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AB-1638 Education finance: block grant funding.(2011-2012)

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CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2011–2012 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 1638

Introduced  by  Assembly Member Brownley

February 09, 2012

An act to amend Section 41500 of the Education Code, relating to education finance.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 1638, as introduced, Brownley. Education finance: block grant funding.
Existing law establishes the pupil retention block grant, school safety consolidated competitive grant, teacher credentialing block grant, professional development block grant, targeted instructional improvement block grant, and school and library improvement block grant. Existing law authorizes a school district or county office of education to expend in a fiscal year up to 15% of the amount apportioned for the school safety consolidated competitive grant, professional development block grant, targeted instructional improvement block grant, or school and library improvement block grant for any other programs for which the school district or county office of education is eligible for funding, not to exceed 120% of the amount of state funding allocated in a fiscal year to the school district or county office of education for purposes of the program to which funds are transferred.
This bill would express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would simplify school finance by consolidating funding for categorical programs into targeted block grants to promote greater equity, increase local control, and improve instruction. The bill would also make the above-described provision relating to the expenditure of block grant funds inoperative on July 1, 2014.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: NO   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 It is the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation that would simplify school finance by consolidating funding for categorical programs into targeted block grants to promote greater equity, increase local control, and improve instruction.

SEC. 2.

 Section 41500 of the Education Code is amended to read:

41500.
 (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a school district and county office of education may expend in a fiscal year up to 15 percent of the amount apportioned for the block grants set forth in Article 3 (commencing with Section 41510), Article 5 (commencing with Section 41530), Article 6 (commencing with Section 41540), or Article 7 (commencing with Section 41570) for any other programs for which the school district or county office is eligible for funding, including programs whose funding is not included in any of the block grants established pursuant to this chapter. The total amount of funding a school district or county office of education may expend for a program to which funds are transferred pursuant to this section shall not exceed 120 percent of the amount of state funding allocated to the school district or county office of education for purposes of that program in a fiscal year. For purposes of this subdivision, “total amount” means the amount of state funding allocated to a school district or county office of education for purposes of a particular program in a fiscal year, plus the amount transferred in that fiscal year to that program pursuant to this section.
(b) A school district that transfers funding, pursuant to this section, from the amount apportioned for the School and Library Improvement Block Grant, as set forth in Article 7 (commencing with Section 41570), shall utilize no less than 85 percent of the amount remaining after the transfer for direct services to pupils.
(c) A school district and county office of education shall not, pursuant to this section, transfer funds from Article 2 (commencing with Section 41505) and or Article 4 (commencing with Section 41520).
(d) Before a school district or county office of education may expend funds pursuant to this section, the governing board of the school district or the county board of education, as applicable, shall discuss the matter at a noticed public meeting.
(e) A school district shall track transfers made pursuant to this section.
(f) This section shall become inoperative on July 1, 2014.