Bill > AB2440

This bill updates the Arts and Music in Schools—Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act—originally passed by California voters in 2022 as Proposition 28 to provide dedicated annual funding for arts education in K–12 public and charter schools—by expanding the definition of allowable arts education programs to include curriculum, instructional materials, and professional development, provided they align with state arts standards and frameworks. Under the legislation, local educational agencies (school districts, county offices of education, and charter schools) are permitted to pool their funding as long as expenditures for each individual schoolsite remain proportional to its original allocation and adhere to local spending plans. To ensure compliance with the requirement that these state funds supplement rather than replace existing arts spending, the bill establishes a precise calculation method comparing prior-year and current-year expenditures, while also revising annual reporting and internet posting deadlines to September 30, requiring schools or districts to publish their expenditure plans and any state-granted waivers online. Finally, the bill streamlines required annual financial audits by removing certain redundant compliance determinations, updates certification rules for larger local educational agencies regarding staff hiring thresholds, and introduces a requirement that all provisions be fully implemented at every schoolsite starting in the 2027–28 fiscal year.