News & Updates
The three-year expenditure period for 2023–24 AMS funds expires on June 30, 2026. LEAs are encouraged to expend AMS funds for allowable purposes prior to the closing of the expenditure window on June 30, 2026. Unexpended funds will be reported to the CDE and returned.
AMS Portal is Open
The California Department of Education (CDE) has opened the AMS Portal. In the AMS Portal, you can
- submit the Prop 28 Annual Report (due 9/30/2026)
- submit Prop 28 Final Expenditure Report (due 10/1/2026)
- request a waiver
The AMS Portal password was sent to your LEA’s superintendent. Speak to your district leadership before emailing the Prop 28 helpdesk at the CDE. The AMS Portal is at https://www8.cde.ca.gov/ams.
Reporting Requirement - Highlight on School Site Expenditure Plan
There are four reporting requirements for Prop 28/AMS funds.
School Site Expenditure Plan: Each school site is required to create an expenditure plan, which is not required to be posted on the LEA website, be board approved, or submitted to the CDE. School site expenditure plans are developed with local stakeholders and support transparency. The school site should review and update this plan annually. (EC Section 8820[e])
Annual Report: Each LEA should have submitted two annual reports already through the AMS Portal. This is a public facing document that must be board approved and posted on the LEA’s website. Template Available. (EC Section 8820[g][4])
Annual Certification: All funds will be used to supplement arts education programs. This certification must be kept for auditing purposes and is not required to be on the LEA webpage nor submit to the CDE. The Annual Certification takes place through the audit procedures. (EC Section 8820[g][1–3])
Final Expenditure Report: This is the first year this report is required. It is due by October 1, 2026. The report facilitates the return of unspent funds to the CDE. The Final Expenditure report is not required to be posted on the LEA website or board approved. Template available. (EC Section 8820[f])
Visit www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/prop28artsandmusicedfunding.asp for more information.
Please note, the CDE does not approve or deny individual LEA requests for allowable expenditures. All expenditures should be consistent with statute. Additional guidance for LEAs to substantiate compliance with this requirement (e.g., example worksheets, etc.) is available on the Proposition 28: Arts and Music in Schools web page.
Prop 28 Resources and Supports
The California County Superintendents Arts Initiative released three resources to assist with Prop 28 and your LEA goals.
CODA - Your Prop 28 AI Tool
California’s Prop 28 created the largest arts education investment in U.S. history and now there’s a free tool to help everyone understand how it works. Meet CODA (County Office Digital Assistant), your free AI assistant for all things Prop 28. Ask about apportionments, compliance, FAQs and more. Get instant answers based on official guidance with citations. This tool was built for educators, parents and community members and is accessible 24/7. Visit cacountyarts.org/ask/
California County Superintendents Arts Initiative Prop 28 Resource Page
On this webpage, you can find information to understand the law, find funding information, help plan implementation, hire arts teachers, prepare for the audit and more. It is user-friendly and streamlined for intuitive use. Visit cacountyarts.org/amsact/
Arts Education and The California Dashboard
he 2026 update to the Arts Education and the CA Dashboard document was developed as a dynamic resource. The content is organized in alignment with the CA School Dashboard with statements demonstrating the impact of arts education on each dashboard indicator and student groups considered for Differentiated Assistance (DA) eligibility along with research supporting the impact statement.
This resource is intended to help administrators see that cuts to arts education will only serve to hurt, not help, students and dashboard indicators. The language used in this resource is intended to be accessible to all while remaining rigorous enough to be utilized in educational settings and documents (LCAPs, SPSAs, etc.). There is a slide deck for you to use, research with citations to support your LCAP goals and more!
Information For Your Prop 28 Journey
Funding Resources
View the funding resources page for information on funding for the arts including Prop 28, AMIM - the instructional materials block grant, Title I, and more.
What is "arts in education?"
California Ed Code specifically lists which disciplines fall under the "arts". Take a moment to review which specific art disciplines you can support with additional art educational funding.
California Education Code states:
For grades 1 to 6;
512101
(a) The adopted course of study for grades 1 to 6, inclusive shall include instruction, beginning in grade 1 and continuing through grade 6, in the following areas of study:
(5) Visual and performing arts, including instruction in the subjects of dance, music, theatre, and visual arts, aimed at the development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression.
California Education Code Section 51210 (Grades one through six)
For grades 7 to 12:
512202
The adopted course of study for grades 7 to 12, inclusive, shall offer courses in the following areas of study:
(g) Visual and performing arts, including dance, music, theater, and visual arts, with emphasis upon development of aesthetic appreciation and the skills of creative expression.
California Education Code Section 51220 (Grades seven through twelve)
A-G Subject Requirements:
In addition to the requirements designated by California Ed Code:
"half of the state's (California) school districts set their minimum graduation requirements to match the course requirements for admission to the state's public universities. Under these requirements, students must take one year of visual and performing arts, which cannot be fulfilled with foreign language or CTE coursework."
This specifically refers to "F - Visual and Performing Arts" in the A-G subject requirements in both CSU and UC schools.
The Arts and Music in Schools Funding and Accountability Act, Prop 28, defines "arts education program" as but not limited to:
- instruction and training,
- supplies,
- materials, and
- arts educational partnership programs for instruction in:
- dance,
- media arts,
- music,
- theatre
- visual arts
- creative expressions
Specific examples for visual arts include:
- folk art
- painting
- sculpture
- photography
- craft arts.
While creative expression includes:
- graphic arts and design
- computer coding
- animation
- music composition and ensembles
- script writing
- costume design
- film
- video
The toolkit developed by Create CA has many "tools" districts can use as they plan their funding and programming. These tools are supplemental and aren't required by the CDE.
The California Department of Education (CDE) has published Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and answers regarding Proposition 28—The Arts and Music in Schools (AMS) Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act.
Media
Ed Buzz #9: New Arts Funding for Schools?
The Arts has been on the chopping block for years, but now California schools can hire new music and arts teachers, purchase supplies and provide professional development opportunities thanks to Prop 28. In this Ed Buzz LA County episode, Jeannine Flores shares the different arts programs that the funding covers, which districts are ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing arts programs and how schools can use the funding to build a teacher pipeline.
While each school site is required to create an expenditure plan (California Education Code [EC] Section 8820[e]), EC does not require the plan to be posted on the LEA website, be board or governing body approved, or submitted to the CDE. School site expenditure plans are developed with local stakeholders and support transparency.
LEAs are required annually to complete the following:
- Annual Certification (EC Section 8820[g][1–3])––Annually certify that all funds will be used to supplement arts education programs, among other assurances. This certification must be kept for auditing purposes but is not required to be posted on the LEA web page or submitted to the CDE.
- Annual Report (EC Section 8820[g][4])––Submit an annual report which must be board approved and posted on the LEA web page prior to the submission to the CDE for public posting:
- A Proposition 28: AMS Funding Annual Report Fiscal Year 2025–26 template demonstrating required data for the AMS Annual Report is available on the CDE Proposition 28—AMS Funding web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/prop28artsandmusicedfunding.asp under the “LEA Web Portal and Reports” tab.
- September 30, the posted “due date,” is to facilitate the CDE’s requirement to post annual reports on our website. Master files of LEA submissions from the 2023–24 and 2024–25 Annual Report are available under the “LEA Web Portal and Reports” tab on the CDE web page Proposition 28—AMS Funding web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/prop28artsandmusicedfunding.asp. Statute does not indicate due dates for the required annual reporting. To avoid penalties and loss of funds, the Annual Certification and Annual Report are due prior to the LEA annual audit.
LEAs are required at the end of the three-year expenditure period of an allocation to complete the following:
- Final Expenditure Report (EC Section 8820[f])––As the 2023–24 allocation’s expenditure period comes to a close, all LEAs must report to the CDE the amount of unexpended AMS funds by October 1. The purpose of the Final Expenditure Report is to facilitate the return of unspent funds to the CDE. The Final Expenditure Report is not required to be posted on the LEA website or be board or governing body approved:
- A Proposition 28: AMS Funding Final Expenditure Report Allocation Year 2023–24 template demonstrating required data for the AMS Final Expenditure Report is available on the CDE Proposition 28—AMS Funding web page at https://www.cde.ca.gov/eo/in/prop28artsandmusicedfunding.asp under the “LEA Web Portal and Reports” tab.
- 2023–24 AMS funds that are not expended by June 30, 2026, must be returned to the CDE.
- Any LEA that fails to complete the Final Expenditure Report risks withholding the release of funds by the CDE until the Final Expenditure Report is submitted (EC Section 8820[f][3]).
- If a charter school ceases operation, a Final Expenditure Report is due to the CDE within 60 days of the effective date of closure.
EC Section 8820(h) states that the CDE may, for good cause shown, provide a waiver to exempt an LEA from EC Section 8820(g)(1). Waivers are considered on a case-by-case basis and only apply to the requirement that 80 percent of expended funds for LEAs with more than 500 students be used to employ certificated and classified employees providing supplemental art education opportunities.
Considerations for requesting a waiver:
- A written waiver request may be submitted at any point within the three-year expenditure period for each allocation.
- If a written waiver request is approved, it applies for the duration of the expenditure period for that allocation year.
- For the 2023–24 allocation, a written waiver request should be submitted prior to the end of the three-year allocation period, June 30, 2026.
Note: The written waiver should be approved before an audit of final expenditures.
- If an LEA wishes to submit a written waiver request for multiple allocation years, they must submit a separate waiver request for each allocation year within that allocation’s three-year expenditure period.
Note: Multiple allocation waiver requests must include a description of progress toward meeting statute in the narrative.
After LEAs submit the written waiver request, the CDE will review the waiver submissions on a rolling basis and either approve or return the waiver. Should the waiver request be returned, LEAs are provided with written feedback from the CDE and will have the opportunity to edit and resubmit the waiver request.
