California Assembly Bill 2821 (AB 2821) is a new law that focuses on improving how colleges support students with disabilities. It was signed into law in 2024 and applies to California Community Colleges and the California State University system, with recommended adoption for other colleges and universities.

At its core, AB 2821 requires colleges to strengthen training for faculty, staff, and administrators so they can better understand their responsibilities related to accessibility and accommodations.

Why This Law Matters

AB 2821 recognizes that access is not just the responsibility of disability services offices—it is a shared responsibility across the institution.

This law aims to:

  • Improve the learning experience for students with disabilities
  • Ensure consistent and informed support across campus
  • Reduce barriers in courses, materials, and campus systems
  • Promote more inclusive teaching practices

What AB 2821 Requires

Required Disability Access Training

Colleges must provide a Disability Access and Compliance Training Program for employees, including faculty.

This training must:

  • Be included in onboarding and ongoing training
  • Be completed by all college personnel
  • Cover legal and practical responsibilities related to accessibility

For California Community Colleges, this training must be fully implemented as part of employee onboarding by the 2026–27 academic year.

Stronger Program Evaluation

Colleges must also improve how they evaluate disability services programs. In addition to existing requirements (like student feedback and outcomes), institutions must now:

  • Track program costs
  • Review how resources are used to support students

This helps ensure accountability and transparency in how support services are provided.

What This Means for Faculty

AB 2821 does not change the fundamentals of your role—but it reinforces and clarifies expectations.

As a faculty member, you can expect to:

  • Participate in accessibility and compliance training
  • Better understand your responsibilities under laws like Section 504 and the ADA
  • Use more inclusive teaching practices
  • Know how and when to implement accommodations
  • Work more closely with disability support services

How This Connects to UDL (Universal Design for Learning)

AB 2821 encourages a shift from reactive accommodations to more proactive design.

  • Accommodations help address individual needs
  • UDL helps reduce barriers for a wide range of learners from the start

By applying UDL principles, faculty can:

  • Provide multiple ways for students to access content
  • Offer different ways to demonstrate learning
  • Build flexible and inclusive learning environments

This not only supports compliance—it improves learning for all students.