California Assembly Bill AB795 Latest Draft

 BILL NUMBER: AB 795INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Assembly Member Hall FEBRUARY 26, 2009 An act to amend Section 14000 of the Education Code, relating to education finance. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST AB 795, as introduced, Hall. Education finance. Existing law states the intent of the Legislature with respect to administration of the laws governing financial support of the public school system. This bill would make various technical, nonsubstantive changes to these provisions. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: no. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Section 14000 of the Education Code is amended to read: 14000. It is the intent of the Legislature that  the  administration of the laws governing  the  financial support of the public school system in this state be conducted within the purview of the following principles and policies:  The   (a)     The  system of public school support should be designed to strengthen and encourage local responsibility for control of public education. Local school districts should be  so  organized that they can facilitate  the  provision of full educational opportunities for all who attend the public schools. Local control is best accomplished by  the  development of strong, vigorous, and properly organized local school administrative units. It is the state's responsibility to create or facilitate  the  creation of local districts of sufficient size to properly discharge local responsibilities and to spend  the tax dollar   tax dollars  effectively.  The   (b)     The  system of public school support should  assure   ensure  that state, local, and other funds are adequate for  the  support of a realistic funding level. It is unrealistic and unfair to  the  less wealthy districts to provide for only a part of the financing necessary for an adequate educational program.  The   (c)     The  system of public school support should permit and encourage local school districts to provide and support improved district organization and educational programs. The system of public school support should prohibit  the  introduction of undesirable organization and educational practices, and should discourage any of those practices now in effect. Improvement of programs in particular districts is in the interests of the state as a whole as well as of the people in individual districts, since the excellence of the programs in some districts will tend to bring about program improvement in other districts.  The   (d)    The  system of public school support should make provision for  the  apportionment of state funds to local districts on a strictly objective basis that can be computed as well by  the  local districts as by the state. The principle of local responsibility requires that the granting of discretionary powers to state officials over the distribution of state aid and the granting to these officials of the power to impose undue restriction on the use of funds and the conduct of educational programs at the local level be avoided.  The   (e)     The  system of public school support should effect a partnership between the state, the county, and school districts, with each participating equitably in accordance with its relative ability. The respective abilities should be combined to provide a financial plan between the state and  the  local agencies for public school support. Toward this support program, each county and district, through a uniform method, should contribute in accordance with its true financial ability.  The   (f)     The  system of public school support should provide for essential educational opportunities for all who attend the public schools. Provision should be made in the financial plan for adequate financing of all educational services.  The   (g)     The  broader based taxing power of the state should be utilized to raise the level of financial support in  the  properly organized   organized,  but financially  weak   weak,  districts of the state, thus contributing greatly to  the  equalization of educational opportunity for the students residing therein. It should also be used to provide a minimum amount of guaranteed support to all districts, for  that  state assistance serves to develop among all districts a sense of responsibility to the entire system of public education in the state.