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

Gallagher frames Paradise Unified School District’s recovery from the Camp Fire as the basis for targeted fiscal relief, authoring a measure that extends the district’s exemption from reductions in state support tied to the administrator-to-teacher ratio from 2024–25 through 2026–27 and requires a one‑time, comprehensive reporting effort by September 1, 2026. The report must present the administrator-to-teacher ratio data for 2024–25 through 2026–27, describe reasons for any shortfall, outline goals for meeting the ratio by 2026–27, and document progress, with copies to the Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Department of Finance, and the Legislature’s budget committees, in accordance with Government Code Section 9795. The measure also designates the reporting requirement as a state-mandated local program.

The bill amends Section 41404.5 of the Education Code to make Paradise exempt from reductions in state support under Section 41404 for the 2024–25 to 2026–27 fiscal years, inclusive. It preserves the general framework governing the administrator-to-teacher ratio while creating a district-specific exemption window and a district-level, end-of-period reporting obligation. The measure carries an urgency clause to take effect immediately and contains standard reimbursement language should the Commission on State Mandates determine that costs are mandated costs for local entities.

Findings accompanying the measure state that a special statute is necessary due to Paradise’s unique Camp Fire–related circumstances, justifying targeted relief rather than a general statute. The bill includes a section outlining the reimbursement mechanism for mandated costs and an urgency provision asserting immediate effect to address the district’s ongoing recovery needs. The legislative process for the measure requires a two-thirds vote, with fiscal and local-program considerations embedded in the bill’s structure.

In terms of implementation and context, the proposal does not modify the underlying ratio thresholds for other districts, but creates a narrowly drawn exception for Paradise and a one-time data-reporting obligation tied to that exemption. The reporting requirement is limited in scope and scope-specific, directing submissions to state agencies and legislative committees under the Government Code’s reporting framework. The fiscal impact cited is the foregone state reductions for Paradise during the designated years, with oversight and potential reimbursement determined through the standard mandate procedures.