Article 2County Office of Education Budget Approval
Section § 1620
Section § 1621
(a) The county office of education must prepare a detailed budget using a specific form provided by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. This budget should outline all planned spending, estimated cash balances, and expected revenues for the upcoming year, along with unaudited estimates from the previous year.
(b) The budget can include a 'general reserve' set aside by the county board of education to cover any cash needs before tax revenues or state funds come in.
(c) The budget can also have specific fund balances earmarked for particular purposes, and these can be allocated for use if a majority of the county board agrees.
Section § 1622
Each year, county boards of education in California must create and approve a budget, making sure it's aligned with their local control and accountability plan (LCAP). This plan helps ensure that budgets are detailed and meet set financial standards. The Superintendent reviews these budgets to ensure they are sound and meet the county's financial obligations. If there are issues, the budget might be disapproved or conditionally approved, and the board must make necessary revisions. If after revisions, the budget still doesn't meet standards, a review committee may be called. Changes in the budget should be open to public view, especially after state funding amounts are updated.
Section § 1623
This section outlines how a budget review committee for a county office of education is formed and operates. The committee, consisting of three experts in school district management, is chosen from a list provided by the Superintendent. They are selected by the county superintendent of schools and the county board of education within five days. If they fail to do so, the Superintendent steps in to appoint the committee within an additional ten days. By November 30, the committee reviews the county's proposed budget and decides whether to approve it or suggest changes to meet financial obligations. The Superintendent can extend their deadline by fifteen days if needed, and must establish guidelines for the committee's operations. Committee members are reimbursed for their services, except for certain employees in the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team.
Section § 1624
If a county education office's budget gets disapproved by a review committee, the county superintendent and board can respond with changes. Then, the Superintendent reviews everything and either approves or rejects the budget. If rejected, the Superintendent can step in to help manage the budget, stop spending not in line with a new fiscal plan, monitor operations, hire experts for analysis, make staff recommendations, and require detailed financial tracking. However, the Superintendent can't change existing worker contracts. Any administrative costs from this oversight are the county office's responsibility.
Section § 1625
If a county office of education has a negative balance in their funds or cash, they must explain why it happened and how they plan to fix it when they submit their budget and related documents.
Section § 1626
This law means that if the county office of education hasn't yet received approval for its new budget, it must keep operating based on last year's budget until the new one is approved.
Section § 1627
Every year, an accountant chosen by the county's school superintendent has to inspect the county school service fund to make sure everything is in order. The cost for this inspection comes out of the school fund itself.
Section § 1628
Every year by October 15, the county superintendent of schools must prepare and submit a report detailing all financial activity, specifically receipts and expenditures, of the county office of education for the last fiscal year. This report should follow the format set by the Superintendent and adhere to the State Board of Education's regulations. The format can be updated by the Superintendent to reflect legal or reporting requirement changes.
Section § 1629
Every year by October 15, the county board of education must officially determine and document both the estimated and actual spending limits for the county office of education for the current and previous fiscal year. They need to do this during a regular or special board meeting, and all related documents must be accessible to the public at that time.
Section § 1630
This law gives the Superintendent of Public Instruction in California the authority to review the financial health of county offices of education. If there are signs of financial trouble, like fiscal distress or a risk of not meeting financial obligations in the current or upcoming years, the Superintendent can step in. They may assign experts, conduct financial assessments, or require specific financial reports and plans from the county offices. The Superintendent can also withhold compensation, develop budget revisions, or impose recovery plans if the financial situation is severe. Additionally, the county must share costs for any improvements in financial management, and a fiscal expert can be considered an employee for insurance purposes.
Section § 1631
This law says that if a county office of education in California doesn't meet certain requirements, like adopting local control plans and budgets, it won't receive state or federal funds for that year. These requirements include adopting a plan for local accountability and an annual update, creating an annual budget, and submitting specific reports. Funds are withheld until all these conditions are met. However, if a county can't meet these because of an emergency event beyond their control, they must address the issue as soon as the event is over and inform the Superintendent about the emergency and when they fulfilled their duties.