Local educational agencies: governance training.

Muratsuchi and Wicks advance a measure that would require every local educational agency official to complete training on K–12 public education school finance laws, anchored by a centralized curriculum developed by the County Office Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team in collaboration with the Department of Education. The training applies to regular members of governing boards of school districts and county boards of education, as well as the governing bodies of charter schools and any entity managing a charter school, with the topics focusing on the fiscal rules governing local educational agencies.

The bill establishes a multi-faceted framework for the training program. A formal curriculum would be created and periodically updated by the COF with public input, and the curriculum would be used to satisfy the training requirement. Training may be delivered through in-house LEA staff or contracted counsel, external entities whose primary function is to support LEAs with technical assistance, COF, a nonprofit statewide education association led by district and county officials, or through self-study materials with tests. Training projects are capped at four hours, may be taken in person, online, or at home, and participants must receive proof of participation. Exemptions exist for LEA officials who have completed a governance master’s program, and LEAs must provide annual information about available training. Records of training—dates and training providers—must be kept for at least five years and be public records, with broader transparency obligations.

Timelines and cost considerations frame the rollout. The curriculum must be developed and posted by an October 1, 2026 deadline, and LEA officials in service as of April 1, 2027 must complete the training by April 1, 2028; officials commencing service after April 1, 2027 must complete the training within one year of starting. The bill contemplates costs associated with curriculum development, training delivery, and recordkeeping, and it characterizes the measure as a state-mandated local program that could warrant reimbursement if the state mandates the costs; the COF may also charge fees for training. The legislation does not specify penalties or enforcement mechanisms within the text.

Together, these provisions create a centralized, structured approach to governance training for LEAs that intersects with charter-school governance and public transparency. By prescribing curriculum development, defined delivery pathways, and formal recordkeeping, the measure seeks to standardize knowledge of local school finance laws across districts, county offices, and charter schools, while linking implementation to existing state-mandated local program oversight and potential reimbursement processes. The policy context emphasizes governance accountability and consistency in fiscal oversight, with attention to implementation logistics, provider qualifications, and annual communications to officials.