Governor Signs Huff CA Education Code Cleanup Bill

SB 1211 Closes Chapter on old Funding Mechanism and Helps Remove Confusion

SACRAMENTO: (8/23/2016) Legislation designed to amend the California Education Code by removing sections that were dropped during adoption of the Local Control Funding Formula is now law in California thanks to the Governor’s signature on SB 1211. Senator Bob Huff (R-San Dimas) introduced the measure earlier this year at the request of the California School Boards Association. His legislative effort was needed after the State Legislature took action to abolish the old system of education funding through the adoption of AB 97.

AB 97, which was part of the 2013 State Budget bill, established the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) and the Local Control Accountability Plans (LCAP).  The LCFF replaced the prior system of revenue limits and restricted funding for categorical programs with a new funding formula that provides base-funding for the core educational needs of all students and supplemental and concentration funding for the additional educational needs of low-income students, English learners, and foster youth.

“The Governor’s signature on SB 1211 helps close the chapter on an old ‘strings-attached’ funding mechanism,” said Senator Huff. “It’s critical that these antiquated laws are removed from the California Education Code, making the code easier for schools to understand.”

There were two primary ways of funding schools under California’s old system of education financing: Base funding was designed to cover the basic costs of education, such as teacher salaries, textbooks, materials and more. Categorical funding was more limited and targeted to very specific areas, such as English language learners, class size reduction and special education. This system had its critics, who called it too state-driven, bureaucratic, complex, inequitable and based on outdated allocation methods that did not reflect current student needs.

Under LCFF school districts still have the authority to fund a variety of educational programs, but they now have the flexibility to direct that money toward those programs most vital to them. SB 1211 builds upon Senator Huff’s work to remove sections of and simplify California’s education code. This process started with Senator Huff’s introduction of SB 917 in 2014. It continued with the passage of SB 416 last year.