Code Section Group

ARTICLE 4. Funding for Small School Districts [42280 - 42289.6]

42280.

(a) For each school district that meets, in the current or prior fiscal year, the conditions specified in Section 42282 or 42284 the Superintendent shall compute, for each qualifying school in the school district, an amount pursuant to this article.

(b) (1) The amount of funding for each qualified school district shall equal the sum of all necessary small school allowances calculated for eligible schools within the school district. Subject to paragraph (2), each necessary small school’s allowance shall be the greater of the following:

(A) The necessary small elementary school allowance determined pursuant to Section 42282 for the prior fiscal year average daily attendance and the number of full-time teachers, or the necessary small high school allowance determined pursuant to Section 42284 for the prior fiscal year average daily attendance and the number of certificated employees.

(B) The necessary small elementary school allowance determined pursuant to Section 42282 for the current fiscal year average daily attendance and the number of full-time teachers, or the necessary small high school allowance determined pursuant to Section 42284 for the current fiscal year average daily attendance and the number of certificated employees.

(C) The necessary small elementary school allowance determined pursuant to Section 42282 for the average of the three most recent prior fiscal years’ average daily attendance and the number of full-time teachers, or the necessary small high school allowance determined pursuant to Section 42284 for the average of the three most recent prior fiscal years’ average daily attendance and the number of certificated employees.

(2) (A) If the greatest necessary small school allowance calculated pursuant to paragraph (1) is equal to the amounts computed pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1) and either subparagraph (A) or (C) of paragraph (1), the necessary small school allowance shall be calculated based on the amount computed pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (1).

(B) If the greatest necessary small school allowance calculated pursuant to paragraph (1) is equal to the amounts computed pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (C) of paragraph (1), the necessary small school allowance shall be calculated based on the amount computed pursuant to subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1).

(c) For purposes of this section, if the average number of full-time teachers or certificated employees is not a whole number, the resulting figure shall be rounded up to the next whole number.

(Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 38, Sec. 23. (SB 153) Effective June 29, 2024.)

42282.

Commencing with the 2022–23 fiscal year, for each school district, on account of each necessary small school, as defined in Section 42283, the Superintendent shall make the following computations:

(a) For each necessary small school that has an average daily attendance during the fiscal year of less than 25, excluding pupils attending the 7th and 8th grades of a junior high school, and for which school at least one teacher was hired full time, the Superintendent shall compute for the school district two hundred thirty-two thousand seven hundred dollars ($232,700).

(b) For each necessary small school that has an average daily attendance during the fiscal year of 25 or more and less than 49, excluding pupils attending the 7th and 8th grades of a junior high school, and for which school at least two teachers were hired full time for more than one-half of the days schools were maintained, the Superintendent shall compute for the school district four hundred sixty thousand five hundred dollars ($460,500).

(c) For each necessary small school that has an average daily attendance during the fiscal year of 49 or more, but less than 73, excluding pupils attending the 7th and 8th grades of a junior high school, and for which school three teachers were hired full time for more than one-half of the days schools were maintained, the Superintendent shall compute for the school district six hundred eighty-eight thousand five hundred dollars ($688,500).

(d) For each necessary small school that has an average daily attendance during the fiscal year of 73 or more and less than 97, excluding pupils attending the 7th and 8th grades of a junior high school, and for which school four teachers were hired full time for more than one-half of the days schools were maintained, the Superintendent shall compute for the school district nine hundred sixteen thousand three hundred dollars ($916,300).

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 571, Sec. 21. (AB 185) Effective September 27, 2022.)

42283.

(a) For purposes of Section 42282, a “necessary small school” is an elementary school with an average daily attendance of less than 97 pupils, excluding pupils attending the 7th and 8th grades of a junior high school, maintained by a school district to which any of the following conditions apply:

(1) If as many as five pupils residing in a school district with fewer than 2,501 units of second principal apportionment average daily attendance and attending kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, excluding pupils attending the 7th and 8th grades of a junior high school, in the elementary school with an average daily attendance of less than 97 pupils would be required to travel more than 10 miles one way from a point on a well-traveled road nearest their home to the nearest other public elementary school.

(2) If as many as 15 pupils residing in a school district with fewer than 2,501 units of second principal apportionment average daily attendance and attending kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, excluding pupils attending the 7th and 8th grades of a junior high school, in the elementary school with an average daily attendance of less than 97 pupils would be required to travel more than five miles one way from a point on a well-traveled road nearest their home to the nearest other public elementary school.

(3) If as many as 15 pupils residing in a school district with more than 2,500 and fewer than 5,001 units of second principal apportionment average daily attendance and attending kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, excluding pupils attending the 7th and 8th grades of a junior high school, in the elementary school with an average daily attendance of less than 97 pupils would be required to travel more than 30 miles one way from a point on a well-traveled road nearest their home to the nearest other public elementary school.

(b) If topographical or other conditions exist in a school district that would impose unusual hardships if the number of miles specified in paragraph (1) or (2) of subdivision (a) were required to be traveled, or if during the fiscal year the roads that would be traveled have been impassable for more than an average of two weeks per year for the preceding five years, the governing board of the school district may, on or before April 1, request the Superintendent, in writing, for an exemption from these requirements or for a reduction in the miles required. The request shall be accompanied by a statement of the conditions upon which the request is based, giving the information in a form required by the Superintendent. The Superintendent shall cause an investigation to be made, and shall either grant the request to the extent he or she deems necessary, or deny the request.

(c) For purposes of this section, “other public elementary school” is a public school, including a charter school, that serves kindergarten or any of grades 1 to 8, inclusive, excluding grades 7 and 8 of a junior high school.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 664, Sec. 2. (SB 1321) Effective January 1, 2019.)

42284.

(a) Commencing with the 2022–23 fiscal year, for each school district with fewer than 2,501 units of average daily attendance, on account of each necessary small high school, the Superintendent shall make one of the following computations selected with regard only to the number of certificated employees employed or average daily attendance, whichever provides the lesser amount:

(b) For purposes of this section, a “certificated employee” means an equivalent full-time position of an individual holding a credential authorizing service and providing service in any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive, in any secondary school. Any fraction of an equivalent full-time position remaining after all equivalent full-time positions for certificated employees within the school district have been calculated shall be deemed to be a full-time position.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 571, Sec. 22. (AB 185) Effective September 27, 2022.)

42285.

(a) For purposes of Section 42284, a necessary small high school is a high school with an average daily attendance of less than 287 pupils that meets any of the following conditions:

(1) The high school had an average daily attendance of less than 96 pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, during the preceding fiscal year and is more than 15 miles by well-traveled road from the nearest other public high school and either 90 percent of the pupils would be required to travel 20 miles or 25 percent of the pupils would be required to travel 30 miles one way from a point on a well-traveled road nearest their homes to the nearest other public high school.

(2) The high school had an average daily attendance of 96 pupils or more and less than 144 pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, during the preceding fiscal year and is more than 10 miles by well-traveled road from the nearest other public high school and either 90 percent of the pupils would be required to travel 18 miles or 25 percent of the pupils would be required to travel 25 miles one way from a point on a well-traveled road nearest their homes to the nearest other public high school.

(3) The high school had an average daily attendance of 144 pupils or more and less than 192 pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, during the preceding fiscal year and is more than 7¹/₂ miles by well-traveled road from the nearest other public high school and either 90 percent of the pupils would be required to travel 15 miles or 25 percent of the pupils would be required to travel 20 miles one way from a point on a well-traveled road nearest their homes to the nearest other public high school.

(4) The high school had an average daily attendance of 192 pupils or more and less than 287 pupils in grades 9 to 12, inclusive, during the preceding fiscal year and is more than 5 miles by well-traveled road from the nearest other public high school and either 90 percent of the pupils would be required to travel 10 miles or 25 percent of the pupils would be required to travel 15 miles to the nearest other public high school.

(5) Topographical or other conditions exist in the school district that would impose unusual hardships on the pupils if the number of miles specified in paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (4) were required to be traveled. In these cases, the Superintendent may, when requested, and after investigation, grant exceptions from the distance requirements.

(b) For purposes of Section 42284, a necessary small high school also includes either of the following:

(1) A high school maintained by a school district for the exclusive purpose of educating juvenile hall pupils or pupils with exceptional needs.

(2) A high school maintained by a unified school district as the only comprehensive high school if the high school has an average daily attendance of less than 287 pupils and the school district has 50 or fewer pupils per square mile of school district territory, as measured by the number of pupils residing in the school district.

(c) For purposes of Section 42284, a necessary small high school does not include a continuation school.

(d) For purposes of this section, “other public high school” is a public school, including a charter school, that serves any of grades 9 to 12, inclusive.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 32, Sec. 38. (AB 1808) Effective June 27, 2018.)

42285.3.

Notwithstanding subdivision (b) of Section 42280 or any other provision of law, a unified school district that is the only school district in a county, that has received more than two million seven hundred thousand dollars ($2,700,000) in federal Forest Reserve funds in the 1992–93 school year and less than one million three hundred thousand dollars ($1,300,000) in federal Forest Reserve funds in the 1996–97 school year, and that has fewer than 4,501 units of average daily attendance in the 1997–98 school year or in subsequent school years shall be eligible to receive apportionments pursuant to the schedules for a “necessary small school” and a “necessary small high school,” as set forth in this article, for up to the total number of schools in the district that would have met the criteria for classification as a necessary small school or a necessary small high school in the 1996–97 fiscal year, if the district had fewer than 2,501 units of average daily attendance in the 1996–97 fiscal year, except that this section does not apply in a school year in which an otherwise eligible school district receives more than two million dollars ($2,000,000) in federal Forest Reserve funds.

(Amended by Stats. 2004, Ch. 105, Sec. 1. Effective July 6, 2004.)

42287.

(a) For the 1984–85 fiscal year to the 2012–13 fiscal year, inclusive, the Superintendent shall increase the funding amounts specified in Sections 42282 and 42284 by an amount proportionate to the increase applied to the statewide average revenue limit for unified school districts for the then current fiscal year.

(b) For the 2013–14 fiscal year to the 2021–22 fiscal year, inclusive, the Superintendent shall increase the funding amounts specified in Sections 42282 and 42284, as previously increased pursuant to subdivision (a) and Sections 42289 to 42289.5, inclusive, by the percentage calculated pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 42238.02 for the then current fiscal year.

(c) Commencing with the 2022–23 fiscal year, the Superintendent shall increase the funding amounts specified in Sections 42282, 42284, and 42289 by the percentage calculated pursuant to paragraph (2) of subdivision (d) of Section 42238.02 for the then current fiscal year.

(Amended by Stats. 2022, Ch. 52, Sec. 48. (AB 181) Effective June 30, 2022.)

42289.

Notwithstanding any other law, for each fiscal year through the 2012–13 fiscal year, before calculating the increase in funding amount specified in Section 42287, the Superintendent shall increase the funding amounts specified in Sections 42281, 42282, and 42284, by the product of subdivisions (a) and (b):

(a) The amount per unit of average daily attendance received by the school district pursuant to Section 46201 in the prior fiscal year.

(b) The average daily attendance for each necessary small school and necessary small high school for which the school district received funding in the prior fiscal year pursuant to Section 42281, 42282, or 42284, as appropriate.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 47, Sec. 56. (AB 97) Effective July 1, 2013.)

42289.1.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, for the 1988–89 fiscal year to the 2012–13 fiscal year, inclusive, after calculating the increase in funding amounts specified in Section 42287, the Superintendent shall increase the funding amounts specified in Sections 42281, 42282, and 42284, by the sum of paragraphs (1) and (2):

(1) Compute the product of subparagraphs (A) and (B):

(A) The amount per unit of average daily attendance computed pursuant to subdivision (g) of Section 42240.

(B) The average daily attendance for each necessary small school and necessary small high school for which the district receives funding in the current fiscal year pursuant to Section 42281, 42282, or 42284, as appropriate.

(2) From the 1990–91 fiscal year to the 2012–13 fiscal year, inclusive, the amount computed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be increased by the percentage cost-of-living increase given to school district revenue limits for the then current fiscal year.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 47, Sec. 57. (AB 97) Effective July 1, 2013.)

42289.2.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, for the 1989–90 fiscal year to the 2012–13 fiscal year, inclusive, after calculating the increase in funding amounts specified in Section 42287, the Superintendent shall increase the funding amounts specified in Sections 42281, 42282, and 42284, by the sum of paragraphs (1) and (2):

(1) Compute the product of subparagraphs (A) and (B):

(A) The amount per unit of average daily attendance computed pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 54060.5.

(B) The average daily attendance for each necessary small school and necessary small high school for which the school district receives funding in the current fiscal year pursuant to Section 42281, 42282, or 42284, as appropriate.

(2) From the 1990–91 fiscal year to the 2012–13 fiscal year, inclusive, the amount computed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be increased by the percentage cost-of-living increase given to school district revenue limits for the then current fiscal year.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 47, Sec. 58. (AB 97) Effective July 1, 2013.)

42289.3.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, for the 1989–90 fiscal year to the 2012–13 fiscal year, inclusive, after calculating the increase in funding amounts specified in Section 42287, the Superintendent shall increase the funding amounts specified in Sections 42281, 42282, and 42284, by the sum of paragraphs (1) and (2):

(1) Compute the product of subparagraphs (A) and (B):

(A) The amount per unit of average daily attendance computed pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 54060.6.

(B) The average daily attendance for each necessary small school and necessary small high school for which the school district receives funding in the current fiscal year pursuant to Section 42281, 42282, or 42284, as appropriate.

(2) From the 1990–91 fiscal year to the 2012–13 fiscal year, inclusive, the amount computed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be increased by the percentage cost-of-living increase given to school district revenue limits for the then current fiscal year.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 47, Sec. 59. (AB 97) Effective July 1, 2013.)

42289.4.

(a) Notwithstanding any other law, for the 1989–90 fiscal year to the 2012–13 fiscal year, inclusive, after calculating the increase in funding amounts specified in Section 42287, the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall increase the funding amounts specified in Sections 42281, 42282, and 42284, by the sum of paragraphs (1) and (2):

(1) Compute the product of subparagraphs (A) and (B):

(A) The amount per unit of average daily attendance computed pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 54060.7.

(B) The average daily attendance for each necessary small school and necessary small high school for which the school district receives funding in the current fiscal year pursuant to Section 42281, 42282, or 42284, as appropriate.

(2) From the 1990–91 fiscal year to the 2012–13 fiscal year, inclusive, the amount computed pursuant to paragraph (1) shall be increased by the percentage cost-of-living increase given to school district revenue limits for the then current fiscal year.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 47, Sec. 60. (AB 97) Effective July 1, 2013.)

42289.5.

Notwithstanding any other law, the increases determined pursuant to Sections 42289, 42289.1, 42289.3, and 42289.4 shall be permanently increased for the 1998–99 fiscal year by the quotient, for each school district eligible for an increase, of the amount determined pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 42238.8, as that section read on January 1, 2013, divided by the amount determined pursuant to subparagraph (C) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (a) of Section 42238.8, as that section read on January 1, 2013.

(Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 47, Sec. 61. (AB 97) Effective July 1, 2013.)

42289.6.

(a) It is the intent of the Legislature that the Quality Education Commission review the eligibility provisions for the establishment of necessary small schools as specified in Sections 42280, 42282, 42283, 42284, and 42285, including the following:

(1) The appropriate size for a necessary small elementary school, a necessary small middle school, and a necessary small high school.

(2) Whether mileage and other eligibility requirements are appropriate or need to be modified.

(b) It is further the intent of the Legislature that by January 1, 2006, the Quality Education Commission recommend to the Legislature modifications regarding the size, eligibility requirements, and funding of necessary small schools.

(Added by Stats. 2004, Ch. 871, Sec. 13. Effective January 1, 2005.)