New law allows districts to immediately reclassify students based on ELPAC scores, removing long-standing barriers to opportunity
SACRAMENTO, CA — California has enacted Assembly Bill 2555, a transformative new law that remedies the state’s long-broken English learner reclassification system and removes unnecessary barriers for students who have demonstrated English proficiency.
Authored by Assemblymember Dr. Darshana Patel and supported by Californians Together and California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE), AB 2555 updates California’s nearly 50-year-old approach to reclassification and creates a more consistent, efficient process for recognizing students’ English proficiency.
Under the new law, districts can immediately reclassify students based on their English Language Proficiency Assessments for California (ELPAC) scores. Students may be reclassified as early as October, including students who qualified for reclassification this past spring but have not yet been reclassified. The phased-in implementation rollout of AB 2555 will continue throughout 2027.
“This is a major victory for California’s English learners,” said Martha Hernandez, Executive Director of Californians Together. “With the enactment of AB 2555, students who have demonstrated English proficiency can move forward without unnecessary barriers standing between them and the full range of opportunities our schools have to offer.”
“That means greater access to electives, Career Technical Education, A–G coursework, advanced courses, and the experiences that help students discover their passions and prepare for college, career, and the future,” Hernandez continued. “For Californians Together, this moment is especially meaningful because it reflects years of listening to students and educators and working alongside partners to improve how California recognizes English learner success.”
California’s previous reclassification framework had remained largely unchanged for decades and varied significantly across schools and districts. Students who demonstrated proficiency on California’s English language assessment could wait months—and in some cases longer—to have their status formally changed.
AB 2555 addresses these long-standing challenges by creating a more coherent and efficient reclassification process while strengthening parent engagement in supporting students’ language development.
Californians Together will monitor implementation of AB 2555 and support districts that are making efforts to reclassify eligible students immediately. The organization also looks forward to the California Department of Education taking on this work in 2027.
“We thank Assemblymember Patel for drafting this transformative legislation and CABE for their support in advocating for a fair reclassification process,” Hernandez said. “We are grateful to everyone who helped bring this milestone across the finish line.”
The enactment of AB 2555 marks an important step toward ensuring that California’s English learners are recognized for their accomplishments and have equitable access to the educational opportunities available to them.
For more information, please email Californians Together Director of Communications Tamara Orozco at [email protected].
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About Californians Together
Californians Together is a coalition championing the academic success and wellbeing of California’s multilingual learners. Working at the intersection of research, advocacy, practice, and policy, we dismantle historic inequities and build an education system where linguistic and cultural diversity is recognized as a strength.