6110 Department of Education
Major Program Changes
  • Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) Increases-The workload Budget includes a $2.4 billion increase to fund a 4.94-percent statutory COLA: $1.8 billion for revenue limits, $168.7 million for special education, $82.8 million for child care programs, $62.3 million for class size reduction, $52.9 million for the Targeted Instructional Improvement Grant, $49.1 million for Economic Impact Aid and $247.4 million for various categorical programs.

  • Adjustments for Average Daily Attendance (ADA)-The workload Budget includes a $96.4 million net reduction in 2008-09 to reflect the decline in ADA. The majority of this amount consists of a $142.4 million decrease in school district and county office of education revenue limit apportionments (general purpose funding for schools). Due in part to the decline in attendance, there also is a $6.2 million decrease in revenue limit apportionments for 2007-08.

  • Local Property Tax Adjustments-The workload Budget reflects a General Fund increase of $640 million in school district and county office of education revenue limit apportionments in 2007-08 and a decrease of $249.3 million in 2008-09 related to school district and county office of education property tax revenues. In general, increases in local property tax revenues reduce the amount of state General Fund costs for revenue limit apportionments.

  • Funding for Ongoing Programs-The 2007 Budget Act appropriated $555.6 million in one-time funding to support the ongoing costs of several programs. As a result, the workload Budget backfills the one-time funding with ongoing General Fund by providing increases of $349.1 million for the Home-to-School Transportation, $115.5 million for the Deferred Maintenance, $73 million for the High Priority Schools Grant program, and $18 million for the Charter School Facilities Block Grant to fully fund these programs in 2008-09.

  • Special Session Reduction-Due primarily to a significant reduction in General Fund revenues anticipated for 2007-08, the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee is $1.4 billion lower than the level of Proposition 98 appropriations included in the 2007 Budget Act. However, recognizing a reduction of that magnitude would be very difficult for schools to absorb mid-year, 2007-08 school revenue limit apportionments will be reduced by $360 million.