School finance.

(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. Existing law provides for the provision of instruction at the public elementary and secondary schools maintained by these local educational agencies. 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 financing system by requiring state funding for county superintendents of schools and 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 authorize local educational agencies to expend, for any local educational purpose, the funds previously required to be spent for specified categorical education programs, including, among others, programs for teacher training and class size reduction. This bill would also change the funding calculations for necessary small schools and make other changes related to shifting financial responsibilities and school accountability, and would make other changes to the law relating to elementary and secondary education. (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 and a governing board of a school district 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. The bill would require a charter for a charter school to include many of the local control and accountability plan elements and would require the charter school to annually update its plan related to those elements. By requiring county boards of education and school districts to annually adopt or revise a local control and accountability plan and provide additional services, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. (3) This bill would appropriate $2,099,161,000 with $2,000,000 being apportioned to the Governor's Office of Planning and Research for purposes of developing regulations, templates, and evaluation rubrics, as specified, and the remaining funds being apportioned 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. (4) This bill would make conforming changes, correct cross-references, and make other nonsubstantive changes. (5) 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. (6) 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. (7) This bill would declare that it is to take effect immediately as a bill providing for appropriations related to the Budget Bill.