provisions do not apply to a probationary employee in a school district having an average daily attendance of less than 250 pupils and instead authorizes their suspension or dismissal for cause, including for egregious misconduct, pursuant to separate procedures that are applicable to permanent employees of a school district. Existing law also prescribes various reporting requirements relating to egregious misconduct for both certificated and noncertificated employees. Existing law, for these purposes, defines “egregious misconduct” as specified sex offenses, controlled substance offenses, and acts subject to the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act.

This bill would expand the definition of egregious misconduct for those purposes to include additional offenses, including offenses relating to human trafficking, child abandonment and neglect, child abduction, and impermissible contact or communication with a minor, as specified. The bill would prohibit a certificated person who is dismissed for egregious misconduct from being employed in any education-related position by any state agency, the California State University, the University of California, any local agency, or any local educational agency, as provided.

The bill would include findings that changes proposed by this bill address a matter of statewide concern rather than a municipal affair and, therefore, apply to all cities, including charter cities.