Back to A Guide to California's School Finance System
Need help with terminology? Check the glossary.

School Finance Chronology (November 2007)
1968 Serrano v. Priest
Lawsuit challenging the fairness of California's system for funding K-12 education.

1972 SB 90
Established revenue limits, a ceiling on the amount of general purpose money each school district may receive.

1976 Serrano v. Priest
The California Supreme Court ruling that the school finance system was inequitable.

1977 AB 65
Long term funding bill in response to the Serrano court decision.

1978 Proposition 13
Constitutional amendment limiting property tax rates and increases.

1979 AB 8
The funding method for schools after Proposition 13, with a new formula for dividing property taxes. Granted larger inflation increases to low spending districts, the "Serrano squeeze."

1979 Gann Limit
Constitutional limit on governmental spending at all levels, including school districts.

1983 SB 813
Major school improvement law, including mentor teachers, longer school day/year, higher beginning teachers’ salaries, more rigorous graduation requirements, and statewide curriculum standards.

1984 Lottery
Constitutional amendment creating the California State Lottery, with a designated percentage of earnings for education.

1988 Proposition 98
Constitutional amendment that guarantees a minimum level of funding for K-14 education (amended by Proposition 111 in 1990).

1996 SB 1777
Created incentives to reduce K-3 class sizes.

2000 Proposition 20
Constitutional amendment requiring half of growth in lottery money be used for instructional materials.

2000 Proposition 39
Constitutional amendment permitting a 55% yes vote for approval of local General Obligation bonds.

2000 Williams v. California
A lawsuit charging that California is not providing basic educational necessities for all students. Settled in 2004.

In years in which no special school finance laws are passed, funding for education is written into the Budget Act and follow-up legislation.


Education Data Partnership
Comments to ed-data@cde.ca.gov.
Questions about the data files?

All contents copyright © 2010, Education Data Partnership.
All rights reserved. Revised February 09, 2010.
URL: http://www.ed-data.k12.ca.us