School finance: new pupil funding formula.

(1) Existing law establishes the public school system in this state, and, among other things, provides for the establishment of county superintendents of schools, school districts, and charter schools throughout the state and for their provision of instruction at the public elementary and secondary schools these local educational agencies maintain. Existing law establishes a public school financing system that requires funding for county superintendents of schools and school districts to be calculated pursuant to a revenue limit, as specified, and requires funding for charter schools to be calculated pursuant to a general-purpose entitlement, except as provided, and requires the revenue limit and general-purpose entitlement to be composed of, among other things, state aid and certain local revenues. Existing law also establishes various categorical education programs under which funding is provided for specific educational purposes, including, among many other programs, programs for home-to-school transportation, adult education, teacher training, and class size reduction. This bill would revise and recast the provisions related to the public school financing system by requiring state funding for county superintendents of schools, school districts, and charter schools that previously received a general-purpose entitlement, to be calculated pursuant to a local control funding formula, as specified. The bill would repeal many provisions requiring or authorizing categorical education programs, including those related to conservation schools operated by a county superintendent of schools, apprenticeship programs, training for mathematics teachers, gifted and talented pupils, and home economics. As to most other categorical education programs, the bill would repeal provisions mandating their performance and requiring dedicated state funding for that performance, and instead would authorize local educational agencies to expend the funds previously required to be spent for the categorical education programs, including, among others, programs for home-to-school transportation, adult education, teacher training, and class size reduction, for any local educational purpose. This bill would also change the funding calculations for necessary small schools and make other changes related to shifting financial responsibilities. (2) Existing law requires a county board of education, a governing board of a school district, and a governing body of a charter school, to annually adopt a budget, as specified. This bill would require a county board of education, a governing board of a school district, and a governing body of a charter school that receives its funding directly, as specified, to annually adopt or revise a local control and accountability plan that aligns with the annual budget and contains certain elements and that, among other things, was developed in consultation with teachers, principals, administrators, other school personnel, parents, and pupils. By requiring county boards of education and school districts to annually adopt or revise a local control and accountability plan, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) Existing law requires the reimbursement a school receives for free and reduced-price meals sold or served to pupils, as specified, to be made at a specified rate. This bill would instead require that the reimbursement a school receives for free and reduced-price meals sold or served to pupils, as specified, be made at a rate specified in the annual Budget Act. (4) This bill would appropriate $1,630,222,000 to the Superintendent of Public Instruction for purposes of allocating those funds to county superintendents of schools, school districts, and charter schools pursuant to the local control funding formula for those local educational agencies. (5) This bill would make conforming changes, correct cross-references, and make other nonsubstantive changes. (6) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions. (7) Funds appropriated by this bill would be applied toward the minimum funding requirements for school districts and community college districts imposed by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution. (8) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as an urgency statute.