January 8, 2008
Dear County Superintendents of Schools, Auditors, and Treasurers:
NOTICE OF THE FIRST APPORTIONMENT FOR
THE ARTS AND MUSIC BLOCK GRANT
FISCAL YEAR 2007-08
This apportionment, in the amount of $54,880,381, is made from funds provided in Item 6110-265-0001 of the Budget Act of 2007 (Chapter 171, Statutes of 2007) in support of the Arts and Music Block Grant.
Estimated entitlements for each local educational agency (LEA) are based on a rate of $16.81 per pupil enrolled in kindergarten and grades one through twelve as reported in the October 2006 enrollment collection, with minimum funding of $2,500 for school sites with 20 or fewer students and $4,000 for school sites with more than 20 students.
The amount paid in this apportionment reflects 50 percent of each LEA’s estimated entitlement. Final entitlements will be calculated after October 2007 enrollment data are certified in spring 2008, and the remaining funding is scheduled to be released in a second apportionment in July 2008. To view the schedule of apportionment showing, by county, the payment to each county office, school district, and direct-funded charter school, as well as other data used in the apportionment calculations, please visit the California Department of Education’s (CDE) Categorical Programs Web site at http://www.cde.ca.gov/fg/aa/ca.
Funds are allocated to LEAs to be used as provided in budget act language to support standards aligned instruction in arts and music (i.e. visual and performing arts); and specifically for: (1) hiring additional staff; (2) purchasing new materials, books, supplies, and equipment; and (3) implementing or increasing staff development opportunities. These funds are ongoing and are to supplement, not supplant, existing resources for visual and performing arts. There is not a deadline for the expenditure of these funds and therefore funds may be carried over to a future fiscal year.
For the 2007-08 fiscal year funding, there are new requirements related to the disbursement of funds at the local level as well as a new reporting requirement. LEAs are required to distribute to all school sites the greater of the minimum funding levels or per-pupil funding amount. A detailed list providing your LEA’s school level estimated entitlement calculation has been posted on CDE’s Categorical Program Web site in addition to the apportionment schedule. It is important to keep in mind that these entitlements are an estimate based on October 2006 school sites and enrollment information and will be adjusted to reflect October 2007 school site and enrollment information.
If, however, the governing board of the LEA elects to distribute the final school site entitlements in another manner than distributing directly to school sites, both of the following are necessary:
- Adopt a resolution at a public meeting specifying how the funds are to be allocated among school sites and throughout the district including the reasons for the allocations.
- Prior to the public meeting inform schoolsite councils, schoolwide advisory groups, or school support groups of the contents of the proposed resolution and the time and location where the resolution is proposed to be adopted.
By February 2, 2008, LEAs receiving these funds are to submit a report to CDE with information on how these funds were expended or proposed to be expended and the number of pupils and grade levels served. Frequently asked questions and a suggested summary report template is available on the CDE’s Visual and Performing Arts Web site at www.cde.ca.gov/pd/ca/vp.
Charter schools are eligible for these funds. The schedule of apportionment identifies the amount for direct-funded charter schools separate from the district or county amount. Funding associated with all other charter schools is included in the district or county amount. Charter schools that are new in the 2007-08 fiscal year will receive 100 percent of their entitlement in the second apportionment.
Warrants will be mailed to county treasurers approximately four weeks from the date of this Notice. For standardized account code structure coding, use Resource Code 6760, Arts and Music Block Grant, and Revenue Object Code 8590, All Other State Revenue. County superintendents of schools are requested to inform LEAs immediately of this apportionment.
If you have any questions concerning the program, expenditure of funds, or the reporting requirement, please contact Nancy Carr, Visual and Performing Arts Consultant, Curriculum Leadership Unit, at 916-445-5669 or by e-mail at ncarr@cde.ca.gov. If you have any questions regarding the calculation of this apportionment, please contact Elizabeth Dearstyne, Fiscal Consultant, Categorical Programs Unit, at 916-322-0494 or by e-mail at edearstyne@cde.ca.gov.
Sincerely,
Susan Lange, Deputy Superintendent
Finance, Technology, and Administration Branch
1430 N Street
Sacramento, CA 95814