On November 8 2022, California voters overwhelmingly approved Prop 28: The Arts and Music in Schools Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act. Prop 28 establishes an annual funding stream for music and arts education in state-funded PK–12 public and charter schools by requiring the state to set aside an amount that equals 1% of the total funding already provided to schools each year.
- Funding is estimated between $800 million and $1 billion a year, with the first allocation going out in the 2023–24 school fiscal year to local educational agencies (LEAs). The distribution will be based on preschool and K–12 enrollment. Schools have three years to spend their yearly allocated funds.
- Prop 28 funding must expand (i.e., supplement) arts education programs and not replace (i.e., supplant) existing funding for arts education programs.
- At least 80 percent of the funds must be used to employ certificated or classified school employees to provide arts education. No more than 1 percent may be used for administration purposes. The remaining percentage can be used for a variety of arts education support including arts educational partnership programs. The California Department of education may provide waivers for the 80 percent requirement “for good cause shown”.
- School Districts will allocate funds to eligible school sites in the amounts the California Department of Education calculates. Find funding results on the CDE page here.
- Individual school sites can determine which arts education programs they will offer with the new funding. School administrators along with teachers, families, and students should decide what arts education programs best serve local students. Schools can pool their resources in order to share teachers and teacher aides as well as community arts partners, and school districts can help facilitate this sharing among schools.
- Each school must submit an annual board-approved report detailing Prop 28 expenses, including the types of arts education programs offered, the number of staff, the number of pupils served, and the number of school sites providing arts education programs.
Resources
Community Based Organizations
An overview of Prop 28 and available resources — start here!
CDE Prop 28 FAQ
California Department of Education’s Frequently Asked Questions about Prop 28.
Planning Toolkit
The Prop 28 AMS Planning Toolkit, developed in consultation with arts education field leaders, will help Local Education Agency (LEA) administrators, school site staff, and their allies collaborate to effectively plan for Prop 28 AMS and strategize to build or further develop a comprehensive arts program in dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts in every school and grade level.
Basic Facts about Prop 28
California County Superintendents’ basic facts about Prop 28.
Prop 28 One Pager for Families
A one pager compiled by Create CA.
Hiring (and Becoming) an Arts Teacher
A quick look at the increasing need for hiring Arts Teachers under Prop 28.
Stay Up-To-Date Around Prop 28
Subscribe to the California Department of Education’s Proposition 28 listserv by sending a blank message to [email protected]. The purpose of the listserv is to provide LEAs and other interested parties important information, such as notifications regarding the release of additional program information related to the Prop 28 Arts and Music in Schools program.Questions regarding Prop 28 implementation can be sent to the California Department of Education Career and College Transition Division by emailing [email protected].