CA Proposition 28: Arts & Music in Schools — What You Need to Know

What is Prop 28?

California’s Arts & Music in Schools (AMS) Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act — Proposition 28 — creates an ongoing, annual funding stream for arts education in public schools. Each year, around $1 billion is set aside and allocated to local educational agencies (districts, charter schools, county offices of education) for arts learning. Eighty percent must be spent on credentialed teachers, and the remaining 20 percent may support training, supplies/materials, and partnerships with community arts organizations.

Why it’s important

This dedicated investment strengthens the entire arts education ecosystem, ensuring that creativity is recognized as a core part of student success. It builds lasting capacity in schools, supports teachers and teaching artists, and opens doors for community partners to share their expertise where it’s needed most. Why it matters:

  • For students & families: More consistent and equitable access to music, visual art, dance, theatre, and media arts—tied to engagement, belonging, and creativity.
  • For schools: Dedicated, protected annual funds arrive. Allocations are calculated at the school-site level based on enrollment and economically disadvantaged pupils, then disbursed to each school by the district. Each annual allocation is available for up to three fiscal years.
  • For arts organizations: Districts can use a portion of funds for arts educational partnership programs (e.g., assemblies, field trips, residencies, workshops), opening pathways for local providers.

What We’re Doing — ArtsEdPro at SVCREATES

SVCREATES, through ArtsEdPro, is piloting an intermediary model to help schools and community arts providers use Prop 28 efficiently and equitably. Our pilot was developed through a collaborative process advised by over a dozen arts organizations, multiple local public school leaders, our colleagues in arts education around the state, and in partnership with the Santa Clara County Office of Education. In the 2025-2026 school year we are currently running an assemblies pilot with 30 schools in two local districts, featuring a growing catalogue of arts programming from local community arts organizations. Our initial focus is in the foundational aspects of what will build solid working partnerships. 

  • Matchmaking & vetting: Connect districts with a curated provider network to meet student engagement and equity goals.
  • Alignment & planning: Support LCAP-aligned program choices and clear site plans.
  • Lightweight systems: Shared scheduling, contracting guidance, and compliance supports (e.g., insurance, fingerprinting).
  • Capacity building: Pricing models, teaching-artist pipelines, and practical evaluation tools.

More Tools: Navigating Prop 28

As a School
  • Confirm your allocation and priorities (student engagement, school climate, culturally responsive learning). Use staged approaches (assemblies → short residencies → longer programs).
  • Balance staffing & partners: Plan for the 80% instructional staffing requirement and use the remaining funds for community partnerships, materials, and training. 
  • Partner through ArtsEdPro: Gain access to arts programming through a growing number of community arts organizations.
As an Arts Organization
  • Make your value obvious: Align offerings to district goals and standards (e.g., engagement, attendance, culturally responsive learning; media arts and cross-disciplinary ties). 
  • Be ‘Prop 28-ready’: Clear pricing, scope, and logistics (insurance/fingerprinting) that fit site budgets and schedules.
  • Partner through ArtsEdPro: Join the growing catalogue of offerings to expand your reach and impact, while building awareness of your programs to schools and districts.

Valuable Links 

  • Create CA — Planning Toolkit & explainer resources: “Prop 28 Planning Toolkit” and “Prop 28: What We Know (So Far).” Create CA
  • SCCOE — Artspiration (county resources; site allocation link): Artspiration (includes Prop 28 info and Santa Clara County site allocations link). Santa Clara County Office of Education
  • CDE — Prop 28 Program Hub (Funding, Portal, Webinars, FAQs): “Proposition 28—Arts and Music in Schools Funding.” California Department of Education
  • CDE — Prop 28 FAQs (allowable uses, reporting, waivers, timelines): “Proposition 28—Arts and Music in Schools FAQs.” California Department of Education
  • CDE — Financial & Audit Requirements (80/20, 1% admin, 3-year spend): “Proposition 28—AMS Financial & Audit Requirements.” California Department of Education
  • CDE — Funding Results (by year; apportionment details): “Proposition 28: Arts and Music in Schools Program.” California Department of Education

For more information about Prop 28, SVCREATES’ ArtsEdPro Pilot or what you can do, please contact Sonja Wohlgemuth, Project Director, ArtsEdPro.