Senate Bill (SB) 117, which was signed into law on March 17, 2020, earmarked $100 million for appropriation to local educational agencies (LEAs) on the basis of classroom-based average daily attendance as of the 2019–20 First Principal Apportionment. Chapter 9 of SB 117 stated that the funds, “shall be used to purchase personal protective equipment, or to pay for supplies and labor related to cleaning school sites, or both.”
Letter 1-19, released by the California Department of Education on March 30, 2020, expands the allowable uses of the response funds. The letter, which notes that the allowable list is in excess of language in SB 117, highlights that the Department of Finance and the Legislature are in concurrence with the expanded list, and that clean-up legislation will be forthcoming. The entire contents of the letter can be found here.
The expanded list includes, “costs associated with maintaining nutrition services, cleaning and disinfecting facilities, personal protective equipment, and materials necessary to provide students with opportunities for distance learning.”
The funds are expected to be apportioned within approximately one week, and the revenues should be coded to Resource Code 7388, Object Code 8590. To determine how much your LEA will be receiving and to access the apportionment schedule, click here.