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.