ARTICLE 2. Duties, Responsibilities, and General Powers [1240. - 1281.]

Cal. Education Code - EDC 2.

in effect

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1240. Section 1240.

The county superintendent of schools shall do all of the following: (a) Superintend the schools of that county. (b) Maintain responsibility for the fiscal oversight of each school district in that county pursuant to the authority granted by this code. (c) (1) Visit and examine each school in the county at reasonable intervals to observe its operation and to learn of its problems. The county superintendent of schools annually may present a report of the state of the schools in the county, and of the county office of education, including, but not limited to, observations from visiting the schools, to the board of education and the board of supervisors of the county. (2) (A) (i) Commencing with the 2021–22 fiscal year, the Superintendent shall identify a list of schools, which shall include charter schools, for which the county superintendent, or a designee, shall inspect annually, and about which the county superintendent, or a designee, shall submit an annual report, at a regularly scheduled November board meeting, to the governing board of each school district under the jurisdiction of the county superintendent, the county board of education of that county, and the board of supervisors of that county, that describes the state of the schools in the county. The list established in the 2021–22 fiscal year shall also be used as the list established in the 2022–23 and 2023–24 fiscal years. The list of schools established pursuant to this section shall be reestablished in the 2024–25 fiscal year and again every three fiscal years thereafter. Each list shall be established in accordance with clause (ii), and shall be used for inspections beginning the following fiscal year. (ii) The list of schools pursuant to clause (i) shall be compiled as follows: (I) The Superintendent shall include on the list all schools that were most recently identified for comprehensive support and improvement and additional targeted support and improvement pursuant to the federal Every Student Succeeds Act (Public Law 114-95) or identified as low performing under the federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (Public Law 89-10), or any subsequent amendments to that act. For the list established in the 2021–22, 2022–23, and 2023–24 fiscal years, the Superintendent shall use the list of schools identified in the 2019–20 fiscal year for comprehensive support and improvement and for additional targeted support and improvement. (II) The Superintendent shall include on the list all schools where 15 percent or more of the teachers are holders of a permit or certificate, such as a temporary or short-term permit, a substitute permit, a waiver, an intern credential, or any other authorization that is a lesser certification than a preliminary or clear California teaching credential. With the exception of alternative schools, all schools within a local educational agency that fail to meet the requirements of Sections 44258.9 and 60900 shall be included on the list for the applicable reporting cycle. (III) The list of schools compiled pursuant to clause (i) shall exclude alternative schools within the meaning of subdivision (d) of Section 52052 and other schools accepted for participation in the Dashboard Alternative School Status program by the department. (iii) The annual report shall include the determinations for each school made by the county superintendent, or the county superintendent’s designee, regarding the status of all of the circumstances listed in subparagraph (E) and teacher misassignments and teacher vacancies, as described in Section 44258.9, and the county superintendent, or the county superintendent’s designee, shall use a standardized template to report the circumstances listed in subparagraph (E) and teacher misassignments and teacher vacancies, as described in Section 44258.9, unless the current annual report being used by the county superintendent, or the county superintendent’s designee, already includes those details with the same level of specificity that is otherwise required by this subdivision. (B) The county superintendent of the Counties of Alpine, Amador, Del Norte, Mariposa, Plumas, and Sierra, and the City and County of San Francisco shall contract with another county office of education or an independent auditor to conduct the required visits and make all reports required by this paragraph. (C) On a quarterly basis, the county superintendent, or the county superintendent’s designee, shall report the results of the visits and reviews conducted that quarter to the governing board of the school district at a regularly scheduled meeting held in accordance with public notification requirements. The results of the visits and reviews shall include the determinations of the county superintendent, or the county superintendent’s designee, for each school regarding the status of all of the circumstances listed in subparagraph (E) and teacher misassignments and teacher vacancies, as described in Section 44258.9. If the county superintendent, or the county superintendent’s designee, conducts no visits or reviews in a quarter, the quarterly report shall report that fact. (D) The visits made pursuant to this paragraph shall be conducted at least annually and shall meet the following criteria: (i) Minimize disruption to the operation of the school. (ii) Be performed by individuals who meet the requirements of Section 45125.1. (iii) Consist of not less than 25 percent unannounced visits in each county. During unannounced visits in each county, the county superintendent shall not demand access to documents or specific school personnel. Unannounced visits shall only be used to observe the condition of school repair and maintenance, and the sufficiency of instructional materials, as defined by Section 60119. (E) The priority objective of the visits made pursuant to this paragraph shall be to determine the status of all of the following circumstances: (i) Sufficient textbooks, as defined in Section 60119 and as specified in subdivision (i). (ii) The condition of a facility that poses an emergency or urgent threat to the health or safety of pupils or staff, as described in school district policy or paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 17592.72. (iii) The accuracy of data reported on the school accountability report card with respect to the availability of sufficient textbooks and instructional materials, as defined by Section 60119, and the safety, cleanliness, and adequacy of school facilities, including good repair, as required by Sections 17014, 17032.5, 17070.75, and 17089. (F) The county superintendent may make the status determinations described in subparagraph (E) during a single visit or multiple visits. In determining whether to make a single visit or multiple visits for this purpose, the county superintendent shall take into consideration factors such as cost-effectiveness, disruption to the schoolsite, deadlines, and the availability of qualified reviewers. (G) If the county superintendent determines that the condition of a facility poses an emergency or urgent threat to the health or safety of pupils or staff as described in school district policy or paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 17592.72, or is not in good repair, as specified in subdivision (d) of Section 17002 and required by Sections 17014, 17032.5, 17070.75, and 17089, the county superintendent, among other things, may do any of the following: (i) Return to the school to verify repairs. (ii) Prepare a report that specifically identifies and documents the areas or instances of noncompliance if the school district has not provided evidence of successful repairs within 30 days of the visit of the county superintendent or, for major projects, has not provided evidence that the repairs will be conducted in a timely manner. The report may be provided to the governing board of the school district. If the report is provided to the school district, it shall be presented at a regularly scheduled meeting held in accordance with public notification requirements. The county superintendent shall post the report on the internet website of the county superintendent. The report shall be removed from the internet website when the county superintendent verifies the repairs have been completed. (H) For schools that are identified on the list established in the 2024–25 fiscal year pursuant to subparagraph (A), and only in the fiscal years in which that list is used, a county superintendent shall complete the textbook and instructional materials review conducted for purposes of this paragraph and subparagraph (A) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (i) by the eighth week of the school year. The county superintendent shall prioritize reviewing, within the first four weeks of the school year where practicable, schools for which the county superintendent has received information from a survey, a complaint filed pursuant to Section 35186, or any other reliable source that the school does not have sufficient textbooks, as defined in Section 60119 and as specified in subdivision (i), or that a facility of the school poses an emergency or urgent threat to the health or safety of pupils or staff as described in school district policy or paragraph (1) of subdivision (c) of Section 17592.72, or is not in good repair, as specified in subdivision (d) of Section 17002 and required by Sections 17014, 17032.5, 17070.75, and 17089. (d) Distribute all laws, reports, circulars, instructions, and blanks that the county superintendent may receive for the use of the school officers. (e) Annually, on or before September 15, present a report to the governing board of the school district and the Superintendent regarding the fiscal solvency of a school district with a disapproved budget, qualified interim certification, or a negative interim certification, or that is determined to be in a position of fiscal uncertainty pursuant to Section 42127.6. (f) Keep in the office of the county superintendent the reports of the Superintendent. (g) Keep a record of the official acts of the county superintendent and of all the proceedings of the county board of education, including a record of the standing, in each study, of all applicants for certificates who have been examined, which shall be open to the inspection of an applicant or an authorized agent of the applicant. (h) Enforce the course of study. (i) (1) Enforce the use of state textbooks and instructional materials and of high school textbooks and instructional materials regularly adopted by the proper authority in accordance with Section 51050. (2) For purposes of this subdivision, sufficient textbooks or instructional materials has the same meaning as in subdivision (c) of Section 60119. (3) (A) Commencing with the 2022–23 school year, if a school is identified as specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c), the county superintendent specifically shall review that school at least annually as a priority school. A review conducted for purposes of this paragraph shall be completed by the fourth week of the school year, except as specified in subparagraph (H) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c). (B) In order to facilitate the review of instructional materials before the fourth week of the school year, the county superintendent in a county with 200 or more schools that are identified as specified in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) may use a combination of visits and written surveys of teachers for the purpose of determining sufficiency of textbooks and instructional materials in accordance with subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 60119 and as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 60119. If a county superintendent elects to conduct written surveys of teachers, the county superintendent shall visit the schools surveyed within the same academic year to verify the accuracy of the information reported on the surveys. If a county superintendent surveys teachers at a school in which the county superintendent has found sufficient textbooks and instructional materials for the previous two consecutive years and determines that the school does not have sufficient textbooks or instructional materials, the county superintendent shall, within 10 business days, provide a copy of the insufficiency report to the school district as set forth in paragraph (4). (C) For purposes of this paragraph, “written surveys” may include paper and electronic or online surveys. (4) If the county superintendent of schools determines that a school does not have sufficient textbooks or instructional materials in accordance with subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 60119 and as defined by subdivision (c) of Section 60119, the county superintendent shall do all of the following: (A) Prepare a report that specifically identifies and documents the areas or instances of noncompliance. (B) Provide within five business days of the review, a copy of the report to the school district, as provided in subdivision (c), or, if applicable, provide a copy of the report to the school district within 10 business days pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3). (C) Provide the school district with the opportunity to remedy the deficiency. The county superintendent shall ensure that the deficiency is remedied no later than the second month of the school term. (D) If the deficiency is not remedied as required pursuant to subparagraph (C), the county superintendent shall request the department to purchase the textbooks or instructional materials necessary to comply with the sufficiency requirement of this subdivision. If the department purchases textbooks or instructional materials for the school district, the department shall issue a public statement at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the state board occurring immediately after the department receives the request of the county superintendent and that meets the applicable public notice requirements, indicating that the district superintendent and the governing board of the school district failed to provide pupils with sufficient textbooks or instructional materials as required by this subdivision. Before purchasing the textbooks or instructional materials, the department shall consult with the school district to determine which textbooks or instructional materials to purchase. The amount of funds necessary for the purchase of the textbooks and materials is a loan to the school district receiving the textbooks or instructional materials. Unless the school district repays the amount owed based upon an agreed-upon repayment schedule with the Superintendent, the Superintendent shall notify the Controller and the Controller shall deduct an amount equal to the total amount used to purchase the textbooks and materials from the next principal apportionment of the school district or from another apportionment of state funds. (5) If the county superintendent of schools determines that there are insufficient textbooks or instructional materials pursuant to a resolution received in accordance with subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (a) of Section 60119 and as defined by subdivision (c) of Section 60119, or as a result of receiving a report of an unresolved complaint pursuant to subdivision (e) of Section 35186 or an audit exception pursuant to subdivision (i) of Section 41020, the county superintendent shall do both of the following: (A) Provide the school district with the opportunity to remedy the deficiency. The county superintendent shall ensure that the deficiency is remedied no later than the second month of the school term. (B) If the deficiency is not remedied as required pursuant to subparagraph (A), the county superintendent shall request the department to purchase the textbooks or instructional materials necessary to comply with the sufficiency requirement of this subdivision. If the department purchases the textbooks or instructional materials for the school district, the department shall issue a public statement at the first regularly scheduled meeting of the state board occurring immediately after the department receives the request of the county superintendent and that meets the applicable public notice requirements, indicating that the district superintendent and the governing board of the school district failed to provide pupils with sufficient textbooks or instructional materials as required by this subdivision. Before purchasing the textbooks or instructional materials, the department shall consult with the school district when determining which textbooks or instructional materials to purchase. The amount of funds necessary for the purchase of the textbooks and materials is a loan to the school district receiving the textbooks or instructional materials. Unless the school district repays the amount owed based upon an agreed-upon repayment schedule with the Superintendent, the Superintendent shall notify the Controller and the Controller shall deduct an amount equal to the total amount used to purchase the textbooks and materials from the next principal apportionment of the school district or from another apportionment of state funds. (j) Preserve carefully all reports of school officers and teachers. (k) Deliver to the county superintendent’s successor, at the close of the county superintendent’s official term, all records, books, documents, and papers belonging to the office, taking a receipt for them, which shall be filed with the department. ( l ) (1) Submit two reports during the fiscal year to the county board of education in accordance with the following: (A) The first report shall cover the financial and budgetary status of the county office of education for the period ending October 31. The second report shall cover the period ending January 31. Both reports shall be reviewed by the county board of education and approved by the county superintendent no later than 45 days after the close of the period being reported. (B) As part of each report, the county superintendent shall certify in writing whether or not the county office of education is able to meet its financial obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year and, based on current forecasts, for two subsequent fiscal years. The certifications shall be classified as positive, qualified, or negative, pursuant to standards prescribed by the Superintendent, for purposes of determining subsequent state agency actions pursuant to Section 1240.1. For purposes of this subdivision, a negative certification shall be assigned to a county office of education that, based upon current projections, will not meet its financial obligations for the remainder of the fiscal year or for the subsequent fiscal year. A qualified certification shall be assigned to a county office of education that may not meet its financial obligations for the current fiscal year or two subsequent fiscal years. A positive certification shall be assigned to a county office of education that will meet its financial obligations for the current fiscal year and subsequent two fiscal years. In accordance with those standards, the Superintendent may reclassify a certification. If a county office of education receives a negative certification, the Superintendent, or the Superintendent’s designee, may exercise the authority set forth in subdivision (d) of Section 1630. Copies of each certification, and of the report containing that certification, shall be sent to the Superintendent at the time the certification is submitted to the county board of education. Copies of each qualified or negative certification and the report containing that certification shall be sent to the Controller at the time the certification is submitted to the county board of education. (2) All reports and certifications required under this subdivision shall be in a format or on forms prescribed by the Superintendent, and shall be based on standards and criteria for fiscal stability adopted by the state board pursuant to Section 33127. The reports and supporting data shall be made available by the county superintendent to an interested party upon request. (3) This subdivision does not preclude the submission of additional budgetary or financial reports by the county superintendent to the county board of education or to the Superintendent. (4) The county superintendent is not responsible for the fiscal oversight of the community colleges in the county, however, the county superintendent may perform financial services on behalf of those community colleges. (5) A county office of education having a negative or qualified certification, or classified as qualified or negative by the Superintendent, shall continue to be classified as qualified or negative until the next report required under this subdivision is filed. (m) If requested, act as agent for the purchase of supplies for the city and high school districts of that county. (n) For purposes of Section 44421.5, report to the Commission on Teacher Credentialing the identity of a certificated person who knowingly and willingly reports false fiscal expenditure data relative to the conduct of an educational program. This requirement applies only if, in the course of normal duties, the county superintendent discovers information that gives the county superintendent reasonable cause to believe that false fiscal expenditure data relative to the conduct of an educational program has been reported. (o) If any activities authorized pursuant to this section are found to be a state reimbursable mandate pursuant to Section 6 of Article XIII B of the California Constitution, funding provided for school districts and county offices of education pursuant to Sections 2574, 2575, 42238.02, and 42238.03 shall be used to directly offset any mandated costs.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1240.1. Section 1240.1.

If a county superintendent of schools transmits to the Controller and the Superintendent of Public Instruction a qualified or negative certification as required by subdivision ( l ) of Section 1240, the department, in cooperation with the Controller’s office, shall review the certification and the attached report and any other pertinent information, and the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall exercise his or her authority pursuant to Section 1630.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1240.2. Section 1240.2.

A county superintendent of schools who files a qualified or negative certification for the second report required pursuant to subdivision ( l ) of Section 1240 and a county office of education that is classified as qualified or negative by the Superintendent of Public Instruction shall provide to the Superintendent of Public Instruction and the Controller, no later than June 1, a financial statement that covers the financial and budgetary status of the county office of education for the period ending April 30 and projects the fund and cash balances of the county office of education as of June 30.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1241. Section 1241.

(a) Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the provisions described in subdivision (b) are waived or modified, in accordance with this section, during the portion of the 2019–20 school year in which schools were closed due to the pandemic and during the 2020–21 school year. (b) (1) The authorization pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (3) of subdivision (i) of Section 1240 for a county superintendent of schools in a county with 200 or more schools that are ranked in any of deciles 1 to 3, inclusive, of the base Academic Performance Index (API), to use a combination of visits and written surveys of teachers for the purpose of determining sufficiency of textbooks and instructional materials in accordance with subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 60119 and as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 60119 is extended to every county superintendent of schools regardless of the number of schools in the county that are ranked in any of deciles 1 to 3, inclusive, of the base API. (2) For purposes of the annual report required pursuant to subparagraph (B) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 1240, a county superintendent of schools may rely on information obtained only through means other than a physical visit to the schoolsite, including school administrator or teacher surveys. However, the report shall include a justification indicating why a schoolsite visit was not conducted and an outline of plans to conduct a schoolsite visit as soon as possible, and the county superintendent of schools shall provide an updated report before July 1, 2021. (3) The requirement in subparagraph (H) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 1240 that the county superintendent of schools annually conduct a visit of schools is waived for any school that does not offer in-person instruction, as defined in Section 43500, from March 2020 to June 2021, inclusive. This waiver applies only for the time during which the school does not provide in-person instruction, and the county superintendent of schools shall make a plan to visit all necessary schoolsites as soon as possible, which must be noted in the outline required pursuant to paragraph (2). If, following the resumption of in-person instruction, a county superintendent of schools is unable to visit a schoolsite in sufficient time to include the observations in the report required pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 1240, any schoolsite not visited shall be prioritized for a visit as soon as possible during the following school year. (4) The requirement in clause (iii) of subparagraph (H) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 1240 that 25 percent of the visits required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 1240 be unannounced is waived. An unannounced visit may be undertaken at the discretion of the county superintendent of schools in compliance with any orders or guidance issued by any local or state public health official. (c) For the 2021–22 school year only, unannounced visits pursuant to clause (iii) of subparagraph (H) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 1240 shall only be undertaken at the discretion of the county superintendent of schools in consultation with local health officials and in compliance with any orders or guidance issued by any local or state public health official. The requirement in clause (iii) of subparagraph (H) of paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 1240 that 25 percent of the visits required by paragraph (2) of subdivision (c) of Section 1240 be unannounced shall be considered waived if the county superintendent of schools, in consultation with local public health officials, determines that unannounced visits are unable to be conducted due to identified health and safety concerns.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1241.5. Section 1241.5.

(a) At any time during a fiscal year, the county superintendent may audit the expenditures and internal controls of school districts he or she determines to be fiscally accountable, and shall conduct this audit in a timely and efficient manner. The county superintendent shall report the findings and recommendation to the governing board of the district within 45 days of completing the audit. The governing board shall, no later than 15 days after receipt of the report, notify the county superintendent of schools of its proposed actions on the county superintendent’s recommendation. Upon review of the governing board report, the county superintendent, at his or her discretion, may revoke the authority for the district to be fiscally accountable pursuant to Section 42650. (b) At any time during a fiscal year, the county superintendent may review or audit the expenditures and internal controls of any school district in his or her county if he or she has reason to believe that fraud, misappropriation of funds, or other illegal fiscal practices have occurred that merit examination. The review or audit conducted by the county superintendent shall be focused on the alleged fraud, misappropriation of funds, or other illegal fiscal practices and shall be conducted in a timely and efficient manner. The county superintendent shall report the findings and recommendations to the governing board of the school district at a regularly scheduled school district board meeting within 45 days of completing the review, audit, or examination. The governing board of the school district shall, no later than 15 calendar days after receipt of the report, notify the county superintendent of its proposed actions on the county superintendent’s recommendations. Upon review of the school district governing board report, the county superintendent, at his or her discretion, and consistent with law, may disapprove an order for payment of funds consistent with Section 42638. (c) At any time during a fiscal year, the county superintendent may review or audit the expenditures and internal controls of any charter school in his or her county if he or she has reason to believe that fraud, misappropriation of funds, or other illegal fiscal practices have occurred that merit examination. The review or audit conducted by the county superintendent shall be focused on the alleged fraud, misappropriation of funds, or other illegal fiscal practices and shall be conducted in a timely and efficient manner. The county superintendent shall report the findings and recommendations to the governing board of the charter school at a regularly scheduled meeting, and provide a copy of the information to the chartering authority of the charter school, within 45 days of completing the review, audit, or examination. The governing board of the charter school shall, no later than 15 calendar days after receipt of the report, notify the county superintendent and its chartering authority of its proposed response to the recommendations.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1243. Section 1243.

The county superintendent of schools shall make reports, when directed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, showing such matters relating to the public schools in his county as may be required of him. If he fails to make full and correct report as required under the provisions of this section at the time fixed by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, he shall forfeit one hundred dollars ($100) of his salary; and the county auditor whose duty it is to draw the warrant for the salary of the superintendent of schools shall deduct this amount from the warrant on receiving notice from the Superintendent of Public Instruction to the effect that the superintendent of schools has failed to make the report as directed.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1244. Section 1244.

Each county superintendent of schools shall annually, at such time as is required by the Superintendent of Public Instruction but not later than July 15th, submit to the Superintendent of Public Instruction a complete report of the attendance credited to the public schools of the county for the school year closing June 30th immediately preceding July 15th. Forms for the reports shall be furnished by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Reports shall contain and be accompanied by such other information and reports relating to the computation of state apportionments as may be required by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1245. Section 1245.

Each county superintendent of schools shall submit the reports as may from time to time be required by the Superintendent of Public Instruction. It shall be the duty of each school district to furnish to the county superintendent of schools any records, reports, documents, maps or other data pertaining to reports required by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1246. Section 1246.

Whenever the destruction of records of a county superintendent of schools is not otherwise authorized or provided for by law, the county superintendent of schools may destroy the records of his or her office in accordance with regulations of the Superintendent of Public Instruction which he or she is herewith authorized to adopt.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1249. Section 1249.

(a) The county superintendent of schools may sell publications that he or she produces. (b) The county superintendent of schools, with the approval of the county board of education, may fix the price, not to exceed the estimated cost of production, for the sale of any publication produced by him or her. (c) All moneys received from the sale of publications produced by the county superintendent of schools shall be deposited to the credit of the fund against which the cost of printing the publication was charged. (d) This section does not authorize a county superintendent of schools to prepare or publish written materials, the preparation or publication of which is not otherwise authorized by law.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1250. Section 1250.

The county superintendent of schools, with the approval of the county board of education, may enter into an agreement with the governing board of any school district or community college district in the territory under his or her jurisdiction, to provide for the use by the district of audiovisual equipment and apparatus. The county superintendent of schools is authorized to acquire by purchase, lease, or any other means the equipment and apparatus necessary to provide the service, and to establish facilities for maintaining and servicing that equipment, and for its distribution to school districts and community college districts. The title to all equipment and apparatus acquired by the county superintendent of schools under this section shall be vested in the office of the county superintendent of schools. The agreement shall, among other matters, provide for the amount of the payment to be made by the districts to the county superintendent of schools, and the time the payments shall be made. The payments made by all districts that have entered into an agreement with the county superintendent of schools under this section shall not exceed the costs of rendering the service. The costs may include any expense necessary to carry out this section. The governing board of a school district or a community college district may withdraw from an agreement by giving notice six months prior to the beginning of the next fiscal year, and the agreement shall terminate on the last day of the then current fiscal year. The terms of an agreement may be changed by mutual consent at any time. The county superintendent of schools shall transfer the amounts agreed upon, at the time or times agreed upon, from the general fund of the district to the special equipment and apparatus fund of the county superintendent of schools, which fund is hereby authorized. All funds received for the purposes of this section shall be deposited in said fund, and all expenditures made for the purposes of this section shall be made from the fund.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1251. Section 1251.

The county superintendent of schools, with the approval of the county board of education, may enter into an agreement with a nonpublic institution of higher education, the governing board of any nonpublic school, a public agency, or a nonprofit public organization to provide for the use by the institution, agency, organization, or school of audiovisual curriculum materials, including equipment and apparatus, under the control of the county superintendent of schools, in the same manner as public schools pursuant to Section 1250 except as otherwise provided in this section. The agreement shall, among other matters, provide for the amount of the payment to be made by the nonpublic institution of higher education, the governing board of any nonpublic school, a public agency, or a nonprofit public organization to the county superintendent of schools and the time payments shall be made. The payments made by the nonprofit institution of higher education, the governing board of any nonpublic school, a public agency, or a nonprofit public organization that has entered into an agreement with the county superintendent of schools under this section shall be equal to the cost incurred by the county superintendent of schools in connection with the handling of, and the loss, destruction or damage to the audiovisual curriculum materials, including equipment and apparatus, by the nonpublic institution of higher education, the governing board of any nonpublic school, a public agency, or a nonprofit organization. The governing board of any nonpublic school, a public agency, or nonprofit organization may withdraw from an agreement by giving notice six months prior to the beginning of the next fiscal year, and the agreement shall terminate on the last day of the then current fiscal year. The terms of an agreement may be changed by mutual consent at any time. All funds received for the purposes of this section shall be deposited in the special equipment and apparatus fund of the county superintendent of schools authorized by Section 1250, and all expenditures made for the purposes of this section shall be made from that fund. The audiovisual curriculum materials, including equipment and apparatus, shall be available for use by the nonpublic institution of higher education, the governing board of any nonpublic school, a public agency, or a nonprofit organization pursuant to this section only when such materials, including equipment and apparatus, are not needed by the public schools or the county superintendent of schools. As used in this section, “nonpublic school” means a school that satisfies the requirements of Section 48222 and is exempt from taxation under Section 214 of the Revenue and Taxation Code.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1252. Section 1252.

The county superintendent of schools of any county may, with the approval of the State Compensation Insurance Fund, insure the liability for compensation of any school districts and community college districts in the territory under his or her jurisdiction, the governing boards of which consent thereto, with the State Compensation Insurance Fund under one policy or contract of insurance and pay the premium for the insurance from the county school service fund. Immediately following the payment of the final premium the county superintendent of schools shall transfer from the funds of each insured district to the county school service fund an amount which bears the same ratio to the premium as the payroll of each district bears to the total payroll of all the insured districts. Any dividends earned on the premiums paid under this section shall be credited to the individual districts in proportion to the amount of the premium charged to each district. The expenses of the county superintendent of schools incurred under this section shall be charged to and paid from the county school service fund, which fund shall be reimbursed for those expenses from the general funds of the school districts and community college districts on whose behalf the expenditures are incurred.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1253. Section 1253.

(a) Whenever any school district or community college district is situated partly within two or more counties, jurisdiction over it is, unless otherwise provided in this code, in the county superintendent of schools of the county in which the schoolhouse of the district is located, or, if there be a schoolhouse of the district in each of two or more counties, jurisdiction over the district is in the county superintendent of schools of the county in which the greatest area of the district lies. (b) Jurisdiction once established pursuant to subdivision (a) over a school district or community college district situated in two or more counties, shall not be changed, regardless of changes in the schoolhouse maintained by the district in the several counties or changes in the areas of the several counties included within the district, except by a majority of the votes cast by the electors within the district on the proposition for change of such jurisdiction submitted at election. (c) “Jurisdiction,” with respect to community college districts for the purposes of this section, means the responsibility or authority to provide services to community college districts.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1253.5. Section 1253.5.

(a) If a unified school district, described in subdivision (c), is subject to Section 1253, the county board of supervisors of each county wherein the district is situated may by agreement and pursuant to an appropriate resolution adopted by each board, permit the voters of the district who lie outside the county housing the county superintendent of schools who has jurisdiction of the district the right to participate in the election of such county superintendent of schools. (b) The county elections official of each county affected by the agreement described in subdivision (a) shall be responsible for the conduct of the election within his or her county. (c) The provisions of this section shall apply only to a unified school district which was formed on July 1, 1965, and that, as of the 1979–80 school year, maintained an enrollment of between 12,000 and 15,000 pupils.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1254. Section 1254.

The county superintendent of schools of the county in which the greatest part of the assessed valuation of any unified school district lies has jurisdiction over the unified school district for the purposes specified in this code.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1256. Section 1256.

The county superintendent of schools shall, when there is sufficient money in the fund of any school district to maintain a free school in the district for 175 days of actual teaching, if the trustees neglect or refuse to employ a teacher, appoint a teacher, and open and keep the school. The county superintendent of schools may draw a requisition upon the county auditor, who shall draw a warrant upon the fund of the district for the expense incurred.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1258. Section 1258.

Whenever by this code the county superintendent of schools is authorized or required to prepare for, hold, or conduct any election in or for any public school district the county superintendent may contract with the county elections official for the performance under the supervision of the county superintendent of any or all of the duties incident to the preparation for and holding of elections. The governing board of a school district may contract with the county elections official for the performance under the supervision of the governing board of any or all duties incident to the holding or conducting of an election in the district for the issuance and sale of bonds of the district pursuant to Section 15100.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1259. Section 1259.

The Director of Corrections may establish and maintain classes for inmates of institutions or facilities under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections by entering into an agreement with the county superintendent of schools of a county in which the institution or facility is located, or of a county contiguous to such county, with the approval of the county board of education, under which the county shall maintain classes for such inmates. Any agreement entered into between the county superintendent of schools and the Director of Corrections, pursuant to this section shall require the Department of Corrections to reimburse the county for the cost to the county of maintaining such classes. “Cost” as used herein includes contributions required to be made by the county superintendent to the State Teachers’ Retirement System, but such cost shall not include an amount in excess of the amount expended by the superintendent for salaries of the teachers for such classes, increased by one-fifth. Salaries of such teachers for the purposes of this section shall not exceed the salaries as set by the county superintendent for teachers in other classes for adults maintained by the county. Attendance or average daily attendance in classes established pursuant to this section shall not be reported to the State Department of Education or the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges for apportionment and no apportionment from the State School Fund shall be made on account of average daily attendance in such classes. No county superintendent of schools shall provide for the academic education of adult inmates of state institutions or facilities under the jurisdiction of the Department of Corrections except in accordance with this section.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1260. Section 1260.

The county superintendent of schools, with the approval of the county board of education, may: (a) Conduct studies through research and investigation as are determined by the county board to be required in connection with the future management, conditions, needs, and financial support of the schools within the county; or join with one or more school district or community college district governing boards in the conduct of the studies. (b) Install and maintain exhibits of educational programs and activities of the school districts and community college districts within the county at any county fair or at any agricultural district fair. (c) Inform and make known to the citizens of the county, the educational programs and activities of the school districts or community college districts in the territory within his or her jurisdiction. (d) Subscribe for membership in any society, association, or organization which has for its purpose the promotion and advancement of public or private education, subject to the same restrictions as are imposed by Section 35173 on governing boards of school districts respecting those subscriptions. (e) Provide in-service programs and coordinative services for any school or community college district governing board or governing board association in the territory under the jurisdiction of the county superintendent of schools.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1262. Section 1262.

Each county superintendent of schools is authorized upon request to provide consultative or coordinative services for school districts and community college districts in the territory under his or her jurisdiction which have established educational programs that are designed to meet the requirements of federal law for the receipt of federal funds for the support of the programs, and that are supported in whole or in part by federal funds. The services may be financed by the federal funds as may be provided.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1263. Section 1263.

It is the intent of the Legislature that certificated personnel serving in the public schools have a responsible understanding of the nature and range of physical, mental, and emotional disabilities of children and youth and of the major implications of such disabilities. In furtherance of this intent, county superintendents of schools are encouraged, in cooperation with school districts, community college districts and colleges and universities, to sponsor workshops or similar activities for certificated personnel to provide opportunities to gain or increase these understandings. It is not the intent of the Legislature that this section be interpreted as a requirement for the issuance or the renewal of any credential.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1266. Section 1266.

Whenever the county superintendent of schools of any county provides for the maintenance and repair of the property of any school districts under his or her jurisdiction that elect to take advantage of the provisions of Sections 1267 to 1270, inclusive, he or she shall, upon the request of the governing board of that district, transfer from the general fund of the district to the “school maintenance and repair fund” a sum not to exceed 1 percent of the amount apportioned from the State School Fund to the district during the fiscal year in which the governing board of the district notifies him or her of its election to take advantage of the provisions of Sections 1267 to 1270, inclusive.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1267. Section 1267.

Out of the school maintenance and repair fund the superintendent of schools of the county shall purchase materials, bill the district on supplies and equipment, and employ labor to maintain and repair school premises and property of the school districts, under his or her jurisdiction which have elected to take advantage of the provisions of this article, and shall deliver a memorandum in triplicate of the cost of the service on or about the first of each calendar month to the school district.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1268. Section 1268.

Upon receipt of the memorandum the governing board of the district shall draw an order on the funds of the district in favor of the county superintendent of schools in the amount of such cost and forward it with the duplicate and triplicate of the memorandum to the superintendent of schools who shall verify the cost and file the duplicate with the county auditor and the triplicate with the county treasurer. In lieu of the issuance of an order by the governing board of the district in payment of the supplies and equipment, the superintendent of schools of the county may transfer from the proper account of the school district to his or her school maintenance and repair fund a sum equal to the cost of the services as stated in the memorandum.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1269. Section 1269.

The superintendent of schools of the county may employ such extra help as is necessary to perform the labor for the maintenance and repair work, as well as to provide for the supervision and transportation of the labor together with the equipment and materials for the work. The cost price of the maintenance and repair services to any school district is the original cost thereof and in addition a sum sufficient to reimburse the county superintendent of schools for all supervision, transportation, equipment, and other expenses, but the sum added shall not in any case exceed 10 percent of the cost of labor and supplies.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1270. Section 1270.

The county superintendent of schools of any county may use schoolbuses to transport pupils attending schools or classes operated by the county superintendent pursuant to Article 15 (commencing with Section 1920) of Chapter 6 of this part, including adults attending special classes for adults designed to serve the educational needs of handicapped adults operated pursuant to Section 52570, and teachers or other employees employed by the county superintendent of schools, to and from school athletic contests or other school activities, or to and from fairs or expositions held in the state or in any adjoining state and in which the pupils participate actively or as spectators. The transportation may be provided on any day or days throughout the school year.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1270.1. Section 1270.1.

The county superintendent of schools may allow pupils entitled to attend the public schools under his jurisdiction, but in attendance at a school other than a public school under the provisions of Section 48222, transportation upon the same terms and in the same manner and over the same routes of travel as is permitted pupils attending the public schools. The authorization of this section shall be restricted to actual transportation when furnished by the county superintendent, and nothing in this section shall be construed to authorize or permit in lieu of transportation payments of money to parents or guardians of children attending private schools.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1271. Section 1271.

The county superintendent of schools may, with the approval of the county board of education, hold one trustees’ meeting in each year as follows: (a) One school trustee of each school district of the county shall attend the meeting and participate in its proceedings but more than one trustee of any district may attend if the board of trustees of that district so directs. (b) School trustees of each school district shall select the trustee or trustees who shall attend the meeting. (c) Each trustee selected to attend the meeting shall be allowed his or her actual traveling expenses for not to exceed one day incurred in going to and returning from the meeting. The expenses shall be verified by the county superintendent of schools. (d) The county superintendent shall notify each trustee of the county at least 10 days prior to calling of the trustees’ meeting of the time and place of the meeting. (e) Each session of the trustees’ meeting may be called at any hour on the day specified and may continue for that time as those meeting see fit. (f) The county superintendent shall draw his or her requisition on the county auditor who shall draw his or her warrant on the county school service fund to pay the expenses of holding the trustees’ meeting.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1273. Section 1273.

The county superintendent of schools, in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the county board of education, may provide for the reimbursement of any person or persons for the theft, destruction, or damage by arson, burglary or vandalism of personal property brought in to be used in the facilities of the county superintendent of schools. Reimbursement shall be made only when prior approval for the use of the facilities was given, and after the value of the damaged or stolen property is agreed upon by the persons or person bringing in the property and the administrator or representative of the administrator. This determination of value need take place only after the theft, destruction, or damage of the property. The county superintendent of schools may establish a maximum value of reimbursement which will be paid.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1274. Section 1274.

The county superintendent of schools may establish a fund or funds for losses, and payments, including, but not limited to, property of the county superintendent of schools, any liability, and workers’ compensation, in the county treasury for the purpose of covering the deductible amount under deductible types of insurance policies, losses or payments arising from self-insurance programs, or losses or payments due to noninsured perils. In the fund or funds shall be placed such sums, to be provided in the budget of the county superintendent of schools, as will create an amount which, together with investments made from the fund or funds, will be sufficient in the judgment of the county superintendent of schools to protect the county superintendent of schools from those losses or to provide for payments on the deductible amount under deductible types of insurance policies, losses or payments arising from self-insurance programs, or losses or payments due to noninsured perils. Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the county superintendent of schools from providing protection against those losses or liability for the payment of claims partly by means of the fund or funds and partly by means of insurance written by acceptable insurers. The fund or funds shall be considered as separate and apart from all other funds of the county superintendent of schools, and the balance therein shall not be considered as being part of the working cash of the county superintendent of schools in compiling annual budgets. Warrants may be drawn on, or transfers made from, the fund or funds so created only to reimburse or indemnify the county superintendent of schools for losses as herein specified, and for the payment of claims, administrative costs, related services, and to provide for deductible insurance amounts and purchase of excess insurance. The warrants or transfers shall be within the purpose of the fund or funds as established by the county superintendent of schools. The cash placed in the fund or funds may be invested and reinvested by the county treasurer, with the advice and consent of the county superintendent of schools, in securities which are legal investments for surplus county funds in this state. The income derived from the investments, together with interest earned on uninvested funds, shall be considered revenue of and be deposited in the fund. The cost of contracts or services authorized by this section are appropriate charges against the respective fund. The county superintendent of schools may contract for investigative, administrative, and claims adjustment services relating to claims. The contract may provide that the contracting firm may reject, settle, compromise, and approve claims against the county superintendent of schools, its officers or employees, within those limits and for those amounts as the county superintendent of schools may specify, and may provide that the contracting firm may execute and issue checks in payment of those claims, which checks shall be payable only from a trust account which may be established by the county superintendent of schools. Funds in the trust account established by the county superintendent of schools pursuant to the provisions of this section shall not exceed a sum sufficient as determined by the superintendent to provide for the settlement of claims for a 30-day period. The rejection or settlement and approval of a claim by the contracting firm in accordance with the terms of the contract shall have the same effect as would the rejection or settlement and approval of the claim by the county superintendent of schools. The contract may also provide that the contracting firm may employ legal counsel, subject to those terms and limitations as the county superintendent of schools may prescribe, to advise the contracting firm concerning the legality and advisability of rejecting, settling, compromising, and paying claims referred to the contracting firm by the county superintendent of schools for investigation and adjustment, or to represent the superintendent in litigation concerning the claims. The compensation and expenses of the attorney for services rendered to the county superintendent of schools shall be an appropriate charge against the appropriate fund. The contract provided for in this section may contain any other terms and conditions the county superintendent of schools may consider necessary or desirable to effectuate the superintendent’s self-insured programs. In lieu of, or in addition to, contracting for the services described in this section, the county superintendent of schools may authorize an employee or employees to perform any or all of the services and functions which the county superintendent of schools may contract for under the provisions of this section. As used in this section, “firm” includes a person, corporation, or other legal entity. A county superintendent of schools may participate in, or administer, insurance for one or more school or community college districts pursuant to this section, and Section 81602.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1275. Section 1275.

The county superintendent may arrange with a county purchasing agent for the purchase of standard school supplies and equipment in accordance with the regulations of the county board of education and the purchasing agent shall act in that capacity when so authorized.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1276. Section 1276.

The county superintendent of schools may contract with an acceptable party who is one of the three lowest responsible bidders for the lease, purchase, or maintenance of electronic data-processing systems and for the lease, purchase, or maintenance of supporting software.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1277. Section 1277.

The county superintendent of schools, with the approval of the county board of education and in accordance with rules prescribed by the board, may market or license any noneducational mainframe electronic data-processing software developed by that office to any person or any public or private corporation or agency. Proceeds from the marketing or licensing of noneducational mainframe electronic data-processing software under this section shall be used exclusively for educational purposes.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1278. Section 1278.

The superintendent of schools of each county may conduct teacher institutes on behalf of the school districts in the county.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1279. Section 1279.

(a) The county superintendent of schools shall not in any manner dispose of any item of personal property worth over twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) that belongs to the county office of education without meeting the following conditions: (1) Obtaining an independent valuation of the property. (2) Advertising the property for sale in a newspaper of general circulation within the district, or, if there is no newspaper of general circulation within the district, in any newspaper of general circulation that is regularly circulated in the district. The advertisement shall be published for a period of time in accordance with the policy of the county board of education. (3) Bringing the matter to the attention of the county board of education for its discussion at a regularly scheduled public meeting. (4) Obtaining the approval of the county board of education. (b) The county superintendent of schools shall not in any manner dispose of any personal property worth less than twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) that belongs to the county office of education unless he or she certifies the value of the property in a quarterly report and submits that report to the county board of education for its review.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1280. Section 1280.

If a revision in excess of twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) is proposed by the county superintendent of schools to the annual budget of the county superintendent of schools after the county board of education has adopted the budget, the revision shall be incorporated in the next interim financial report or other board report when the report is submitted to the county board of education for discussion and approval at a regularly scheduled public meeting of the county board of education.

Cal. Education Code - EDC § 1281. Section 1281.

(a) No county superintendent of schools may hire as a consultant any entity in which he or she has a financial interest. (b) If the county superintendent of schools enters into a consultant contract for twenty-five thousand dollars ($25,000) or more and the contract constitutes a budget revision, it shall be incorporated in the next interim financial report or other board report when the report is submitted to the county board of education for discussion and approval at a regularly scheduled public meeting of the county board of education.

Source: CA Legislative Counsel Bulk DataURL: https://downloads.leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/pubinfo_2025.zipFetched: 6/27/2026