Volume I, No. 16

March 5, 2009

California school finance is in for a wild ride over the next 18 months; Education’s Bottom Line provides information regarding the State Budget along with other pertinent information on issues affecting school districts.  

Bill Introduced to Prohibit No-Bid Contracts

By Patti Herrera

Senator Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) has introduced Senate Bill 694 that would eliminate the ability to let public works contract without competitively bidding if the contract is worth more than $50,000. more...

Bill Seeks Equity for Special Education New Construction

By Anna Ferrera   

In 2006, when Proposition 1D was passed, it contained a needed increase in the new construction grants that school districts and county offices of education use to build additional K-12 classrooms. 

Because the language did not specify an equal adjustment for new construction grants for special education, those learning disabled, blind, deaf and autistic students, were left out of this adjustment. more ...

Joint-Use Legislation

By Tom Duffy

A new joint-use bill, Assembly Bill 346 has recently been introduced by Assembly Member Tom Torlakson. AB 346 closely resembles SB 35, which was vetoed by Governor Schwarzenegger. The intent of the bill is to expand the breadth of the Joint-Use Program administered by the State Allocation Board (SAB) by increasing the project types allowable within the program. Those projects listed in the bill include career technical or shop, science and technology laboratory, science centers with exhibits or educational programs that meet current state content standards, historical or cultural education centers, performing arts centers, physical education and outdoor recreation site development and parking facilities.more ...

State Mandate Relief

By Dave Walrath

Assembly Bill 844, authored by Assembly Republican Leader Mike Villines, would provide mandated cost relief to school districts and greater flexibility on implementing new mandates.  AB 844 states that school districts will not have to implement new mandates until full funding has been appropriated for the mandates costs.  Unlike current law, where districts have to comply with the mandate, go through a claims process, and then hope for funding, AB 844 is clear that there is no mandate if there is no money.  AB 844 also includes a review process for all school mandates enacted after 1975.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced the following appointments on February 27, 2009:

Sophia Angelis, 17, of Lake Arrowhead, has been appointed to the State Board of Education. She is an honor student in her senior year at Rim of the World High School. Angelis has been an assistant at Wildflowers since 2004 and was formerly a math tutor for bilingual students. She is the president of the National Honors Society and is a member of the Small Change for Good and Rim High Environmental Club. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Angelis is not yet registered.

Raneene Belisle, 53, of Mt. Aukum, has been appointed to the State Board of Education. She has served as the president and chief executive officer for EdVoice since 2008. From 2007 to 2008, Belisle was a special assistant to the Director of Finance and, from 2004 to 2007, she worked as general counsel for the Sacramento County Office of Education. Belisle was the executive director of the California State Board of Education from 2003 to 2004, was the associate general counsel and governmental relations team leader for the Los Angeles Unified School District from 2002 to 2003 and was chief counsel for the California State Board of Education from 1997 to 2002. In 1997, she was a senior consultant for the California State Assembly Committee on Higher Education. This position requires Senate confirmation and the compensation is $100 per diem. Belisle is registered decline to state.

Kathryn Radtkey-Gaither, 53, of Carmichael, has been appointed undersecretary for the Office of Education. She has served as the associate director and chief of staff to California State University Chancellor’s Office of Advocacy and institutional Relations since 2005 and previously served as the chief deputy director for the California Department of Child Support Services from 2004 to 2005. From 1984 to 2004, Radtkey-Gaither worked at the Department of Finance, where she served in a variety of positions including, deputy director and, in 2004, she was a team member for the California Performance Review. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from California State University, Sacramento. This position does not require Senate confirmation and the compensation is $142,032. Radtkey-Gaither is a Democrat.

If you have any questions on the articles in this newsletter, please contact the author of the article in question.

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Murdoch, Walrath & Holmes (MWH) has been instrumental in shaping statewide policy and implementing regulations for K-12 schools for more than two decades.  Strategic relationships have been forged with the State Administration through agencies such as the Department of Education, the State Allocation Board, the Department of Finance and the Office of Public School Construction and, on the federal level, with key Congressional Members and the Executive Branch.  MWH prides itself on having some of the best minds in K-12 education in virtually all aspects of school fiscal needs. 

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