CaliforniaCalifornia schools may pool arts funds under spending safeguards
Local education agencies may pool arts funds if they protect each school's share, and must follow new funding checks and public reporting rules.
What it does
Arts programs may include curriculum, learning materials, and staff training. They must follow the state guidance that applies to the students served.
Local education agencies may pool their allocated arts funds, but must keep spending for each school in proportion to its share and follow its spending plan.
Agencies receiving arts funds must compare current spending with a calculated baseline that accounts for funding that ended or newly became available. Spending at or above the baseline counts as meeting the requirement to add funding.
Agencies must submit and post a board-approved annual report by September 30. Schools must post spending plans and any granted waivers, though their agency may post that information for them.
Starting in 2027–28, agencies must certify that program requirements are followed at each school. Audits still check spending against agency certifications but no longer need to check it against the specified program requirements.
Argument forIncluding curriculum, learning materials, and staff training could help schools offer arts lessons that follow state guidance.
Argument againstPooling could make it harder for families to track school spending, even though agencies must protect each school's share and follow its spending plan.
More detail
Arts programs must follow the applicable state arts guidance. The definition covers arts instruction and related resources, including dance, music, theater, media arts, and visual arts. The applicable guidance is the California Arts Standards for Public Schools, the California Arts Education Framework, or the California Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten Learning Foundations.
Local education agencies may pool their allocated arts funds if they meet required safeguards. This applies to arts funds allocated to local educational agencies under Proposition 28. Spending for each schoolsite must remain in proportion to its allocation. The agency must meet other program requirements and follow the expenditure plan adopted for each schoolsite or preschool.
Agencies receiving funds must use specified calculations in their annual certification that arts funding supplements other funding. The annual certification applies to local educational agencies receiving Proposition 28 funds. The calculation starts with prior-year arts spending, subtracts Proposition 28 spending and resources no longer available, then adds newly available resources spent on arts, excluding current-year Proposition 28 funds. Agencies compare current-year arts spending, excluding current-year Proposition 28 funds, with that calculated amount. Spending at or above it meets the supplementing requirement. The calculation applies to the annual certification; no separate start date is stated.
Agencies must submit and publish a board-approved annual report by September 30; schools or their agency must publish spending plans and granted waivers, and the department must publish approved waivers. The duties apply to local educational agencies, their schoolsites and preschools, and the department. A local educational agency may require its schoolsites and preschools to post spending plans and waiver information on the agency's website instead of their own websites. The annual report must be approved by the agency's governing board or body. The annual report is due on or before September 30. No separate posting deadline is stated for spending plans or waivers.
Beginning in the 2027–28 fiscal year, agencies must certify that program requirements are implemented at each schoolsite; annual audits no longer need to determine whether funds met certain program requirements. These requirements apply to local educational agencies and their schoolsites. Audits must still include all funds received and distributed and determine whether funds were spent as stated in the agency's certifications. The site-by-site certification begins in the 2027–28 fiscal year.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Assembly
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Sep 27Chaptered by Secretary of State - Chapter 606, Statutes of 2026.Latest
- Sep 27Approved by the Governor Gavin Newsom.Became Law
- Sep 15Enrolled and presented to the Governor at 3 p.m.To Governor
- Aug 31Senate amendments concurred in. To Engrossing and Enrolling. (Ayes 79. Noes 0. Page 7008.).Major
- Vote recorded AB 2440 Muratsuchi Concurrence in Senate Amendments. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading AB2440 Muratsuchi et al. By Allen. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 31In Assembly. Concurrence in Senate amendments pending.
- Aug 31Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Assembly. (Ayes 39. Noes 0.).Passed Senate
- Aug 30Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 28Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 24Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 21Read third time and amended. Ordered to second reading.Major
- Aug 17Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- Aug 13Read second time and amended. Ordered returned to second reading.Major
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended. Result: pass.Upper
- Aug 13From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (August 13).Major
- Jun 29In committee: Referred to APPR. suspense file.Minor
- Vote recorded Placed on suspense file. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 17From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 6. Noes 0.) (June 17). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass, but first be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Upper
- Jun 8From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to committee. Read second time, amended, and re-referred to Com. on ED.Major
- Jun 3Referred to Com. on ED.Minor
- May 21In Senate. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment.Minor
- Vote recorded AB 2440 Muratsuchi Assembly Third Reading. Result: pass.Lower
- May 21Read third time. Passed. Ordered to the Senate. (Ayes 74. Noes 0. Page 2440.)Passed Assembly
- May 14Read second time. Ordered to third reading.Minor
- May 13From committee: Do pass. (Ayes 15. Noes 0.) (May 13).Minor
- Vote recorded Do pass. Result: pass.Lower
- May 13Coauthors revised.
- Apr 28Re-referred to Com. on APPR.Minor
- Apr 27Read second time and amended.Major
- Apr 23From committee: Amend, and do pass as amended and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 8. Noes 0.) (April 22).Major
- Apr 22
- Vote recorded Do pass as amended and be re-referred to the Committee on [Appropriations]. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 31In committee: Hearing postponed by committee.
- Mar 23Re-referred to Com. on ED.Minor
- Mar 19From committee chair, with author's amendments: Amend, and re-refer to Com. on ED. Read second time and amended.Major
- Mar 19Referred to Com. on ED.Minor
- Feb 21From printer. May be heard in committee March 23.
- Feb 20Read first time. To print.Introduced
EducationGovernment & EthicsCivil Rights & Voting