Bill Text: CA AB1638 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Education finance: block grant funding.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-02-23 - Referred to Com. on ED. [AB1638 Detail]

Download: California-2011-AB1638-Introduced.html

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BILL NUMBER: AB 1638	INTRODUCED
	BILL TEXT


INTRODUCED BY   Assembly Member Brownley

                        FEBRUARY 9, 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.
State-mandated 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.