BILL ANALYSIS
SB 193
Page 1
Date of Hearing: August 19, 2009
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Kevin De Leon, Chair
SB 193 (Lowenthal) - As Amended: July 14, 2009
Policy Committee: Education
Vote:11-0
Urgency: Yes State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable: No
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes the Superintendent of Public Instruction
(SPI) to approve full funding allocated to Long Beach Unified
School District (LBUSD) for the K-3 Class Size Reduction (CSR)
program classes that either exceed 20 pupils or are housed with
another class in the 2009-10, 2010-11, and 2011-12 school years,
provided that the district meets specified provisions.
Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires LBUSD to meet the following provisions in order to
qualify for full K-3 CSR funding:
a) Certifies the number of pupils enrolled in a school
increased as a direct result of the closures on Catalina
Island resulting from the May 2007 fire, which lead to an
increase in the number of pupils in K-3 CSR program
classes, as specified.
b) Certifies that it lacked sufficient classroom space or
credentialed teachers to accommodate the enrollment
increase from the closures on Catalina Island resulting
from the May 2007 fire, as specified.
2)Sunsets these provisions on July 1, 2012.
FISCAL EFFECT
1)GF/98 loss of savings, of approximately $470,000, to allow
LBUSD to retain full funding for the K-3 CSR program, as
specified.
SB 193
Page 2
2)The 2009 Budget Act, enacted in February 2009, allocated $1.8
billion for the K-3 CSR program.
COMMENTS
1)Background . SB 311 (Sher), Chapter 910, Statutes of 2004,
provided temporary relief to southern California school
districts affected by the California wildfires in 2003 by
relieving districts from the statutory reduction in the
penalties that would be paid when a class participating in the
K-3 CSR program exceeded the maximum average of 20.4 students.
In May 2007, Catalina Island, located 26 miles off the coast
of Los Angeles, CA, burned more than 4,000 acres. This
wildfire forced residents of the city of Avalon to evacuate,
including pupils who attend the Avalon School (which is under
the jurisdiction of LBUSD). In 2007-08, the Avalon School
enrolled 678 pupils in grades K-12.
According to the author, "the May 2007 wildfire destroyed
vegetation on all major canyons that drain into the valley [on
Catalina Island] which contains the school site and the
community. Whenever the ground reaches a saturation level
there is imminent danger of mudslides and rockslides, which
could result in extended closures and/or evacuations. Because
of the drought conditions this year, the school has not
experienced significant closures due to ground saturation.
However, if California has a wet year next year, it is likely
that closures/evacuations will occur. If this unfortunate
event happens, pupils would be absorbed in other schools on
the mainland - resulting in K-3 CSR limits being exceeded."
This bill, sponsored by the SPI and modeled after Chapter 910,
provides fiscal relief to LBUSD's Avalon School affected by
the May 2007 wildfires on Catalina Island that participates in
the K-3 CSR program.
2)CSR programs . The K-3 CSR program provides per pupil funding
for each child in grades K-3 who receives instruction in a
class of 20 or fewer pupils. The program has two options.
Option One provides full funding for pupils who receive the
20-to-1 instruction all day and Option Two provides half
funding for pupils who receive the 20-to-1 instruction for
half of the instructional minutes per day. All pupils must
SB 193
Page 3
receive this instruction from a certificated teacher, not an
instructional aide. Each CSR class must be in a separate,
self-contained classroom or the equivalent square footage
provided before CSR. Although classes may occasionally exceed
20 pupils without penalty, in order to receive funding each
class must maintain an average of 20.4 pupils or less.
The grade 9 CSR program provides funds to school districts for
schools that reduce class size in grade 9 English and one
other grade 9 course required for graduation (i.e., either
mathematics, science, or social studies). The majority of
pupils in participating classes must be identified as grade 9
students. However, school districts that implemented the
program prior to June 30, 1998 may also be serving grades 10,
11, or 12. Likewise, average class size for the school year
at each participating school can be no more than 20 pupils per
certificated teacher and no more than 22 pupils enrolled in
any participating class.
3)K-3 CSR budget flexibility . As part of the overall
categorical budget flexibility, SB 4 X3 (Ducheny), Chapter 12,
Statutes of 2009, reduced the fiscal penalties for not meeting
required pupil-to-teacher ratios under the K-3 CSR program
until the 2011-12 FY. Specifically, the K-3 CSR program
penalties were reduced by increments of 5%, with a cap of 30%,
depending on the average enrollment of the class. For
example, there is a 5% reduction in the penalty assessed if
the average enrollment for the class is greater than 20.5
pupils, but less than 21.5 pupils. The highest average
enrollment for a class that a school district can offer under
this program, with a 30% reduction in the penalty, is 25
pupils or more.
Analysis Prepared by : Kimberly Rodriguez / APPR. / (916)
319-2081