Ethnic Studies Local Support FAQ
Frequently asked questions and answers about the one-time state funding provided under Assembly Bill 130.Q. What is this one-time funding?
A. Section 132(e) of the Education Omnibus Trailer Bill (Assembly Bill 130) for the 2021–22 California State Budget
appropriated $50 million from the General Fund for allocation, on a per-pupil basis, to school districts, county offices of education, charter schools, and state special schools serving pupils in grades nine to twelve. The California Department of Education (CDE) has allocated these funds to qualifying local educational agencies. A schedule of the allocations and CDE’s June 18, 2022, apportionment letter with further details regarding the apportionment (including Resource and Revenue Object Codes for standardized account code structure coding) can be found here: Funding Results: Ethnic Studies.
Q. What may this funding be used for?
A. These funds must be used to support the creation or expansion of ethnic studies course offerings. Section 132(e) of the legislation further clarifies that funds “may be used to support curriculum and instructional resources, professional development, or other activities that support the creation or expansion of ethnic studies course offerings, including, but not limited to, courses that use” the state-adopted ethnic studies model curriculum as a guide. Among other things, the referenced ethnic studies model curriculum provides guidance to local educational agencies (LEAs) about developing and implementing ethnic studies curriculum and may be a helpful resource to recipients of this funding.
Q. Is there a special reporting requirement associated with this funding?
A. No, there is no special reporting requirement. However, recipient LEAs must account for these funds in accordance with the California School Accounting Manual and other generally applicable requirements as with other apportionments.
Q. Is there a special deadline for expending the funds?
A. No, there is no special deadline for expending the funds. Unused funds will carry over to the next fiscal year. It should be noted that Assembly Bill 101 (2021–22) recently amended Education Code Section 51225.3 to require LEAs with pupils in grades nine to twelve, inclusive, to offer at least a one-semester course in ethnic studies commencing with the 2025–26 school year. That legislation also amended Section 51225.3 to impose a one-semester ethnic studies course graduation requirement commencing with pupils graduating in the 2029–30 school year.