Sacramento County Grand Jury
• 2024-2025
ARE Sacramento County Schools Leaving Millions of Dollars for Arts Education on the Table?
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 7 findings
F1
The lack of transparency and independent validation of a school’s calculation of the amount of existing funds it spends on arts education creates an opportunity for schools to underestimate that amount, thereby reducing arts education spending from the level required by Proposition 28. (R1)
Related Recommendations (1)
R1
The Grand Jury recommends that governing boards direct appropriate budget staff to disclose the calculation of prior year spending on arts education at the same annual public hearing at which Proposition 28 spending reports are adopted, beginning no later than December 15, 2025. (F1)
F2
Failure to supplement spending from one-time funds with Proposition 28 funds subjects schools to potential litigation, which could result in the loss of funds. (R2)
Related Recommendations (1)
R2
The Grand Jury recommends that governing boards either (1) direct appropriate budget staff to include spending from one-time revenues in the calculation of prior year arts education spending or (2) seek independent legal advice on how to account for such funds, by December 15, 2025. (F2)
F3
Failure to post Proposition 28 annual reports on their websites puts schools at risk of losing this funding. (R3)
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Grand Jury recommends that governing boards direct appropriate staff to post Proposition 28 annual spending reports on an easy-to-find page on the school or district website by December 15, 2025. (F3, F4)
F4
By placing the spending reports in hard-to-find places on their websites, schools make it difficult for parents and the public to get information about how Proposition 28 funds are being spent, thereby falling short of the level of transparency required by the measure. (R3)
Related Recommendations (1)
R3
The Grand Jury recommends that governing boards direct appropriate staff to post Proposition 28 annual spending reports on an easy-to-find page on the school or district website by December 15, 2025. (F3, F4)
F5
By not taking full advantage of multiple opportunities to recruit and hire more arts teachers, schools fall short of meeting the goal of increasing arts education. (R4)
Related Recommendations (1)
R4
The Grand Jury recommends that governing boards direct appropriate staff to explore all available programs to hire arts teachers and classified employees with Proposition 28 funds by December 15, 2025. (F5)
F6
By not engaging in district-wide, multi-year planning, districts risk losing funds by being out of compliance with the 80/20 spending requirement and lose the opportunity to integrate expanded arts education into the regular curriculum. (R5)
Related Recommendations (1)
R5
The Grand Jury recommends that governing boards adopt multi-year arts education plans to help ensure compliance with the law and to integrate new and expanded arts education programs into the overall curriculum by December 15, 2025. (F6)
F7
By not involving parents in the development of Proposition 28 spending plans, districts violate state law and deny parents the opportunity to contribute. (R6)
Related Recommendations (1)
R6
The Grand Jury recommends that governing boards direct school site administrators to include parents in developing school site Proposition 28 spending plans by December 15, 2025. (F7)