California teachers and school personnel are mandated reporters required to take mandated reporter training. California Assembly Bill 1432 (AB 1432) shifted the responsibility for providing this training from individuals to organizations.
Under AB 1432, school boards, schools, and educational organizations are responsible for administering and tracking completion of mandated reporter training, rather than leaving it up to school employees to seek out independently.
What AB 1432 Means for Schools and School Districts
AB 1432 makes mandated reporter training and child abuse prevention an organizational responsibility for schools and school districts.
AB 1432 mandates that all school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and state special schools provide annual training on child abuse reporting requirements to all teachers, school personnel, and employees who have direct contact with children.
Before AB 1432, mandated reporter training requirements varied across educational institutions, leading to inconsistencies in how child abuse and neglect were identified and reported.
The intent of AB 1432 is to make mandated reporter training a standardized and systematic process so all mandated reporters at a school or educational organization receive the training they need to identify and report suspected child abuse or neglect.
The law makes it a school or school district’s responsibility to ensure teachers and school employees are trained annually and that the training is completed within the first six weeks of the school year or the first six weeks of new employment.
AB 1432 Compliance Requirements for Schools and School Districts
Under AB 1432, the legal responsibility for ensuring compliance does not fall solely on individual teachers and school employees—school and district leaders are responsible for implementing and enforcing compliance with AB 1432 training requirements.
Who Is Legally Responsible for AB 1432 Compliance?
- Superintendents and School Boards: Responsible for overseeing district-wide compliance and properly implementing training policies.
- Administrators and Principals: Must make sure all school employees complete their required training annually and maintain records/ certificates of completion.
- Human Resources (HR) Personnel: Responsible for tracking employee compliance, ensuring new hires complete training within six weeks, and keeping documentation of training records.
What Training Meets AB 1432 Requirements?
AB 1432 states that schools can use the online training developed by the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to meet the annual training requirement.
This training is available at the Mandated Reporter Training platform. Access the online California Mandated Reporter Training for School Personnel here.
When Is Training Required?
AB 1432 requires that schools train all teachers and school employees annually within six weeks of the school year.
The law also requires new employees to take mandated reporter training within six weeks of being hired.
Compliance Tracking
AB 1432 states that schools and school districts must track training compliance. Under AB 1432, this can be tracked with the submission of a certificate of completion to the applicable governing board or body of the school district, county office of education, state special school and diagnostic center, or charter school.
Proper documentation is essential for schools and educational organizations. Schools must keep training records as proof of compliance. Organizations can use the dashboard on the Mandated Reporter Training platform to track completion and certificates of completion, or develop their own process for tracking compliance.
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