Committee adopts bill directing CDE to create model policy for off‑campus cyberbullying

AB 772 would direct the California Department of Education (CDE) to develop a model policy for addressing certain acts of cyberbullying that occur outside of school hours and off campus, and require local education agencies to adopt CDE’s model policy or develop a comparable policy.

Assemblymember Lowenthal, the bill’s author, described a landscape changed by social media and rising online harassment, citing studies that link cyberbullying to self‑harm, anxiety and school avoidance. An elementary principal from Anaheim testified that online conflicts increasingly affect young students, often occurring off campus and outside school supervision; she urged clearer guidance that helps schools collaborate with families.

The Los Angeles County Office of Education supported the bill and emphasized the importance of training and county‑level supports for implementation. The bill drew opposition from the California School Boards Association and the Association of California School Administrators, who said districts already have authority to act when there is a nexus to school, and warned against extending district reach into private‑party conduct beyond their control. CSBA also raised questions about conflicts when incidents involve students from multiple districts, families, or private matters.

The author said the bill is intended to clarify existing authority and provide model language to ensure districts interpret jurisdiction consistently; he noted the bill is voluntary in that districts could adopt or adapt the CDE model. The committee paused the roll call in order to await absent members but the author indicated he would pursue the motion when the full panel was present.