Amended in Assembly May 20, 2015

Amended in Assembly March 26, 2015

California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly Bill No. 480

Introduced by Assembly Member Harper

February 23, 2015

An act begin insert to add and repeal Section 35713 to the Education Code, end insert relating to school districts.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 480, as amended, Harper. School districts: reorganization: study of benefits and impacts of unification.

Existing law establishes procedures for the reorganization of school districts, including, but not limited to, unifying school districts by consolidating all or part of one or more school districts, as specified. begin insert Existing law establishes the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) to, among other things, review the fiscal and administrative condition of any county office of education, school district, or charter school. end insert

This bill would require the begin delete Legislative Analyst’s Office end delete begin insert County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) end insert to conduct a study begin delete of end delete begin insert on the end insert potential benefits and impacts of school district unification. The bill would begin delete specify end delete begin insert require certain end insert topics to be included in the begin delete study. end delete begin insert study, including the benefits of school district unification. The bill would require FCMAT to submit the study to certain committees of the Legislature and specified other state agencies within one year of funds being appropriated by the Legislature to implement the bill’s provisions. By imposing new duties on a local educational agency, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The provisions of the bill would be repealed on January 1, 2021. end insert

begin insert

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

end insert begin insert

This bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to these statutory provisions.

end insert

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert . State-mandated local program:  begin delete no end delete begin insert yes end insert .

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

begin insert

begin insert SECTION 1. end insert   

end insert

begin insert Section 35713 is added to the end insert begin insert Education Code end insert begin insert ,
to read: end insert

begin insert

begin insert 35713. end insert   

(a) The County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management
Assistance Team (FCMAT) shall conduct a study on the potential
benefits and impacts of school district unification. The study shall
include, but is not limited to, discussions of management and fiscal
topics.

(b) Management topics shall include all of the following:

(1) The benefits of school district unification for purposes of
matriculation and the implementation of local control and
accountability plans.

(2) The benefits of having a uniform school calendar for all
grade levels.

(3) To the extent data on this topic is readily available, the
benefits of combined maintenance and operation of schools within
a unified school district.

(4) The benefits of school district unification for purposes of
facilities management.

(c) Fiscal topics shall include all of the following:

(1) The impact of school district unification on overall costs,
including, but not limited to, the impact on certificated salary
schedules, classified salaries and positions, certificated
administrative positions, classified administrative positions, and
governing boards.

(2) The impact on the application of the local control funding
formula.

(d) Within one year of funds being appropriated by the
Legislature to implement the provisions of this section, FCMAT
shall complete the study and shall submit the study to the
appropriate fiscal and policy committees of the Legislature, the
Legislative Analyst’s Office, the State Department of Education,
and the Department of Finance.

(e) This section is subject to appropriation by the Legislature
of funds to FCMAT for purposes of administering this section.

(f) This section is repealed on January 1, 2021.

end insert

begin insert

begin insert SEC. 2. end insert   

end insert begin insert

If the Commission on State Mandates determines that
this act contains costs mandated by the state, reimbursement to
local agencies and school districts for those costs shall be made
pursuant to Part 7 (commencing with Section 17500) of Division
4 of Title 2 of the Government Code.

end insert

begin delete

SECTION 1.  

The Legislative Analyst’s Office shall conduct
a study of the potential benefits and impacts of school district
unification. The study shall include, but not necessarily be limited
to, discussions of all of the following topics:

(a) The benefits of school district unification for purposes of
matriculation.

(b) The benefits of having a uniform school calendar for all
grade levels.

(c) The benefits of combined maintenance and operation of
schools within a unified school district.

(d) The benefits of school district unification for purposes of
facilities management.

(e) The impact of school district unification on overall costs,
including, but not necessarily limited to, the impacts on certificated
salary schedules, classified salaries and positions, and certificated
administrative positions.

(f) The impact on the application of the local control funding
formula.

(g) The short-term and long-term benefits of school district
unification over periods of 5, 10, and 15 years.

end delete