AB 2121: Community colleges: current expense of education: exclusions.

Existing law establishes the California Community Colleges, under the administration of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges, as one of the segments of public postsecondary education in this state. Existing law establishes community college districts throughout the state and authorizes these districts to provide instruction at community college campuses.

Existing law requires the expenditure, during each fiscal year, for the payment of salaries of classroom instructors by a community college district, of 50% of the districts current expense of education. Existing law defines current expense of education as the gross total expended for certain expenses that include academic salaries, classified salaries, employee benefits, and books, supplies, and equipment replacement, but that generally exclude expenses for student transportation, food services, and community services.

This bill, notwithstanding the above-described provisions, would authorize a community college district, for a period of 5 fiscal years following the 202526 fiscal year, or until specified federal funding is fully restored to every community college district, whichever occurs first, to exclude from its current expense of education any local unrestricted expenditures from the community college districts unrestricted general fund, as provided, and not to exceed a specified amount, that maintain student support functions that were previously funded though federal discretionary grants that have been terminated, nonrenewed, or defunded due to federal action on or after September 10, 2025. If a community college district exercises its authority pursuant to these provisions, the bill would require the community college district to annually certify eligibility to the office of the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges, as specified, and would require the chancellors office to maintain documentation and include as part of another specified report, any certifications it receives, as provided. The bill would require the above-described action to exclude local unrestricted expenditures from a community college districts current expense of education to be taken at a regular public meeting of the governing board of the community college district, as specified. The bill would make its provisions inoperative on July 1, 2031, or on the first day of the fiscal year following the full restoration of specified federal funding to every community college district, whichever occurs first, and would repeal them on January 1 of the year following the inoperative date.