6110 Department of Education
Program Descriptions

10 - INSTRUCTION

This program provides direct educational services to children and adults in the state's public elementary and secondary school system. The following elements are included in this program:

10.10 - School Apportionments:
Supplements local resources to fund general education programs.

10.25 - Class Size Reduction and Language Arts Enrichment:
Provides incentive funding for school districts to implement class size reduction programs in kindergarten and grades 1-3 and 9.

10.30 - Other Compensatory Programs:
Includes Migrant Education, California Indian Education Centers, Education for Homeless Children, Federal Title I, and Economic Impact Aid.

10.40 - Special Programs for English Learners:
Addresses the needs of English learners through direct local assistance to school districts.

10.50 - Adult Education:
Provides citizenship training and education to improve literacy skills, employability, and parenting abilities to adults served by public high school and unified districts. Adult education programs also meet the special needs of the disabled, older persons, and non-limited-English speaking adults.

10.60 - Special Education Programs for Exceptional Children:
Provides special education services. Under state law and the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20 USC 1400 et seq.), individuals with exceptional needs are entitled to a free, appropriate public education. Students requiring special education are served either by local educational agencies using state, federal, and local property tax funds or by the State Special Schools operated by the Department. The Special Schools (three centers for diagnostic services, two residential schools for the deaf and one residential school for the blind) provide highly specialized services including educational assessments and individual educational recommendations and a comprehensive residential and nonresidential educational program composed of academic, nonacademic and extracurricular activities.

10.70 - Vocational Education:
Offers a sequence of courses that provide the academic knowledge and skills needed to prepare for further education and careers in current or emerging employment sectors. Programs include School-to-Career, Partnership Academies, Agricultural Education, and Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education.

10.80 - Special Instructional Programs:
Includes Gifted and Talented Education, and university and college opportunity programs.

20 - INSTRUCTIONAL SUPPORT

Instructional Support provides resources to complement the Instruction Program. The following elements are included in this program:

20.10 - Curriculum Services:
Provides materials and resources for curriculum planning and development in language arts, mathematics, science, history-social science, foreign language, visual and performing arts, health, nutrition, safety, physical education, and environmental/energy education. Provides funding for the use of educational technology in schools, Safe and Drug Free Schools, and Rural and Low Income Schools Grants.

20.20 - Instructional Materials Management and Distribution:
Assists in the development of curriculum frameworks and evaluation and distribution of instructional materials, including electronic resources. This element includes the Clearinghouse for Specialized Media and Technology.

20.30 - Administrative Services to Local Educational Agencies:
Provides leadership, guidance, and technical expertise to schools to manage and improve operations, more efficiently use scarce resources, and publish specified documents.

20.40 - Supplementary Program Services:
Identifies, develops, and disseminates innovative and exemplary programs and practices to schools and aids in the development of alternative educational options. Examples include Independent Study, Library Services, Foster Youth Services, Alternative Educational Programs/Opportunity School Incentives, and Specialized Secondary Programs.

20.60 - Improving School Effectiveness:
Improves educational quality through: School Safety, Community Day Schools, Charter Schools, Administrator Training, Family-School Partnerships, Teacher Credentialing Block Grant, Bilingual Teacher Training, Readers for Blind Teachers, Teaching Improvement, Learn and Serve America Program, Alternative Schools Accountability, Title I Reading First, Title II Math and Science Partnership Grants, and Teacher and Principal Training.

20.70 - Assessments:
Includes the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) Program, which provides funding to districts for assessments in grades 2 through 11, the High School Exit Exam, the English Language Development Test, and Advanced Placement Test Fee Waivers.

30 - SPECIAL PROGRAMS

30.10 - Child Development:
Provides a full range of child care and development services, including part- and full-time child care and development and supportive services to children from low-income families and families with special needs. Several different programs exist to target resources to specific populations or to address specific needs. The State Preschool Program provides a wide range of educational services in part-day settings for pre-kindergarten (three-four year old) children from low-income families and parent education for the parents of eligible children. The After School Education and Safety program provides students in grades K-9 with academic support, homework assistance, and enrichment programs, in a safe after-school environment. Child care services for families participating in the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) program help public assistance recipients achieve and maintain self-sufficiency. The Department administers child care for CalWORKs Stages 2 and 3.

30.20 - Child Nutrition:
Assists participating public and private schools, county offices of education, public and private residential child care institutions, camps, family day care homes, and non-residential adult day care centers in serving nutritious meals by providing educational and technical assistance, and federal and state subsidies. Subsidies are received from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fund the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program, Special Milk Program, Child Care Food Program, Adult Day Care Food Program, Summer Food Service Program, After School Meals Program, and the Nutrition Education and Training Program. Subsidies also are provided by the state through the state-mandated Child Nutrition Programs, the School Breakfast Start-Up Grants Program, and the Meal Supplement for Pregnant and Lactating Students Program.

30.50 - Food Distribution:
Makes surplus USDA donated food available to certain California public, private, and nonprofit agencies. The Department is designated as the California state agency for USDA surplus food distribution.

40 - EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT AND SPECIAL SERVICES

Executive Management and Special Services consists of the offices of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Deputy Superintendents, Communications, and Government Affairs.

42 - DEPARTMENT MANAGEMENT AND ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

Department Management and Administrative Services consists of Accounting, Budgeting, Contracting, Personnel, and Technology Services. The effective provision of these services ensures the delivery of timely, reliable, and accountable educational services to students in California.

50 - STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION

The State Board of Education sets K-12 education policy in the areas of standards, instructional materials, assessment, and accountability.

98 - STATE-MANDATED LOCAL PROGRAMS

This program provides funding, pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIIIB of the California Constitution, to reimburse local entities for costs they incur in complying with certain state-mandated education programs.