School districts: reorganization: State Department of Education approval process.

Assembly Member Hoover's proposal creates a new pathway for cities to consolidate their territories within a single school district, establishing specific conditions under which the State Department of Education may approve territory transfers between districts. The measure introduces this process separately from existing school district reorganization procedures.

Under the proposed framework, territory transfers would be permitted when at least 95% of a city already lies within one school district's boundaries, no school facilities exist in the territory to be transferred, and the city council has approved the consolidation by majority vote. The Department of Education would oversee these transfers, with authority to approve agreements between affected school districts and cities while establishing temporary financial arrangements. These arrangements may include transferring average daily attendance funding from the acquiring district to the district relinquishing territory.

The bill requires the Department of Education to develop implementing regulations while maintaining consistency with existing reorganization laws where applicable. It also provides for state reimbursement of any mandated costs imposed on local agencies and school districts, as determined by the Commission on State Mandates.