Instructional Materials Funding Realignment Program
The Instructional Materials Funding Realignment Program (IMFRP) took effect on January 1, 2003. It replaced three previous funding sources for instructional materials: the Kindergarten Through Grade Eight (K–8) Instructional Materials Fund; Grades Nine Through Twelve Instructional Materials Fund; and Schiff-Bustamante Standards-Aligned Instructional Materials Fund, Kindergarten Through Grade Twelve (K–12).
The IMFRP was significantly affected by the passage of the education trailer bill Senate Bill 4 of the 2009-10 Third Extraordinary Session (SBX3 4) (Chapter 12, Statutes of 2009) and Assembly Bill 2 of the 2009-10 Fourth Extraordinary Session (ABX4 2). These bills established spending flexibility for the IMFRP funds. Pursuant to California Education Code (EC) Section 42605 the flexibility provisions apply to fiscal years 2008-09 through 2014-15.
Under EC Section 42605(a) IMFRP funds may be used “for any educational purpose.” However, it is important to note that EC Section 42605(e)(2) references certain restrictions on the use of funds if an LEA chooses to use IMFRP or other flexible funds to purchase instructional materials.
EC Section 42605(e)(2) states the following:
"(A) Any instructional materials purchased by a local education agency shall be the materials adopted by the state board for kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, and for grades 9 to 12, inclusive, the materials purchased shall be aligned with state standards as defined by Section 60605, and shall also meet the reporting and sufficiency requirements contained in Section 60119.
"(B) For purposes of this section, 'sufficiency' means that each pupil has sufficient textbooks and instructional materials in the four core areas as defined by Section 60119, and that all pupils within the local education agency who are enrolled in the same course shall have identical textbooks and instructional materials, as specified in Section 1240.3."
When using funds from any of the 39 categorical programs included in the flexibility provisions of EC Section 42605 to purchase instructional materials for grades K–8, LEAs may only purchase State Board of Education (SBE) adopted instructional materials from the following adoption lists:
- Foreign Language 2003 and 2005 follow-up
- Health 2004
- History-Social Science 2005
- Science 2006
- Visual and Performing Arts 2006
- Mathematics 2007
- Reading/Language Arts—English-Language Development 2008
When using funds from any of the 39 categorical programs included in the flexibility provisions of EC Section 42605 to purchase instructional materials for grades 9–12, LEAs may only purchase standards-aligned, locally adopted instructional materials in the following subject areas:
- History-Social Science
- Science
- Mathematics
- Reading/Language Arts—English-Language Development
Materials from previous standards-aligned SBE adoption lists may be used to meet the requirements for instructional materials sufficiency. LEAs may utilize general funds or Proposition 20 lottery funds to purchase any instructional materials.
Local governing boards are still required to hold an annual public hearing, pursuant to EC Section 60119, and make a determination by resolution as to whether the district has sufficient instructional materials in reading/language arts, mathematics, science, and history-social science that are consistent with the content and cycle of the curriculum frameworks. Local governing boards are also required to make a written determination as to whether students enrolled in foreign language or health courses have sufficient instructional materials and whether there is sufficient science laboratory equipment for grade nine through twelve science laboratory classes.
For more information, contact the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division at 916-319-0881. Additional information is available on the CDE Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Materials Web page.