Bill Would Let L.A. Schools Seek More Class-Size Funds
Los Angeles schools may get a financial windfall under a Democratic amendment approved by an Assembly committee Wednesday that seeks to alter the way class-size reduction funds are apportioned statewide.
Republicans angrily denounced the move as a naked power play, but lacked the votes in the Assembly Appropriations Committee to block it.
The bill moves to the Assembly floor.
The dispute involves money the state is spending to reduce class sizes in grades K-3.
Assembly Minority Leader Curt Pringle (R-Garden Grove) had introduced a bill that would have made $141 million in leftover class-size reduction funds available to districts in need of further money to build more classrooms.
But Democrats, led by Assemblyman Antonio Villaraigosa (D-Los Angeles), amended the bill Wednesday in the committee. Under the amendment, Los Angeles schools--which have received millions of dollars in class-size reduction funding--would be able to claim a major portion of the leftover money. The amendment would give the district the right to apply for the funds.
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