California 2021-2022 Regular Session Status: Passed Senate

SB 593 — School accountability: independent study, educational enrichment activities, oversight, and audit requirements.

Last action — Referred to Com. on ED.

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. ✓
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed Assembly
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2021-2022 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

(1) Existing law requires the Controller, in consultation with the Department of Finance and the State Department of Education, to develop a plan to review and report on financial and compliance audits, and, with representatives of other entities, to recommend the statements and other information to be included in the audit reports filed with the state by local educational agencies, and to propose the content of an audit guide. This bill would require the Controller to also consult with the California Charter Schools Association and the Charter Schools Development Center to recommend the statements and other information to be included in the audit reports filed with the state by local educational agencies, and to propose the content of an audit guide. (2) Existing law establishes a system of financing public elementary and secondary schools in this state. This system includes the apportionment of state funds to local educational agencies based, to a significant degree, on the average daily attendance of pupils as reported to the State Department of Education by those local educational agencies. Commencing July 1, 2022, this bill would require the department to provide a report, including specified data, to the Legislature relating to (A) the extent to which vulnerable pupil groups enroll in nonclassroom-based charter schools and the benefits of multitrack school calendars for those groups, and (B) the possible integration of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System and the average daily attendance apportionment data system. (3) The Charter Schools Act of 1992 specifies the procedures for the submission, review, and approval or denial of a petition to establish a charter school. The act requires a petition for the establishment of a charter school to contain specified information, including a reasonably comprehensive description of the manner in which annual, independent financial audits will be conducted. Existing law, by not later than May 1 of each fiscal year, requires the governing board of each local educational agency to provide for an audit of the books and accounts of the local educational agency, as specified, or make arrangements with the county superintendent of schools to provide for that auditing. Existing law establishes a governing board to establish and administer a unit known as the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Team. Among other duties, this unit provides fiscal management assistance, at the request of any school district, charter school, county office of education, or community college district. By January 31, 2023, and by January 31 of each year thereafter, this bill would require the governing body of a charter school to review, at a public meeting as an item on the agenda, the annual audit of the charter school for the prior fiscal year, any audit exceptions identified in that audit, the recommendations or findings of any management letter issued by the auditor, and any description of correction or plans to correct any exceptions or management letter issue. By imposing additional requirements on charter schools, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) , on or before July 1, 2022, to offer, or select qualified trainers to offer, training, updated each fiscal year, for auditors of nonclassroom-based charter schools, as defined. The bill would require this training to relate to the review of charter school financial documents for a better understanding of the process of conducting an annual, independent financial audit and how to identify irregular practices and documents. The bill would authorize FCMAT or other approved trainers to charge training participants fees sufficient to cover the costs to FCMAT of developing and providing this training. The bill would prohibit an auditor of nonclassroom-based charter schools from performing any aspect of a nonclassroom-based charter school audit for the 2022–23 school year or thereafter before receiving the training. The bill would require an auditor of a nonclassroom-based charter school, when performing certain audits, to take certain actions, including the sampling of certain financial documents, the identification of transfers of funds or assets exceeding prescribed amounts, the identification of transactions that do not meet certain standards in accordance with the training provided pursuant to the bill, and the preparation of a letter to be included with the audit report, as specified. (4) Existing law prohibits a school district or county office of education from being eligible to receive apportionments for independent study by pupils unless the school district or county office has adopted written policies and implemented those policies in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, as specified, including a requirement that a current written agreement with specified content for each independent study pupil is maintained on file. Commencing July 1, 2022, this bill would require that an independent study written agreement to be signed under penalty of perjury. This provision would impose a state-mandated local program by imposing new duties on local educational agencies and by creating a new crime. (5) Existing law requires the independent study by each pupil to be coordinated, evaluated, and under the general supervision of an employee of the school district, charter school, or county office of education who possesses certain valid certification documents. Commencing July 1, 2022, this bill would define "general supervision" for those purposes. (6) Commencing July 1, 2022, this bill would require a school district, county office of education, or charter school to only enter into an agreement for the provision or arrangement of educational enrichment activities with a vendor that is vetted and approved pursuant to this bill. The bill would authorize a local educational agency to expend public funds for the provision or arrangement of educational enrichment activities, provided that all educational enrichment activities, materials, and programs are nonsectarian. The bill would require the governing board or body of a local educational agency, in approving any contract for vendor services for educational enrichment activities, to establish specified policies and procedures to ensure educational value, pupil safety, and fiscal reasonableness, and would further require the local educational agency to certify that vendor services for educational enrichment activities meet designated criteria. The bill would require approval of the policies and procedures established under the bill to be included in designated annual audit reports. The bill would require a vendor contract that will exceed $100,000 in a fiscal year to be approved by the governing board or body of the local educational agency in an open public meeting. The bill would also require any educational enrichment activity provided by a school to be approved and verified by the pupil's assigned teacher as relevant to specific educational assignments and educationally appropriate for that pupil. (7) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.

Bill Text

Action History

  1. Referred to Com. on ED.

  2. In Assembly. Read first time. Held at Desk.

  3. Read third time. Passed. (Ayes 35. Noes 0. Page 1376.) Ordered to the Assembly.

  4. Read second time. Ordered to third reading.

  5. Read second time and amended. Ordered to second reading.

  6. From committee: Do pass as amended. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 1197.) (May 20).

  7. Set for hearing May 20.

  8. May 3 hearing: Placed on APPR suspense file.

  9. Set for hearing May 3.

  10. From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. (Ayes 7. Noes 0. Page 794.) (April 14). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

  11. Set for hearing April 14.

  12. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on ED.

  13. April 7 set for first hearing canceled at the request of author.

  14. Set for hearing April 7.

  15. Re-referred to Com. on ED.

  16. From committee with author's amendments. Read second time and amended. Re-referred to Com. on RLS.

  17. Referred to Com. on RLS.

  18. Joint Rule 55 suspended. (Ayes 32. Noes 4. Page 272.)

  19. (Ayes 32. Noes 4.)

  20. Art. IV. Sec. 8(a) of the Constitution dispensed with.

  21. From printer. May be acted upon on or after March 21.

  22. Introduced. Read first time. To Com. on RLS. for assignment. To print.

Sponsors

  • Glazer · Primary

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 0 co-sponsors · 121 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

  • Glazer

Co-sponsors (0)

None.

Not signed on (121)

121 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 121 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

3rd Reading

Passed 35 Yea · 0 Nay · 5 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 19004
Republican 4000
Democratic 12001
Total 35005
% of votes cast 88%0%0%13%
How each member voted (40)
Member Party Vote
Dodd — Yea
Borgeas — Yea
Roth — Yea
Kamlager — Yea
Atkins — Yea
Rubio — Yea
Bates — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Wilk — Yea
Glazer — Yea
Gonzalez — Yea
Skinner — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Hueso — Yea
Eggman — Yea
Hertzberg — Yea
Min — Yea
Leyva — Yea
Pan — Yea
Newman — Not Voting
Nielsen — Not Voting
Wieckowski — Not Voting
Melendez — Not Voting
Allen, Benjamin Democratic Yea
Archuleta, Bob Democratic Yea
Becker, Josh Democratic Yea
Caballero, Anna M. Democratic Yea
Cortese, Dave Democratic Yea
Durazo, Maria Elena Democratic Not Voting
Hurtado, Melissa Democratic Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Limón, Monique Democratic Yea
McGuire, Mike Democratic Yea
Stern, Henry I. Democratic Yea
Umberg, Thomas J. Democratic Yea
Wiener, Scott D. Democratic Yea
Dahle, Megan Republican Yea
Grove, Shannon Republican Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea
Ochoa Bogh, Rosilicie Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Do pass as amended

Passed 7 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 5000
Republican 1000
Democratic 1000
Total 7000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Wieckowski — Yea
Kamlager — Yea
Portantino — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Bates — Yea
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Placed on suspense file

Passed 6 Yea · 0 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 4001
Republican 1000
Democratic 1000
Total 6001
% of votes cast 86%0%0%14%
How each member voted (7)
Member Party Vote
Portantino — Yea
Bradford — Yea
Wieckowski — Yea
Kamlager — Yea
Bates — Not Voting
Laird, John Democratic Yea
Jones, Brian W. Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Subjects

education
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Frequently asked questions

What does SB 593 do?
(1) Existing law requires the Controller, in consultation with the Department of Finance and the State Department of Education, to develop a plan to review and report on financial and compliance audits, and, with representatives of other entities, to recommend the statements and other information to be included in the audit reports filed with the state by local educational agencies, and to propose the content of an audit guide. This bill would require the Controller to also consult with the California Charter Schools Association and the Charter Schools Development Center to recommend the statements and other information to be included in the audit reports filed with the state by local educational agencies, and to propose the content of an audit guide. (2) Existing law establishes a system of financing public elementary and secondary schools in this state. This system includes the apportionment of state funds to local educational agencies based, to a significant degree, on the average daily attendance of pupils as reported to the State Department of Education by those local educational agencies. Commencing July 1, 2022, this bill would require the department to provide a report, including specified data, to the Legislature relating to (A) the extent to which vulnerable pupil groups enroll in nonclassroom-based charter schools and the benefits of multitrack school calendars for those groups, and (B) the possible integration of the California Longitudinal Pupil Achievement Data System and the average daily attendance apportionment data system. (3) The Charter Schools Act of 1992 specifies the procedures for the submission, review, and approval or denial of a petition to establish a charter school. The act requires a petition for the establishment of a charter school to contain specified information, including a reasonably comprehensive description of the manner in which annual, independent financial audits will be conducted. Existing law, by not later than May 1 of each fiscal year, requires the governing board of each local educational agency to provide for an audit of the books and accounts of the local educational agency, as specified, or make arrangements with the county superintendent of schools to provide for that auditing. Existing law establishes a governing board to establish and administer a unit known as the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Team. Among other duties, this unit provides fiscal management assistance, at the request of any school district, charter school, county office of education, or community college district. By January 31, 2023, and by January 31 of each year thereafter, this bill would require the governing body of a charter school to review, at a public meeting as an item on the agenda, the annual audit of the charter school for the prior fiscal year, any audit exceptions identified in that audit, the recommendations or findings of any management letter issued by the auditor, and any description of correction or plans to correct any exceptions or management letter issue. By imposing additional requirements on charter schools, the bill would impose a state-mandated local program. The bill would require the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team (FCMAT) , on or before July 1, 2022, to offer, or select qualified trainers to offer, training, updated each fiscal year, for auditors of nonclassroom-based charter schools, as defined. The bill would require this training to relate to the review of charter school financial documents for a better understanding of the process of conducting an annual, independent financial audit and how to identify irregular practices and documents. The bill would authorize FCMAT or other approved trainers to charge training participants fees sufficient to cover the costs to FCMAT of developing and providing this training. The bill would prohibit an auditor of nonclassroom-based charter schools from performing any aspect of a nonclassroom-based charter school audit for the 2022–23 school year or thereafter before receiving the training. The bill would require an auditor of a nonclassroom-based charter school, when performing certain audits, to take certain actions, including the sampling of certain financial documents, the identification of transfers of funds or assets exceeding prescribed amounts, the identification of transactions that do not meet certain standards in accordance with the training provided pursuant to the bill, and the preparation of a letter to be included with the audit report, as specified. (4) Existing law prohibits a school district or county office of education from being eligible to receive apportionments for independent study by pupils unless the school district or county office has adopted written policies and implemented those policies in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, as specified, including a requirement that a current written agreement with specified content for each independent study pupil is maintained on file. Commencing July 1, 2022, this bill would require that an independent study written agreement to be signed under penalty of perjury. This provision would impose a state-mandated local program by imposing new duties on local educational agencies and by creating a new crime. (5) Existing law requires the independent study by each pupil to be coordinated, evaluated, and under the general supervision of an employee of the school district, charter school, or county office of education who possesses certain valid certification documents. Commencing July 1, 2022, this bill would define "general supervision" for those purposes. (6) Commencing July 1, 2022, this bill would require a school district, county office of education, or charter school to only enter into an agreement for the provision or arrangement of educational enrichment activities with a vendor that is vetted and approved pursuant to this bill. The bill would authorize a local educational agency to expend public funds for the provision or arrangement of educational enrichment activities, provided that all educational enrichment activities, materials, and programs are nonsectarian. The bill would require the governing board or body of a local educational agency, in approving any contract for vendor services for educational enrichment activities, to establish specified policies and procedures to ensure educational value, pupil safety, and fiscal reasonableness, and would further require the local educational agency to certify that vendor services for educational enrichment activities meet designated criteria. The bill would require approval of the policies and procedures established under the bill to be included in designated annual audit reports. The bill would require a vendor contract that will exceed $100,000 in a fiscal year to be approved by the governing board or body of the local educational agency in an open public meeting. The bill would also require any educational enrichment activity provided by a school to be approved and verified by the pupil's assigned teacher as relevant to specific educational assignments and educationally appropriate for that pupil. (7) The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement. This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason. With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.
Who sponsors SB 593?
SB 593 is sponsored by Glazer.
What is the current status of SB 593?
This bill died with 2021-2022 Regular Session. It reached “Passed Senate” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track SB 593?
Track SB 593 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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