Under the Dome: Budget trailer bills 

To access additional information on these bills—including any action taken by the governor after California School News went to press and the actual bill language—visit CSBA’s Web site at www.csba.org/gr . You may also get information on other legislation.

More information on eligibility, specific program requirements and how to receive funding for all the new and expanded programs in the budget will be sent by the California Department of Education to school districts and county offices of education in the near future. The information will also be available on the Department of Education Web site at: www.cde.ca.gov/fg/fo/af/ .

The 2006-07 state budget created a number of new programs and included funding to expand a few existing programs. While the budget language specified how some of the funds would be allocated, the provisions for many of the new programs were deferred to pending legislation. The following bills, if signed by the governor, will drive the implementation of the new programs.

AB 172 (Chan) Education facilities: Kindergarten-University Public Education Facilities Bond Act of 2006
This bill implements the $50 million that was provided in the state budget to expand State Preschool in underserved communities. Specifically, AB 172 increases the number of slots for preschools that are located in the attendance area of schools in the bottom three deciles. The budget also included $50 million in one-time funds to provide funding for preschool facilities.
CSBA position: Tracking 
Status: Signed by the governor

AB 1228 (Daucher) Internet Connectivity
AB 1228 would establish the K-12 High Speed Network to provide high-speed, high-bandwidth Internet conductivity to public schools. It would require the state superintendent of public instruction to use a competitive grant process to select a local educational agency to serve as the lead education agency to administer the network. The bill would specify the duties of the agency with regards to administration of the network and contracting for an independent evaluation to be completed by March 1, 2009. The SPI would also be required to establish a K-12 HSN advisory board.
CSBA position: Tracking
Status: Awaiting action by the governor

AB 1433 (Emmerson) Oral Health Assessments
$4.4 million was provided in the 2006-07 budget for schools to administer a requirement that all students entering kindergarten provide proof that they have received an oral health assessment in the last 12 months. AB 1433 specifies that districts would have to notify parents of the requirement, including information on the importance of oral health. The bill would require the California Department of Education to develop a standardized letter that includes a section for a dental professional to complete as well as a section for parents to sign that such an assessment could not be completed.
CSBA position: Tracking
Status: Signed by the governor

AB 1535 (Núñez) School Instructional Gardens
The budget also included $15 million to supply schools with garden equipment and supplies. Pursuant to AB 1535, school districts, charter schools and county offices may apply to CDE to develop and maintain an instructional school garden. Schools with 1,000 students would receive a maximum grant of $2,500, and schools with more than 1,000 students would receive a maximum grant of $5,000.
CSBA position: Tracking
Status: Signed by the governor

AB 2117 (Coto) English Learners Pilot Program
$20 million in one-time funds was provided in the 2006-07 budget for research related to best practices for English learners. AB 2117 would establish a three-year competitive grant pilot project to identify best instructional practices for teaching English learners and to develop a plan for effective training programs for EL teachers, school and district administrators and staff.
CSBA position: Support
Status: Awaiting action by the governor

SB 638 (Torlakson) Before and After School Programs
Pursuant to Proposition 49, which was enacted by voters in 2002, the state budget provided an additional $428 million for after-school programs. SB 638 would make several changes to after-school programs, including increasing the reimbursement rate from $5 to $7.50 per pupil per hour, while maintaining the program match at $2.50. Up to 25 percent of the local match could be provided through in-kind facilities. The bill would also increase the maximum grant caps per site for after-school programs to $112,500 and $150,000 for elementary and middle schools, respectively.
CSBA position: Support
Status: Signed by the governor

SB 1131 (Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review) Education Funding
This bill would make technical changes to some of the provisions in the budget act.
CSBA position: Tracking
Status: Signed by the governor

SB 1209 (Scott) Teachers: teacher credentialing: out-of-state teachers: professional growth programs: teacher compensation
The state budget provided $21 million to the Certificated Staff Mentoring Program, Alternative Certification Program and Personnel Management Assistance Teams. This bill would streamline duplicate preliminary credential requirements for new teachers who have completed state-adopted credentialing requirements in another state, consolidate testing requirements for teacher credential candidates, provide incentives to strengthen the preparation of teacher interns and induce experienced teachers to teach and mentor new teachers in high priority schools, among other revisions of teacher credentialing law.
CSBA position: Support
Status: Awaiting action by the governor

SB 1674 (Murray): School meal reimbursement
In his actions on the state budget, the governor set aside $37.4 million to provide an increase in the per-meal rate for free and reduced-priced meals. SB 1674 would provide that increased funding. The current reimbursement rate of 14 cents per eligible meal would be increased to 21 cents. Beginning July 1, 2007, districts would need to certify that they are not serving food that has been deep-fried in order to be eligible for the increased reimbursement. This was a condition required by the governor in order to approve the increase.
CSBA position: Support
Status: Awaiting action by the governor