BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1724
Page 1
Date of Hearing: May 5, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Felipe Fuentes, Chair
AB 1724 (Chesbro) - As Introduced: February 3, 2010
Policy Committee: Education
Vote:9-0
Urgency: Yes State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill deems two elementary schools in the Del Norte County
Unified School District (DNCUSD) necessary small schools for the
purpose of receiving revenue limit (general purpose) funding.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires, commencing with the 2010-11 fiscal year (FY), DNCUSD
to receive necessary small school apportionments for Gasquet
Mountain elementary and Margaret Keating elementary schools.
2)Prohibits the specified elementary schools from receiving
necessary small school funding if their average daily
attendance (ADA) exceeds 100.
FISCAL EFFECT
For the 2008-09 FY, DNCUSD had a total GF budget of $36 million.
Of this amount, $19.6 million was revenue limit funding
(general purpose). Of the $19 million, the state provided $12.6
million GF/98, with the remaining source being local property
taxes. The following chart illustrates the amount of state
funding DNCUSD would receive, if Gasquet Mountain and Margaret
Keating elementary schools receive necessary small school
funding, as provided in this measure.
------------------------------------------------------ -------------------------------------------------------
AB 1724
Page 2
COMMENTS
1)Purpose . Current law defines a necessary small school as an
elementary school with an ADA of less than 101 or a high
school with an ADA of no greater than 300 in school districts
that enroll a total of less than 2,501 pupils. Necessary small
schools receive specified allowances based upon the size of
the small school as measured by number of teachers and
students and in lieu of revenue limited funding that would
usually be allocated per pupil in attendance. Current law also
specifies that once a high school is determined to be a
necessary small high school that designation may only be
changed upon review of the school qualification every five
years.
DNCUSD is the only school district located in Del Norte
County. It enrolled 3,893 pupils in 11 schools in 2008-09.
During this same time period, Gasquet Mountain elementary
school enrolled 32 pupils in grades K-5 and is located
approximately 19 miles east of Crescent City. Margaret
Keating elementary school enrolled 86 pupils in grades K-5 and
is located approximately 20 miles south of Crescent City.
School district officials argue it is not feasible to merge
these two schools because pupils would have to travel between
30 to 60 minutes on a bus, depending on which school closed.
Furthermore, DNCUSD reports roads between these two schools
are susceptible to mud and rock and are not often repaired in
a timely manner during the winter months.
This bill requires two elementary schools in DNCUSD to receive
necessary small school funding, which will enable them to
remain open.
2)Previous legislation .
a) SB 667 (Hollingsworth), Chapter 559, Statutes of 2007,
appropriated $55,000 GF/98 to the Valley Center-Pauma
Unified School District for purposes of allowing the school
district to continue operating the Palomar Mountain
Elementary School with necessary small school funding.
b) SB 1367 (Ducheny), Chapter 250, Statutes of 2006,
revised and clarified provisions of statute governing
AB 1724
Page 3
eligibility for necessary small school funding, including
authorization for one elementary school and one high school
in the Coachella Valley Unified School District to continue
to receive necessary small school funding without regard to
the overall size of the district, provided that the ADA of
each school remains less than 287.
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081