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Education Publications

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Report

Charter Schools

February 24, 2005 - Ever since it was first implemented in 1999-00, we have had concerns with the calculation of the charter school categorical block grant funding level. We recommend the Legislature pursue a reform strategy based upon a new control section in the annual budget act that would provide charter schools a share of categorical funding that is equivalent to the proportion of K-12 students they serve. This alternative approach would be simple, workable, and consistent with the original intent of the block grant.

Report

Special Education

February 24, 2005 - We make several recommendations related to special education.

Report

Categorical Reform

February 24, 2005 - We make several recommendations related to categorical reform.

Report

School District Financial Condition

February 24, 2005 - Some school districts face huge fiscal liabilities to pay for retiree health benefits. It will be difficult for districts to deal with these obligations without a long-term strategy. We recommend the Legislature take various actions to start addressing this problem. Around 40 percent of school districts face declining enrollment. The state continues to have inequities in revenue limit (general purpose) funding across school districts. We recommend an approach to address both of the problems, allowing declining enrollment districts to increase their per pupil revenue limit until they reach the equalization target.

Report

Governor's Vocational Education Reform

February 24, 2005 - The 2005-06 budget proposes $20 million in support of a broad-based reform of vocational education in K-12 education. We believe the Governor's proposal addresses a significant problem, but lacks the level of detail necessary for the Legislature to fully evaluate it. We therefore recommend the Legislature direct the Department of Finance to provide to the budget subcommittees prior to budget hearings (1) the details of the proposed plan and (2) responses to our initial concerns about the proposal.

Report

Proposition 98 Budget Priorities

February 24, 2005 - The budget proposes to leave 2004-05 Proposition 98 appropriations at roughly the level provided in the 2004-05 Budget Act. This proposal would create $2.3 billion in General Fund savings over the two years. While the Governor’s 2005-06 spending plan for K-14 grows by $2.9 billion, it does not include funding to cover all K-14 operating expenses that districts would incur under the budget proposal. We recommend the Legislature build a base budget for 2005-06 that fully funds the current K-14 education program.

Report

Cost Shift to Teacher Retirement Costs Raises Short-Term and Long-Term Issues

February 24, 2005 - The Governor proposes shifting $469 million in General Fund teacher retirement costs to school districts and/or schools. Due to current law requirements, it is likely that the proposal would require a $469 million upward “rebenching” of Proposition 98’s minimum guarantee—nullifying the proposed General Fund savings. In addition, from a long-term perspective, the proposal on its own would not address the retirement system’s shortcomings—the lack of local control and responsibility.

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Analysis of the 2005-06 Budget Bill, Education Chapter

February 24, 2005 - Analysis of the 2005-06 Budget Bill, Education Chapter

Other

The Impact of SB 740 on California’s Nonclassroom-Based Charter Schools (RAND Corporation)

February 16, 2005 - Chapter 892, Statutes of 2001, (SB 740, O’Connell), directed our office to extend our contract with the RAND Corporation to include an assessment of the state’s process for funding nonclassroom-based charter schools. RAND found that the state’s funding determination process had reduced nonclass-room-based charter schools’ possible misuse of funds. The process also resulted in non-classroom-based schools increasing spending on instruction and teacher compensation. It did not, however, result in an increase in students’ exposure to teachers. Compared to the state’s existing “threshold” funding approach, RAND suggests the state use a more holistic funding determination process that still could detect possible financial wrong-doing without triggering automatic funding cuts for schools that might have reasonable justifications for their different expenditure patterns. Report Summary

Report

Proposition 98 Primer

February 8, 2005 - Proposition 98 is a complex formula for setting a minimum annual funding level for K-12 schools and community colleges. This primer is intended to assist the Legislature in understanding the basic "mechanics" of the proposition and showing how it has affected school spending since its passage in 1988. We also describe the Governor's proposed changes to Proposition 98 and discuss our concerns about how they would diminish legislative budget authority.

Handout

Thoughts on State Categorical Programs in California

February 7, 2005 - Presented to the Senate Rules Committee on February 2, 2005.

Handout

Key Issues Facing the State Board of Education

February 2, 2005 - Presented to the Senate Rules Committee on February 2, 2005.

Handout

Implementing the Williams Settlement

August 23, 2004 - Presented to Conference Committee on August 23, 2004.

Handout

Proposition 98 Overview

June 10, 2004 - Presented To Budget Conference Committee on June 2, 2004

Handout

Proposition 98 May Revision Proposal

May 17, 2004 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 and Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on May 17, 2004.

Education Staff

Jackie Barocio
(916) 319-8333
Child Care, Expanded Learning, School Facilities, and Teachers
 
Sara Cortez
(916) 319-8348
Special Education, Preschool, and Child Nutrition
 
Kenneth Kapphahn
(916) 319-8339
Proposition 98, School District Budgets, School Transportation
 
Lisa Qing
(916) 319-8306
California State University, Student Financial Aid
 
Paul Steenhausen
(916) 319-8303
California Community Colleges
 
Ian Klein
(916) 319-8336
University of California; College of the Law, San Francisco; California State Library
 
Michael Alferes
(916) 319-8338
Local Control Funding Formula, Charter Schools, Alternative Schools, High School Career Technical Education
 
Edgar Cabral
(916) 319-8343
Deputy Legislative Analyst: K-12 Education
 
Jennifer Pacella
(916) 319-8332
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Higher Education