(a) (1) The department, in consultation with the Division of Occupational Safety and Health, the Department of Industrial Relations, the Labor Commissioner, representatives of employee organizations, and representatives of voluntary local educational agencies, including, but not limited to, members of governing boards of school districts, shall convene the Classified Employee Staffing Ratio Workgroup on or before December 31, 2024.

(2) For purposes of paragraph (1), “voluntary local educational agencies” means school districts, county offices of education, and special education local plan areas electing to participate in the workgroup.

(b) (1) (A) The workgroup shall group classified assignments in a manner that reflects the environmental setting of the assignment, the type of work to be completed, the impact on the assignment made by enrollment at a schoolsite, specialized needs, including certifications or licenses, and other reasonable factors.

(B) The groupings may include, but are not necessarily limited to, the categories of food service, maintenance and operations, office and technical services, paraeducators, special services, including law enforcement, and transportation services.

(2) The workgroup shall recommend staffing ratios per grouping identified pursuant to paragraph (1).

(3) The workgroup shall take into account the physical, mental, and emotional impact of a pandemic or other emergency environment on workers.

(4) The staffing ratios shall compare the number of classified staff needed for each group with the number of pupils. The staffing ratio may compare other factors, as relevant to the group of classified workers.

(c) Notwithstanding § 10231.5 of the Government Code, the workgroup shall, on or before December 31, 2025, report recommendations on appropriate staffing ratios for classified school employees to the Legislature, consistent with § 9795 of the Government Code.

(d) This section shall become operative on July 1, 2024.

(Added by Stats. 2023, Ch. 364, Sec. 1. (AB 1273) Effective January 1, 2024. Operative July 1, 2024, by its own provisions.)