School finance: administrative employee-to-teacher ratio: Paradise Unified School District.

Assembly Member Gallagher's legislation extends Paradise Unified School District's exemption from state funding reductions related to administrative staffing ratios through the 2026-27 fiscal year, addressing ongoing recovery needs following the Camp Fire disaster. The measure builds upon current provisions that exempt the district from penalties through 2023-24 when administrative employee-to-teacher ratios exceed state maximums.

Under the bill's requirements, Paradise Unified must submit a comprehensive report by September 2026 detailing its administrative staffing ratios from 2024-25 through 2026-27. The report must explain any instances where required ratios were not met, assess impacts on students, and outline plans to achieve compliance by 2026-27. This documentation will be provided to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, Department of Finance, and relevant legislative committees.

The legislation includes an urgency clause for immediate implementation upon passage, with authors citing the district's unique circumstances recovering from the Camp Fire's devastating effects. If the Commission on State Mandates determines the new reporting requirements constitute state-mandated costs, the bill provides for district reimbursement through established statutory procedures.