Preparation for 2019-20 First Interim Budget

The Marin Common Message for First Interim 2019-20 providing guidance on the State Adopted budget and associated new programs has been released.

Technical notes for the 2018-19 Unaudited Actuals and 2019-20 Adopted Budgets have been provided to the school district chief business officials. Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) revenue estimates and other first interim budget guidance including P-1 Property Taxes will be provided by November 15th.

Special Education Annual Financial Reporting

Special Education maintenance of effort forms for both 2018-19 compliance and 2019-20 eligibility have been updated for technical corrections and are being provided to chief business officials with an updated subsequent year rule worksheet which will need to be certified by each district and returned to us by November 8th for filing with California Department of Education (CDE). Federal excess cost reports are also being provided to chief business officials and will also need to be certified by each district and returned to us by November 8th for filing with CDE.

Capturing Costs Associated with the Recent Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) Event

With Governor Newsom's recent declaration of an emergency state-wide related to the fires and associated PSPS events and air quality issues, the costs associated with responding to the PSPS event may be reimbursable under federal emergency management agency guidelines.

In addition, School Project for Utility Rate Reduction (SPURR) - the Joint Powers Authority (JPA) our office and many districts belong to for purchasing power with utilities) has asked members to keep track of losses in time and money as they would like to present district loss information to regulators when they advocate for schools in the coming battles over how such shutoffs will be implemented in the future.

We have established a unique resource code - 9870 - in the accounting system identified as 'FEMA' to capture these costs and developed the attached resources to guide staff in documenting their activities in response to the emergency.

• Memo
• Time-log
• Supplies tracking sheet
  

Attendance Waivers for the Recent Loss of Attendance 

The Governor's declaration of an emergency will likely mean that any requests for attendance waivers (J-13A) will be approved by California Department of Education (CDE). Nonetheless, all districts are encouraged to use any closure days already built into their school calendar before requesting the waiver. As the occurrence of fires and the associated Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) events and air quality issues becomes an annual event, we are encouraged to recognize the pattern and build in sufficient emergency closure days that students can still be offered a full year of instruction.

Please visit the California Department of Education's Public Safety Power Shutoff FAQs page in regard to funding for generators, instructional time requirements, and the Request for Allowance of Attendance Due to Emergency Conditions Form.