Lawmakers pass COVID-19 legislative remedy
March 23, 2020
The governor and Legislature took emergency action March 17 to ensure Local Educational Agencies continue to receive funding during the COVID-19 pandemic
, as well as to provide LEAs with flexibility so educational options can be provided to students. The legislation, which takes effect immediately, includes the following:
Apportionment- The legislation provides $100 million to apportion to LEAs based on ADA, with a minimum of $250 per school site.
- These funds shall be used for purchasing personal protective equipment or for supplies and labor costs related to cleaning school sites.
School funding – ADA
- LEAs claiming attendance for the 2019-20 school year for purposes of school funding, the school year shall include only full school months between July 1 2019, and February 29, 2020.
- The intent of the Legislature is that LEAs receiving apportionment ensure that employees and contractors are compensated and paid during the time a school is closed due to COVID-19, as reasonably anticipated if the school had not been closed.
Instructional time
- The legislation waives instructional days and minutes requirements for LEAs during a school closure that is in response to COVID-19.
- The legislation provides a 45-day extension for English Learner proficiency assessments unless otherwise determined by the state Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- For all other assessments required under statute, including the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress, the testing window will be extended by the number of days a school site is closed, or until the end of the testing window, whichever is first.
Charter schools - Independent Study/distance learning
- Any charter school without an Independent Study program or a distance learning program in its currently-approved charter petition is not required to submit a request to materially revise its petition to offer IS or distance learning during COVID closures.
- ASES programs to be credited with entire ADA as if programs were operated fully, during closures.
- State-subsidized childcare and development programs, including California State Preschool, General Child Care, CalWORKS child care, and Alternative Payment Programs that comply with the governor’s executive order, will have their attendance and reporting requirements waived, subject to guidance from the state Superintendent of Public Instruction.
- Timelines for the Uniform Complaint Procedures are extended by the length of a school’s closure due to COVID-19.
- The SPI shall consider the days following the school’s closure due to COVID-19 as days between a pupils’ regular school session until the school reopens and regular session convenes when determining LEA compliance with special education timelines and service provisions.
