Plain English Breakdown
The source states that existing law requires admission of children turning 4 by September 1; this bill only addresses the funding aspect.
AB-1391: Funding Transitional Kindergarten in Basic Aid Districts and Small Schools
Starting in fiscal year 2025–26, this law requires the state to provide specific funding for transitional kindergarten students attending basic aid school districts or certain necessary small schools.
What This Bill Does
- Requires that minimum state funding levels include money for transitional kindergarten programs starting in fiscal year 2025–26.
- Mandates that the Superintendent of Public Instruction allocate funds based on student attendance numbers for these specific school types.
- Includes base grants, supplemental grants, concentration grants if applicable, and a transitional kindergarten add-on amount for each student.
- Appropriates money from the General Fund every year to pay for these required allocations.
- Counts this funding toward the minimum state aid requirements set by Section 8 of Article XVI of the California Constitution.
Who It Names or Affects
- Basic aid school districts that receive local revenues exceeding their standard LCFF amount.
- Certain necessary small schools and high schools as defined by existing law.
- Students attending transitional kindergarten programs in these specific types of schools.
- The Superintendent of Public Instruction, who must manage the allocation of these funds.
Terms To Know
- Basic aid school districts
- Schools that collect enough local tax money to exceed their standard state funding amount and usually do not receive regular LCFF grants.
- Transitional kindergarten (TK)
- A program for children who will turn 4 years old by September 1 of the school year, which districts must admit starting in 2025–26 under existing law.
- Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF)
- The system used to calculate how much state money schools receive based on student attendance and needs.
Limits and Unknowns
- The exact dollar amount of the transitional kindergarten add-on is not specified in this text.
- This law only applies starting with the 2025–26 fiscal year, so it does not change funding for earlier years.