1 AJC. org / CaliforniaAB715
2 AJC. org
8 AJC. org / BackToSchool
EDUCATION
Education is AJC’ s strongest form of advocacy. Supporting students, teachers, and administrators in K-12 and University education is how we can effect change in supporting Jewish students in the state of California.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
• About AB 715
• Public Schools’ Legal Obligations
• Enhanced Reporting Rights
• New State Resources and Support Systems
• New Required Annual Notifications
• About AJC, AJC’ s Center for Education Advocacy, and AJC’ s California Regional Offices
ABOUT AB 715
AB 715 strengthens existing provisions requiring that all students in California public schools are protected from discrimination based on religion, national origin, or ethnicity. By creating new legal frameworks, oversight mechanisms, and enforcement tools, AB 715 enables schools to address antisemitism and other forms of discrimination facing students more effectively. California classrooms must be nurturing and inclusive learning environments for pupils of all faiths and backgrounds, including Jewish and Israeli-American students.
PUBLIC SCHOOLS’ LEGAL OBLIGATIONS
AB 715 establishes the following rules for California public schools.
Instructional Materials:
• Schools cannot adopt or approve textbooks, instructional materials, supplemental or curriculum that would subject pupils to unlawful discrimination.
• Materials must be factually accurate, align with adopted curriculum and standards, and be consistent with accepted standards of professional responsibility rather than advocacy, personal opinion, bias, or partisanship.
• Schools must investigate and remediate when they know discriminatory materials were used.
• Schools must immediately and permanently remove violating materials from all current and future course offerings.
• Schools must ensure families have access to instructional materials and assessments in a reasonable amount of time, according to school procedures.
BACKGROUND
Professional Development:
• Schools cannot adopt professional development materials or services that would subject pupils to unlawful discrimination.
• Schools must investigate and remediate discriminatory professional development when discovered.
Teaching Standards:
• Teachers cannot give instruction that promotes discriminatory bias based on protected characteristics.
• Instruction must be factually accurate and align with adopted curriculum and standards.
UNDERSTANDING CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLY BILL 715:
• Teaching must be consistent with accepted standards of professional responsibility rather than advocacy, personal opinion, bias, or partisanship.
• Schools must take corrective action regarding discriminatory instruction when discovered.
A Guide for Families with Jewish Students in California Public Schools
ENHANCED REPORTING RIGHTS
AB 715 strengthens complaint procedures, including by allowing challenges to discrimination in instruction and school-sponsored activities even if the student is not present or directly harmed. The law also provides the ability to appeal directly to the state when a school fails to complete its complaint investigation on time.
• File with the school: For issues involving discrimination against a student, you can file a complaint with your school using the Uniform Complaint Procedures 3.
˚ You must file no later than six months from the date the incident occurred, or the date you first knew that the incident occurred.
˚ Within 60 days of receiving the complaint, the school must conduct and complete its investigation and report.
˚ The person filing the complaint must be given the opportunity to provide evidence that supports the allegations.
˚ The school’ s investigation report should include:
1. findings of fact based on the evidence gathered;
2. a conclusion providing a clear determination for each allegation as to whether the school is in compliance with the relevant laws;
3. corrective actions, if the school finds merit;
4. notice of the right to appeal the school investigation report to the CA Department of Education within 30 days; and,
5. the procedures to be followed to initiate such an appeal.
In September 2025, the California State Legislature unanimously passed Assembly Bill( AB) 715 1. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the bill into law on October 7, 2025. AB 715 takes effect on January 1, 2026.
• File with the state: If alleging discriminatory curricula or materials, and where there is evidence that immediate action is necessary, you may file a complaint directly with the CA Superintendent of Public Instruction 4.
The law acknowledges that Jewish and Israeli-American students across California face a widespread surge in antisemitic discrimination, harassment, and bullying. In some cases, this severe conduct places students at risk and limits their ability to learn.
AB 715 aims to protect all students from discrimination and create more nurturing, inclusive learning environments. It enhances protections against biased instruction and materials in public schools, while creating new state oversight and support systems. These enhanced rights are a valuable tool to improve student safety and learning.
• File with the federal government: If alleging discrimination based on race or national origin( including antisemitism), a family can also file with the U. S. Department of Education’ s Office for Civil Rights 5 at any time.
American Jewish Committee( AJC) 2 compiled this guide to provide families in California public schools essential information about their rights, schools’ new obligations, and practical steps to ensure children receive protection and support so they can thrive.
American Jewish Committee( AJC) is the global advocacy organization for the Jewish people. With headquarters in New York and more than 75 offices, institutes, and international Jewish community partnerships worldwide, AJC’ s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world.
AJC’ s Center for Education Advocacy 7( CEA) fosters academic environments that are inclusive of Jews and Jewish identity and refuse to allow the normalization of antisemitism in any form through a deep commitment to critical thinking, viewpoint diversity, fact-based inquiry— all values that strengthen civic society and democracy for the long term.
Learn more about how families can engage effectively with schools by visiting AJC’ s Back to School Resource Hub 8 and Campus Crisis Hub 9 to explore and download the Action Plan for Public K-12 School Administrators 10 and the 10-Step Guide for Parents Supporting Jewish K-12 Students 11.
The professional teams leading AJC’ s 25 Regional Offices build relationships, advocate, and work alongside local education leaders, policy-makers, students, and parents to help ensure Jewish students are safe, included, and empowered.
AJC Regional Offices in California
AJC Los Angeles Web: AJC. org / LosAngeles Email: LosAngeles @ ajc. org
AJC Northern California Web: AJC. org / NorthernCalifornia Email: NorthernCalifornia @ ajc. org
AJC San Diego Web: AJC. org / SanDiego Email: SanDiego @ ajc. org
7 AJC. org / CEA
2
3 www. cde. ca. gov / re / di / eo / complaint. asp
4 www. cde. ca. gov / re / cp / uc / ucpcontacats. asp
5 www. ed. gov / laws-and-policy / civil-rights-laws / file-complaint
4
9 AJC. org / CrisisOnCampus
10 AJC. org / PublicSchoolAdministratorsActionPlan
11 AJC. org / 10StepsforK12Parents
1
AJC San Diego and University of San Diego hosted an event to mark the anniversary of Nostra Aetate, the groundbreaking declaration that rejected collective Jewish responsibility for the death of Jesus, issued by the Second Vatican Council in 1965. USD President Jim Harris and Vice President for Mission Integration Michael Lovette-Colyer hosted AJC’ s Rabbi Noam Marans and Sara Brown for a productive conversation.
AJC’ s CA offices played a significant role alongside JPAC in the passage of Assembly Bill 715, providing legislators and stakeholders with research and expert guidance on addressing antisemitism and supporting the constitutional rights of students and educators. Now we are developing resources to help the community implement AB 715 and confront antisemitism in California’ s K-12 public schools.
AJC San Diego partnered with Dr. Joellyn Zollman to develop mini-lessons on notable Jewish San Diegans, including Holocaust survivor and Jewish advocate Rose Schindler z” l, that were shared throughout the county.
Sara Brown addressed the San Dieguito Union High School District Board of Trustees regarding AJC San Diego’ s training and engagement with the district following an antisemitic incident at San Dieguito Academy.