News Update

Proposed bill would establish baseline funding for schools inside juvenile detention facilities

A proposed bill seeks to establish baseline funding for juvenile hall schools and county community schools plus additional funding between $150,000 and $300,000, depending on the type of school. Currently, such schools receive funding based on average daily attendance. Supporters of the bill say this is too unstable given the declining numbers of youth in detention across the state plus the transitory nature of the juvenile court system.

AB 906, introduced by Mike Gipson, D-Carson, would revise the way average daily attendance is calculated. While daily average numbers of youth in juvenile facilities differs across counties, it is not uncommon for a student to be detained for a few days or weeks, leading to constant changes in the school attendance numbers for those facilities.

The additional funding proposed in the bill would be allocated for high-specialized teachers, para-educators, counselors, and other specialized school staff, according to reporting by the Sacramento Bee. If passed, the changes would be applicable beginning in the 2023-24 fiscal year.