Proposition 98    Approved by California voters on November 8, 1988:

Declared that " . . . (i)t is the intent of the People of California to ensure that our schools spend money where it is most needed. Therefore, this Act will require every local school board to prepare a School Accountability Report Card to guarantee accountability for the dollars spent."

Added Section 8.5(e) to Article XVI of the California Constitution, which requires that "(a)ny school district maintaining an elementary or secondary school shall develop and cause to be prepared an annual audit accounting for such funds and shall adopt a School Accountability Report Card for each school."

Added Section 33126 to the California Education Code (EC), which directs the State Superintendent of Public Instruction to develop and present for adoption to the State Board of Education (SBE) a model SARC containing an assessment of various school conditions.

Added EC Section 35256, which mandates all elementary and secondary school districts in California annually to prepare for each school within the district a SARC that contains the items described in EC Section 33126, to publicize the SARCs, and to notify parents or guardians of students that a copy of the SARC will be provided on request.

Senate Bill 1665    Effective January 1, 1995
EC Section 33126 was amended [Chapter 824, Statutes of 1994] to add the total number of instructional minutes offered in the school year to the list of conditions to be assessed in each SARC.

Assembly Bill 572    Effective January 1, 1998
EC Section 33126 was amended [Chapter 912, Statutes of 1997] to add the following required items to each SARC:

Assembly Bill 568    Effective January 1, 1998
EC Section 33126 was amended [Chapter 918, Statutes of 1997] to require each school district that is connected to the Internet to make the information contained in the SARC accessible on the Internet on or before July 1, 1998, and to update the SARC information annually.

Senate Bill 1632    Effective September 30, 2000
EC Section 33126 was amended and EC Section 33126.1 was added [Chapter 996, Statutes of 2000] to require the California Department of Education to:

 

YOUR SARC MUST INCLUDE:

1. (A)  Pupil Achievement by grade level, as measured by the standardized testing and reporting programs  pursuant to Article 4 (commencing with Section 60640) of Chapter 5 of Part 33. 

(B) Pupil achievement in and progress toward meeting reading, writing, arithmetic, and other academic goals, including results by grade level from the assessment tool used by the school district using percentiles when available for the most recent three-year period.

(C) After the state develops a statewide assessment system pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with section 60600) and Chapter 6 (commencing with Section 60800) of Part 33, pupil achievement by grade level, as measured by the results of the statewide assessment. 

(D) Secondary schools with high school seniors shall list both the average verbal and math Scholastic Assessment Test scores to the extent provided to the school and the percentage of seniors taking that exam for the most recent three-year period.

(2) Progress toward reducing drop out rates, including the one-year dropout rate listed in the California Basic Education Data System or any successor data system for the school site over the most recent three-year period, and the graduation rate, as defined by the State Board of Education, over the most recent three-year period when available pursuant to Section 52052.

(3)  Estimated expenditures per pupil and types of services funded.

(4) Progress toward reducing class size and teaching loads, including the distribution of class sizes at the school site by grade level, the average class size, and, if applicable, the percentage of pupils in kindergarten and grades 1 to 3, inclusive, participating in the Class Size Reduction Program established pursuant to Chapter 6.10 (commencing with Section 52120) of Part 28, using California Basic Education Data System or any successor data system information for the most recent three-year period.

(5)  The total number of the school’s fully credentialed teachers, the number of teachers relying upon emergency credentials, the number of teachers working without credentials, and any assignment of teachers outside their subject areas of competence for the most recent three-year period.  

 (6)  Quality and currency of textbooks and other instructional materials, including whether textbooks and other materials meet state standards and have been adopted by the State Board of Education for kindergarten and grades 1 to 8, inclusive, and adopted by the governing boards of school district for grades 9 to 12, inclusive, and th4e ratio of textbooks per pupil and the year textbooks were adopted. 

(7) The availability of qualified personnel to provide counseling and other pupil support services, including the ratio of academic counselors per pupil.

(8)  Availability of qualified substitute teachers

(9)  Safety, cleanliness, and adequacy of school facilities.

 (10) Adequacy of teacher evaluations and opportunities for professional improvement, including the annual number of schooldays dedicated to staff development for the most recent three-year period.

(11)  Classroom discipline and climate for learning, including suspension and expulsion rates for the most recent three-year period.

(12)  Teacher and staff training, and curriculum improvement programs.

(13)  Quality of school instruction and leadership.

(14)  The degree to which pupils are prepared to enter the workforce.

(15) The total number of instructional minutes offered in the school year, separately stated for each grade level, as compared to the total number of the instructional minutes per school year required by state law, separately stated for each grade level.

(16)  The total number of minimum days, as specified in Sections 46112, 46113, 46117, and 46141, in the school year.

(17) The number of advanced placement courses offered, by subject.

(18)  The Academic Performance Index, including the desegregations of subgroups as set for the in Section 52052 and the deciles rankings and a comparison of schools. 

(19)  Whether a school qualified for the Immediate Intervention Underperforming School Program pursuant to Section 52053, and whether the school applied for, and received a grant pursuant to, that program.

(20)  Whether a school qualifies for the Governor’s Performance Award Program.

(21)  When available, the percentage of pupils, including the desegregation of subgroups as set forth in Section 52052, completing grade 12 who successfully complete the high school exit examination, as set forth in Section 60850 and 60850, as compared to the percentage of pupils in the district and statewide completing grade 12 who successfully complete the examination.

(22)  Contact information pertaining to any organized opportunities for parental involvement.

(23)  For secondary school, the percentage of graduates who have passed course requirements for reentrance to the University of California and the California State University pursuant to Section 51225.3 and the percentage of pupils enrolled in those courses, as reported by the California Basic Education Data System or any successor data system.

(24) Whether the school has a college admission test preparation course program.

(c) It is the intent of the Legislature that schools make a concerted effort to notify parents of the purpose for receive a copy of the report card; to ensure that the report cards are easy to read and understandable by parents; to ensure that local educational agencies with access to the Internet make available current copies of the report cards through the Internet; and to ensure that administrators and teachers are available to answer questions regarding the report cards. EC Section 33126 was amended [Chapter 918, Statutes of 1997] to require each school district that is connected to the Internet to make the information contained in the SARC accessible on the Internet on or before July 1,1998, and to update the SARC information annually.

EDUCATION CODE SECTION 41409.3

Each school district, except for school districts maintaining a single school to serve kindergarten or any of grade 1 to 12, inclusive, shall include in the school accountability report card required under Section 35256 a statement that shall include the following information:

(a)The beginning, median, and highest salary paid to teachers in the district, as reflected in the district's salary scale.

(b)The average salary for school site principals in the district, by school type.

(c) The salary of the Superintendent

(d) Based upon the state summary information provided by the Superintendent of Public Instruction pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 41409, the statewide average salary for the appropriate size and type of district for the following:

(1)Beginning, midrange, and highest salary paid to teachers.

(2) School site principals

(3) The salary of the district superintendent.

(E) The statewide average of the percentage of school district expenditures allocated for the salaries of administrative personnel for the appropriate size and type of district for the most recent fiscal year.

(F)The statewide average of the percentage of school district expenditures allocated for the salaries of teachers for the appropriate size and type of district for the most recent fiscal year.

(G) The percentage allocated under the district's corresponding fiscal year expenditure for the salaries of administrative personnel, as defined in Sections 1200, 1300, 1700, 1800, and 2200 of the California School Accounting Manual published by the State Department of Education.

(H) The percentage expended for the salaries of teachers, as defined in Section 1100 of the California School Accounting Manual published by the State Department of Education.