Are all school districts responsible for full implementation of services for three- to five-year-old children?
Yes. Under current California law, all school districts have a mandate to provide special education and services for all eligible children with exceptional needs between the ages of three and five years, inclusive. [Cal. Ed. Code Secs. 56001(b) and 56440(c).] 4. What are the eligibility criteria for children with disabilities who are three to five years old? Assembly Bill (AB) 369, passed in 1993, amended Section 56441.11 of the California Education Code so that eligibility criteria for preschool children are linked to the criteria for school-age children. AB 369 adds one new category called “Established Medical Disability.” To be eligible for special education, a child must have one of the following disabling conditions: (1) Autism; (2) Deaf-blindness; (3) Deafness; (4) Hearing impairment; (5) Mental retardation; (6) Multiple disabilities; (7) Orthopedic impairment; (8) Other health impairment; (9) Serious emotional disturbance; (10) Specific learning disability; (11) Speech or langua
