BILL ANALYSIS Ó
AB 18
Page 1
CONCURRENCE IN SENATE AMENDMENTS
AB 18 (Brownley)
As Amended August 8, 2012
Majority vote
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|ASSEMBLY: | |(June 1, 2011) |SENATE: |22-15|(August 23, |
| | | | | |2012) |
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(vote not relevant)
Original Committee Reference: ED.
SUMMARY: Creates a 21-member California Task Force on School
Finance (Task Force) to be appointed, as specified, by the
Governor, the Speaker of the Assembly, and the Senate Rules
Committee, to review and analyze alternative formulas for
allocating funds to public schools and to recommend formulas that
best meet the needs of California's public school system and
pupils. Specifically, the bill :
1)Requires the Task Force to consist of currently employed
teachers, school administrators, and classified employees;
current school board members; parents; representatives of urban,
suburban, and rural school districts; representatives of
traditionally underserved pupil populations; and, members of the
research community with expertise in school finance.
2)Provides for the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) to
serve on and chair the Task Force.
3)Requires the Task Force to:
a) Identify key issues related to the fair, efficient, and
equitable distribution of resources among and within local
educational agencies;
b) Identify means by which a funding formula can maximize
local decision making authority while ensuring that statewide
policy objectives are met;
c) Solicit comments and suggestions from educators and the
public;
d) Develop alternative funding formulas, as specified;
AB 18
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e) Simulate the distribution of funds under alternative
formulas;
f) Identify, for each formula, a target level of funding, as
specified, for each local education agency;
g) Make recommendations regarding a methodology for
transitioning to a new funding formula; and,
h) Report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature
by April 1, 2013.
4)Requires funding formulas to be evaluated based on the degree to
which they:
a) Result in a level of funding for each local education
agency that matches its needs as determined by pupil
demographics, grade level enrollment, regional cost
differences, and other cost factors identified by the Task
Force;
b) Facilitate the attainment of educational policy
objectives;
c) Can be modified to reflect changing conditions and policy
objectives; and,
d) Can be easily understood and administered by policymakers
and the public.
5)Provides that members of the Task Force shall serve without
compensation, but may be reimbursed direct travel and meal
expenses.
6)Requires the meetings of the Task Force to be subject to the
Bagley-Keene Act.
7)Provides that this bill shall become operative only if the SPI
certifies that sufficient nonstate funds are available for its
implementation.
8)Establishes a sunset date of July 1, 2013, and a repeal date of
January 1, 2014.
The Senate amendments delete the Assembly version of the bill and
add the provisions described above.
AB 18
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AS PASSED BY THE ASSEMBLY, this bill consolidated funding for most
K-12 categorical programs into three block grants.
FISCAL EFFECT: According to the Senate Appropriations Committee:
1)Approximately $250,000 from nonstate funds for expenses of the
Task Force.
2)Unknown fiscal impact to implement any recommended funding
formula and related recommendations developed by the Task Force.
COMMENTS: In January 2014, Governor Brown proposed a Weighted
Pupil Funding (WPF) formula as part of his 2012-13 budget
proposal. The January proposal was updated in the May Revision of
the budget. The purpose of the proposal was to reform a school
finance system that is widely viewed as being too complex and
confusing and as failing to deliver resources to where they are
needed most based on pupil needs. The Assembly version of this
bill offered an alternative approach to school finance reform by
consolidating funding for most categorical programs into three
block grants.
The Governor never put his proposal in bill form for consideration
by legislative policy committees, and a scheduled joint hearing of
the Assembly Education Committee and the Senate Education
Committee was cancelled at the Administration's request. The
purpose of this bill, according to the author, is bring all
interested parties to the table in order to achieve the consensus
needed to pass school finance reform legislation. According to
the author, "AB 18 is not another study bill. Rather, the purpose
of AB 18 is to build upon the studies and research that have
already taken place, and to bring the conversation about school
finance reform to a conclusion, rather than prolong it."
Analysis Prepared by : Rick Pratt / ED. / (916) 319-2087 FN:
0005120