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Arts, Music, & Instructional Materials Block Grant

Guidance to assist local educational agencies (LEAs) regarding Section 56 of Assembly Bill 185 (AB 185): The Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant.

On June 30, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom approved AB 181. Among other things, the bill established the Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials (AMIM) Discretionary Block Grant. On September 27, 2022, Governor Newsom approved AB 185, which revised the Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant. The grant allocates $3,560,885,000 to LEAs for five purposes enumerated in Section 134(a) of Chapter 52 of the Statutes of 2022), which may be briefly summarized as: (1) obtaining standards-aligned professional development and instructional materials for specified subject areas; (2) obtaining professional development and instructional materials for improving school climate; (3) developing diverse, culturally relevant and multilingual school library book collections; (4) operational costs, including retirement and health care cost increases; and (5) COVID-19-related costs necessary to keep pupils and staff safe and schools open for in-person instruction. These funds are available for encumbrance through the 2025–26 fiscal year. Section 134(c) provides that LEAs “are encouraged, but not required” to “proportionally use” their allocation for the five purposes enumerated in Section 134(a)(1)–(5). Additional guidance related to these purposes follows. The full text of the bill is available here: AB 185 External link opens in new window or tab..

In January 2023, Governor Newsom shared proposals for the 2023–24 fiscal year External link opens in new window or tab., which included a proposed reduction to the AMIM Grant. In July 2023, as amended by Section 56 of Chapter 571 of the Statutes of 2022, Senate Bill (SB) 114 External link opens in new window or tab. reduced the AMIM Grant appropriation by $200,000,000 to instead be $3,360,885,000. The reallocation does not change the intent of the AMIM Grant, and all expenditures should be consistent with statute.

Note: In June 2024, Section 100 of SB 153 (Chapter 38, Statutes of 2024) amended statute and specifies that LEAs who received grant funds must report final expenditures to the California Department of Education (CDE) by September 30, 2026, or in the case of a charter school that ceases to operate before June 30, 2026, within 60 days of the effective date of closure. After the final expenditure reports are due, CDE will initiate collection of any unexpended funds. LEAs that do not submit a final expenditure report, forfeit all funds allocated. See Bill Text––SB 153 Education finance: education omnibus budget trailer bill (section 100) External link opens in new window or tab. for full statute language. LEAs will digitally submit the final expenditure report.

Block Grant Webinars

Block Grant Funding Options for Professional Development and Instructional Materials, October 19, 2022 External link opens in new window or tab. (Video; 48:48)
The CDE hosted a webinar to discuss professional development and instructional materials opportunities presented by the state’s new Art, Music, & Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant. This $3.6 billion grant provides local educational agencies a unique chance to boost investment in these priority areas. CDE staff from the Educator Excellence and Equity Division and the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division offer guidance on current training and instructional materials available across multiple content areas.

Navigating the Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant, October 14, 2022 External link opens in new window or tab. (Video; 38:22)
The California Department of Education (CDE) hosted an informational webinar to update local educational agencies on this $3.6 billion block grant opportunity, available for encumbrance through the 2025–26 fiscal year. CDE staff discuss opportunities for local educational agencies to significantly invest in priority projects to enhance teaching, learning, and school culture. Information is included regarding allocation and apportionment of the grants. Note: At the time the video was recorded, 50 percent of the AMIM Grant funds were scheduled to be allocated in December 2022 and the remainder in May 2023. Since the proposed California budget included a potential reduction for this program, the May 2023 allocation was paused until the California Budget Act was passed. In July 2023, as amended by Section 56 of Chapter 571 of the Statutes of 2022, SB 114 reduced the AMIM Grant appropriation by $200,000,000 to instead be $3,360,885,00. The reallocation does not change the intent of the AMIM Grant, and all expenditures should be consistent with statute.


Guidance on Block Grant Allocations & Appropriations


Guidance on Block Grant Expenditures in the Subject Areas

Visual and Performing Arts
World Languages
Mathematics
Science/Environmental Literacy
English Language Arts/Early Literacy
Ethnic Studies
Financial Literacy
Media Literacy & Computer Science
History-Social Science


Guidance on Block Grant Expenditures in Other Specified Categories

Diverse Book Collections & Multilingual Texts
School Climate Mini Webinar
Operations & Personal Protective Equipment


Standards-Aligned Instructional Materials and Professional Development in Nine Subject Areas

Section 134(a)(1) allows for the acquisition of standards-aligned instructional materials and professional development in ten specified subject areas:

The links above direct to the California Department of Education (CDE) web pages containing standards and various other resources.

For six of the subject areas, the State Board of Education (SBE) adopts standards-aligned basic instructional materials for kindergarten through grade eight (not for grades 9–12). The links below direct the user to the instructional materials web pages dedicated to these content areas, which identify the adopted programs and provide contact information for the publishers.

Pursuant to Education Code Section 60210, an LEA may choose to use instructional materials that have not been adopted by the SBE if they are aligned to state standards. In such a case, the LEA must ensure that a majority of the participants of any review process conducted by the LEA are classroom teachers who are assigned to the subject area or grade level of the materials being reviewed.

For additional information, access the Guidelines for Piloting Textbooks and Instructional Materials(DOCX) and Implementation of Instructional Materials Not Adopted by California available on the Instructional Materials Adoptions web page.

Improving School Climate

Section 134(a)(2) allows for obtaining instructional materials and professional development aligned to best practices for improving school climate, including training on de-escalation and restorative justice strategies, asset-based pedagogies, antibias, transformative social-emotional learning, media literacy, digital literacy, physical education, and learning through play.

Diverse, Culturally Relevant, and Multilingual Libraries

Section 134(a)(3) allows for developing diverse book collections and obtaining culturally relevant texts, in both English and pupils’ home languages, to support pupils’ independent reading. That section also notes that it is the Legislature’s intent “that these book collections and culturally relevant texts be used to provide support for pupils through the establishment of site-based school and classroom libraries that are culturally relevant to pupils’ home and community experiences and be available in English, pupils’ home language, or a combination of more than one language.”

California teachers and educators are encouraged to seek recommendations from their district or County Office of Education as they may have criteria for selecting reading materials.

The California Department of Education maintains a list of recommended books in a range of languages. Access the Recommended Literature List web page, and search for books using the Recommended Literature List Search tool.

Operational Costs

Section 134(a)(4) of AB 181 authorizes spending of these grant funds for “operational costs, including but not limited, to retirement and health care cost increases.”

Costs Related to COVID-19

Section 134(a)(5) authorizes these grant funds to: “As related to the COVID-19 pandemic, acquire personal protective equipment, masks, cleaning supplies, COVID-19 tests, ventilation upgrades, and other similar expenditures, if they are necessary to keep pupils and staff safe from COVID-19 and schools open for in-person instruction.”

Resources Regarding Funding

Please visit the School Fiscal Services Division (SFSD) funding page for more information. Funding for each LEA (school district, county office of education, or charter school) will be determined by Average Daily Attendance as reported at the second principal apportionment (revised from original in AB 185). The funding web page will include the amount each LEA will receive based on the statutory funding formula. Note: The AMIM Grant funds were originally scheduled to be apportioned to LEAs in two payments – 50 percent in December 2022 and the remainder in May 2023. Since the proposed California budget included a potential reduction for this program, the May 2023 allocation was paused until the California Budget Act was passed. In July 2023, as amended by Section 56 of Chapter 571 of the Statutes of 2022, SB 114 reduced the AMIM Grant appropriation by $200,000,000 to instead be $3,360,885,00. The reallocation does not change the intent of the AMIM Grant, and all expenditures should be consistent with statute. Categorical Allocations and Audit Resolution Office (CAAR@cde.ca.gov) continues to be the contact responsible for the second apportionment.

Funding-specific questions may be directed to School Fiscal Services Division at fmp@cde.ca.gov.

Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Discretionary Block Grant FAQs

Access the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) web page for additional information regarding the AMIM Grant.

Arts, Music, and Instructional Materials Digital Final Expenditure Report
Questions:   Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division | CFIRD@cde.ca.gov | 916-319-0881
Last Reviewed: Thursday, September 12, 2024
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