Arts and Music in Schools—Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act: allowable uses: pooled funding: certifications.

New subdivision (k) requires that, commencing with the 2027-28 fiscal year, each local educational agency must certify that all aspects of Proposition 28 have been implemented properly at each of its schoolsites.

The annual report no longer needs to include expenditure plans for each schoolsite or information on granted waivers; those items are removed from the report content requirements.

The annual board-approved report now has a deadline of September 30 and must be submitted in a manner determined by the department (previously the Superintendent).

The list of resources considered 'no longer available' in the supplement calculation was expanded and reorganized: private contributions now explicitly includes parent fundraising, donations, or grants; federal and state funds are separated into distinct categories; a new category (id) covers funds that ceased to be available due to factors outside the LEA's control.

The bill is now classified as a state-mandated local program (changed from 'no' to 'yes'), meaning the state must reimburse local agencies for costs mandated by the new provisions.

Minor language clarifications throughout: 'newly available resources that are spent on arts education programs' replaces 'newly available resources for arts education programs'; audit provision now references certifications 'pursuant to subdivision (h)'; section renumbering in Section 8820 and corresponding cross-reference update in Section 8822.

Added a new category of 'resources no longer available in the current year' for the supplement calculation: savings attributable to replacing one employee funded by the local educational agency's general fund with another employee funded by the general fund who provides the same services. This makes it easier for districts to demonstrate they are supplementing rather than supplanting arts funding.

Annual reports submitted by local educational agencies must now additionally include the expenditure plans for each schoolsite or preschool (as required under subdivision (f)) and information on any waivers granted under subdivision (i).

The State Department of Education is now required to post approved waivers on its internet website, increasing public transparency about which districts received relief from the 80 percent staffing requirement.

The definition of 'arts education program' in Section 8821(a) was changed so that programs must be consistent with the California Arts Standards for Public Schools and either the California Arts Education Framework or the California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations (changed from 'and' to 'or'), rather than being required to align with both documents simultaneously.

Subsection letter designations in Section 8820 were renumbered to fix duplicate labels that existed in the Assembly version (two subsections labeled (k) and two labeled (l)). No substantive content was changed by the renumbering.

The bill was reformatted from a paginated legislative document with line numbers into a web-based layout including navigation links (home, accessibility, FAQ, feedback, sitemap), version tracking, and publication date metadata. No changes to the actual statutory language of Sections 8820, 8821, or 8822 were made.

The bill now amends Sections 8820 and 8821 of the Education Code (Proposition 28 arts funding) in addition to Section 49130 (work permits), dramatically expanding its scope from a minor cleanup bill to a major funding policy amendment.

The vote requirement changed from majority to two-thirds of each house, and the fiscal committee designation changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting that the bill now amends a voter-approved initiative (Proposition 28) which requires supermajority approval for amendments.

Local educational agencies are now authorized to pool their allocated Prop 28 funds, but must ensure expenditures for each schoolsite remain in proportion to that schoolsite's allocation and comply with an expenditure plan adopted by the principal or program director.

Principals or program directors of each schoolsite must now develop an expenditure plan for the funds allocated under Proposition 28.

A new certification calculation process requires LEAs to compare existing funds available for arts programs (prior year total minus Prop 28 funds and unavailable resources, plus newly available resources) against current year expenditures. An LEA is deemed compliant if current year expenditures equal or exceed the calculated existing funds.

New definitions added in Section 8821 for 'arts education program,' 'economically disadvantaged pupil,' 'enrollment,' 'existing funding,' 'local educational agency,' and 'supplement' to operationalize the Prop 28 framework.

Section 49130 work permit language was updated with nonsubstantive changes: 'father or mother' replaced with 'parent or guardian,' gendered pronouns ('his or her,' 'he or she') replaced with gender-neutral terms ('the minor's,' 'the person'), and structural reorganization of subsections.

A new Section 8822 is added to the Education Code containing a severability clause, a provision stating that if multiple acts on the same subject appear on the same statewide ballot and this act receives more affirmative votes it shall prevail in its entirety, and a provision allowing the Legislature to amend the chapter by two-thirds vote of each house.

A new requirement is added (subdivision (f)(2) of Section 8820) that each schoolsite or preschool must post on its internet website the expenditure plan developed for Proposition 28 funds and any information on granted waivers. A local educational agency may instead require its schoolsites to post this information on the LEA's own website.

The definition of 'arts education program' in Section 8821(a) is narrowed by removing the reference to the Career Technical Education Arts, Entertainment, and Design Model Curriculum Standards. The definition now only references the California Arts Standards for Public Schools, the California Arts Education Framework, or the California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations.

The state-mandated local program designation is changed from 'no' to 'yes,' reflecting that the new schoolsite-level posting duties impose costs on local agencies. A new Section 5 is added requiring the state to reimburse local agencies for any costs mandated by the state, as determined by the Commission on State Mandates.

The bill's scope line is updated to reflect that it now amends Sections 8820, 8821, and 8822 of the Education Code (previously only 8820 and 8821). The legislative finding section is renumbered from Section 3 to Section 4.

The entire amendment to Section 49130 (work permits for minors aged 14-16) was removed from the bill, eliminating an unrelated topic and narrowing the bill to arts education funding only.

Assembly Member Ward was added as principal coauthor of the bill.

The definition of 'arts education program' in Section 8821(a) now includes curriculum, instructional materials, and professional development, and requires all such programs to be consistent with the California Arts Standards for Public Schools, the California Arts Education Framework, the California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations, and the Career Technical Education Arts, Entertainment, and Design Model Curriculum Standards.

A new subdivision (j) in Section 8820 restricts allowable expenditures to personnel, curriculum, instruction, professional development, programs, materials, supplies, or activities consistent with the specified California arts standards, and explicitly prohibits expending funds for non-arts instruction or programming.

The supplement calculation in Section 8820(h)(2)(A)(ii) now includes clarifying language specifying that 'resources no longer available' may include funds from private contributions, parent fundraising, or other state or federal sources that have expired, been reduced, discontinued, exhausted, were one-time in nature, or otherwise ceased to be available, as documented in the agency's adopted budget, governing board records, or grant award documentation.

The fiscal committee requirement changed from 'no' to 'yes,' meaning the bill now requires review by a fiscal committee before passage.