Education finance: indirect cost rates.

Existing law requires the State Board of Education to direct the allocation and apportionment of federal funds to school districts, as defined, and other agencies entitled to receive those funds. Existing law authorizes the State Department of Education to take numerous actions with respect to the receipt of funding by school districts and other local educational agencies. This bill would require, until January 1, 2016, the State Department of Education, and any other state agency that administers a grant or allocation of federal funds to a school district, as defined, to allow an indirect cost rate, as defined, that is not less than the indirect cost rate established by the department for each school district, unless federal law requires a lower indirect cost rate for school districts receiving federal funds. The bill would impose similar requirements on the department with respect to grants or allocations of state funds.