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Education-Related Legislation

Each year, the California legislature considers thousands of new bills. To assist our community in staying informed about education-related bills currently under discussion in either the Senate or the Assembly, we've provided a summary below. These are just a few of the close to 3,000 bills introduced in the 2024 legislative calendar.

Clovis Unified School District's 2024 Legislative Platform

The Clovis Unified School District works with the Governor’s administration, state agencies, and its legislative representatives to adopt policies that support the district’s commitment to providing every student a world-class education. The district believes legislative decisions should honor a continued focus on local control, where educators, parents, and community members are fully engaged in setting priorities for educational programs and services, as well as maintaining the health and safety of students and staff.

 

Visit California Legislative Information website to:  

  • View the complete list of bills introduced this year 
  • Sign up to receive updates on the status of a bill
  • Track a bill's progress through the legislature

To share your views on a particular piece of legislation with members of the legislature, visit California Legislative Information Position Letter Portal

Legislative Calendar

2023-2024 Legislative Calendar Milestones for New Legislation
February 16—Bill introduction deadline
May 3—Policy committee deadline
May 24—Deadline for each house to pass bills introduced in that house to the other house
July 3—Policy committee deadline
August 31—Last day for each house to send bills to the Governor
September 30—Last day for Governor to sign or veto bills

The district’s highest legislative priorities for the 2023-24 fiscal year, include:

    • The Clovis Unified School District strongly supports the protection of local control for public schools in California. Locally elected school boards and the district’s governance team are charged with implementing an educational program that serves the unique interests and priorities of the community while abiding by the basic standards that are part of current law. We oppose legislative efforts that erode local control and interfere with the rights of the community and parents to be fully engaged in the policy and fiscal decision-making process at the school district level. In our school district, we firmly believe that decision-making at the level closest to those served by the government is not just important, but critical to ensuring effective and responsive education policies. Fiscal, instructional and operational issues related to local public schools and the interest of our public school students ought to be subject to the governance of local school boards and family-based values should not be compromised.
    • Average Daily Attendance (ADA) Loss Protections

    The current year budget clearly had revenue challenges and despite those challenges, the Legislature and Governor addressed a number of crucial issues for PK-12 education. Among the serious fiscal difficulties that did not get addressed was the importance of revisiting the issues related to ADA loss and declining enrollment. Heightened health awareness and an abundance of caution by parents has led to consequential ADA declines for Clovis Unified School District since state funding is directly tied to student attendance. While the short-term assistance provided two years ago along with a new three-year rolling average for calculating ADA was essential, there is a systemic, permanent loss of attendance that still needs legislative attention. Clovis Unified School District supports additional state level ADA loss protection. 

    During the past two years, enrollment-based funding has been considered in legislation by the state legislature as an alternative to ADA-based funding.  The Clovis Unified School District has not supported this legislation and continues to oppose enrollment-based funding which amounts to simply shifting resources from some districts to others.  Our district continues to support the Average Daily Attendance Method as districts have a responsibility to promote positive attendance to ensure the opportunities to educate our students.

    • Increase Base Funding for Education

    The Governor and Legislature have demonstrated an ongoing commitment to base funding for education, particularly in light of the extraordinary efforts made to fund the full COLA for PK-12 education the last several years. Beyond just an inflation allowance, the base of LCFF and other PK-12 programs essentially stand still without allocations above that basic level.  Over the past several years, the Governor and Legislature have acknowledged this by ensuring that funding was provided to base funding beyond COLA but is is critical to address the formula as every time the base increases so does the supplemental and concentration dollars that are allocated. The new LCFF formula has become more restrictive than the old revenue limits formulas as the increased dollars are continually added to restricted programs when we need the dollars in the base operational cost of the district.

    Local educational programs that are comprehensive and equitable cannot exist without the ongoing support of adequate state funds. The school district projects a fiscal cliff in the coming years as State and Federal one-time funds become exhausted and we continue to have challenges with the fiscal impacts due to fluctuations of student enrollment and rapidly growing costs (e.g., pensions, healthcare, special education, transportation, and unemployment insurance). Looking for ways to increase LCFF base funding beyond the COLA augmentation will be essential to sustaining programs that are critical to student success and well-being.

    • The huge unfunded mandates in special education, primarily from the Federal government but also state requirements are a serious ongoing issue for Clovis Unified School District. Clovis Unified School District is committed to protecting the civil rights and educational opportunities of students with disabilities, but continued efforts to seek funding support from the state is vitally important. Clovis Unified School District supports full funding of special education programs through state and federal resources, given that local districts currently carry the majority of the costs to ensure all students with disabilities have access to the educational services and opportunities they deserve. The district urges the state to make continued investments in special education.
    • We recognize the pivotal role that school facilities play in shaping the educational experiences of our students. We firmly believe that every child deserves access to a safe, modern, and inspiring learning environment that fosters growth, innovation, and academic excellence. We know that investing in school facilities is an investment in the future of our community and our nation. We commit to securing equitable funding for school facilities across Clovis Unified. Regardless of a student's background or circumstances, they should have the same access to state-of-the-art facilities that enhance their learning journey. We support robust and sustainable funding mechanisms that ensure our schools have the resources they need to create environments conducive to learning. Recognizing the rising costs associated with school construction and modernization, we advocate for a forward-thinking funding formula. This formula should accurately address the increasing expenses and complexities of maintaining, renovating, and building new school facilities. By acknowledging the cost escalation, we can allocate funds more effectively and ensure that every dollar invested yields the greatest impact on student learning and development.
    • The district supports the long-overdue funding for school transportation programs and advocates for progress in raising the percentage of covered costs from 60 percent to 100 percent phased in over a multi-year period.
    • Clovis Unified supports funding for cleaner, fuel-efficient buses that are not restricted to electric bus technology. The broad investments in electric school bus technology benefits only some school districts where route distance and topography are a unique fit. The limitations on driving distance on a single charge and the overall technology of electric school buses have not yet achieved a capacity to serve all districts including Clovis Unified. Funding for school bus infrastructure that is increasingly environmentally friendly should not be limited to electric buses.
    • Only in recent years has California begun to reverse the trend of disinvestment in CTE. Clovis Unified School District is implementing ambitious and successful CTE programs but needs the state to increase its commitment to these educational programs that are directly linked to job creation and our regional economic future. Clovis Unified School District supports actions to provide ongoing increased support to career technical education programs.
    • The current year budget was the first State budget in four years to forgo any assistance from the State to help school districts shoulder the unfunded burden of pension cost increases mandated by state actions. Clovis Unified School District supports protecting the retirement benefits of its employees, past and present, by addressing the unfunded obligation that is generating volatility and strain for the budgets of local educational agencies around the state. 

    Increasing CalSTRS and CalPERS state mandated pension costs divert resources away from instruction and student supports. Clovis Unified School District supports the state providing additional funding to both pension systems on behalf of school employers to mitigate growing obligations. The district urges the Governor and Legislature to allocate State General Fund resources to mitigate the increased costs of PERS and STRS on public school districts.   Clovis Unified believes the rapid debt paydown on pensions should be adjusted before any future reductions to services are considered.

    • Even today, the COVID-19 Pandemic has created long-lasting negative impacts to the certificated and classified staffing of the district. Identifying opportunities to hire highly qualified teachers and classified staff is of the highest importance as it fundamentally impacts the quality of education for students. Clovis Unified School District supports policies that maximize the authority and flexibility of school boards to attract and retain highly qualified staff. The district also supports restoring flexibility in credentialing requirements for the hiring of new teachers and options to retain teaching talent longer, even after retirement, as tools to confront the teacher shortage.

Summary of Bills

  •  

    Bill No./ Author

    Title

    Current Status

    AB 3131

    McCarty

    Strong Workforce Program: Applicants Receiving Equity Multiplier Funding

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 434, Statutes of 2024

    SB 1244

    Newman

    Pupil Instruction: Dual Enrollment: College and Career Access Pathways Partnerships

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 789, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2134

    Muratsuchi

    School Employees: Transfer of Leave of Absence for Illness or Injury

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 381, Statutes of 2024

     

     

    AB 2345

    Patterson, Jim

    Short-Term Staff Permits: Provisional Intern Permits: Teaching Permits for Statutory Leave: Designated Subjects Career Technical Education Teaching Credentials: Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Certification

     

     

     

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 65, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2534

    Flora

    Certificated Employees: Disclosures: Egregious Misconduct

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 570, Statutes of 2024

    SB 1263

    Newman

    Teacher Credentialing: Teaching Performance Assessment: Workgroup

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 889, Statutes of 2024

     

     

    AB 247

    Muratsuchi

    Education Finance: School Facilities: Kindergarten Through Grade 12 Schools and Local Community College Public Education Facilities Modernization, Repair, and Safety Bond Act of 2024

     

     

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 81, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2565

    McCarty

    School Facilities: Interior Locks

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 531, Statutes of 2024

     

    SB 956

    Cortese

    School Facilities: Design-Build Contracts

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 177, Statutes of 2024

    SB 1091

    Menjivar

    School Facilities: School Projects: Accessible Path of Travel Requirements

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 1014, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2715

    Boerner

    Ralph M. Brown Act: Closed Sessions

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 243, Statutes of 2024

    AB 3074

    Schiavo

    School or Athletic Team Names: California Racial Mascots Act

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 665, Statutes of 2024

    AB 3216

    Hoover

    Pupils: Use of Smartphones

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 500, Statutes of 2024

    SB 691

    Portantino

    Pupil Attendance: Truancy Notifications

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 863, Statutes of 2024

    SB 1283

    Stern

    Pupils: Use of Social Media

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 891, Statutes of 2024

    SB 1315

    Archuleta

    School Accountability: Local Educational Agencies: Annual Reporting Requirements

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 468, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2251

    Connolly

    Graduation Requirements: Local Requirements: Exemptions

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 560, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2377

    Rivas, Luz

    Pupil Instruction: Physical Education: Accommodation: Religious Fasting

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 960, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2429

    Alvarez

    Pupil Instruction: Health Education Courses: Fentanyl

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 67, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2927

    McCarty

    Pupil Instruction: High School Graduation Requirements: Personal Finance

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 37, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2999

    Schiavo

    Pupil Instruction: Homework Policy

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 751, Statutes of 2024

    SB 1410

    Ochoa Bogh

    Pupil Instruction: Curriculum Frameworks: Mathematics: Algebra

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 476, Statutes of 2024

    AB 1864

    Connolly

    Pesticides: Agricultural Use Near Schoolsites: Notification and Reporting

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 552, Statutes of 2024

    SB 1288

    Becker

    Public Schools: Artificial Intelligence Working Group

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 893, Statutes of 2024

    AB 1858

    Ward

    Comprehensive School Safety Plans: Active Shooters: Armed Assailants: Drills

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 530, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2711

    Ramos

    Suspensions and Expulsions: Voluntary Disclosures

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 840, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2887

    Maienschein

    School Safety Plans: Medical Emergency Procedures

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 419, Statutes of 2024

     

    AB 2968

    Connolly

    School Safety and Fire Prevention: Fire Hazard Severity Zones: Comprehensive School Safety Plans: Communication and Evacuation Plans

     

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 582, Statutes of 2024

    SB 445

    Portantino

    Special Education: Standardized Individualized Education Program Template: Translation

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 906, Statutes of 2024

    AB 106

    Gabriel

    Budget Acts of 2022 and 2023

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 9, Statutes of 2024

    AB 938

    Muratsuchi

    Education Finance: Classified and Certificated Staff Salaries

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 345, Statutes of 2024

    AB 2998

    McKinnor

    Opioid Overdose Reversal Medications: Pupil Administration

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 974, Statutes of 2024

    AB 3262

    Maienschein

    Automated External Defibrillators

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 19, Statutes of 2024

    SB 997

    Portantino

    Pupil Health: Opioid Antagonists and Fentanyl Test Strips

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 872, Statutes of 2024

    SB 1248

    Hurtado

    Pupil Health: Extreme Weather Conditions: Physical Activity

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 463, Statutes of 2024

    SB 1318

    Wahab

    Pupil Health: Suicide Prevention Policies: Pupil Suicide Crisis

    Signed by the Governor, Chapter 645, Statutes of 2024