AB 2808: Education finance: funding level of K–12 public schools.

Existing law establishes a public school financing system that requires state funding for county superintendents of schools, school districts districts, and charter schools to be calculated pursuant to a local control funding formula, formula (LCFF), as specified. Existing law requires funding pursuant to the local control funding formula to include, in addition to a base grant, supplemental and concentration grant add-ons that are based on the percentage of pupils who are English learners, foster youth, or eligible for free or reduced-price meals, as specified, served by the county superintendent of schools, school district district, or charter school. Existing law specifies the amount of the base grant in the 201314 fiscal year, as provided, and requires that amount to be adjusted for inflation in subsequent fiscal years. Existing law requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to compute the supplemental and concentration grant add-ons as certain percentages of the amount of the base grant. Existing law, upon full implementation of the local control funding formula, requires, as a condition of the receipt of a specified adjustment to base grant funds, all school districts to maintain an average class enrollment for each schoolsite for kindergarten and grades 1 to 3, inclusive, of not more than 24 pupils for each schoolsite in kindergarten and grades 1 to 3, inclusive, unless a collectively bargained alternative ratio is agreed to by the school district.

This bill would delete the provision specifying the amount of the base grant in the 201314 fiscal year and would instead specify new, higher amounts for the 201920 fiscal year, which would also increase the supplemental and concentration grant amounts and result in various other changes to funding calculations for purposes of the local control funding formula. The bill instead would impose that average class enrollment condition upon full implementation of the local control funding formula or commencing with the 201920 fiscal year, whichever is earlier. express findings and declarations of the Legislature with respect to the level of funding provided to K12 public schools in the state. The bill would also express the intent of the Legislature to enact legislation providing that, beginning in the 201920 fiscal year, the state shall begin to provide increases to the LCFF and fund California K12 public schools at a level that is equal to, or above, the average of the top 10 states nationally by 2025 and, at a minimum, to maintain this level of funding indefinitely.