54140-54145
EDUCATION CODE
SECTION 54140-54145
54140. Allowances under this article shall be made by the Superintendent of Public Instruction in accordance with a system of priorities that he or she shall by rule and regulation adopt, designed to carry out the intent and purpose of the Legislature stated in Section 54101. The system shall be designed to give priority to districts in the following order: (a) First, to insure that the districts participating in the program during the preceding school year, which continue to be eligible, will not be required to reduce programs below the level of the preceding year. (b) Second, to insure that applications for new programs in eligible schools be considered on a priority basis in terms of the percentage of pupils having reading difficulties and the financial ability of the district to provide special instructional assistance. 54141. The allowance for salaries of reading specialists to each district shall be computed by multiplying the number of reading specialists employed by the district by an amount equivalent to the statewide average salary, as determined by the Superintendent of Public Instruction, paid elementary teachers during the preceding fiscal year plus a sum of two hundred fifty dollars ($250) per teacher. The salary allowance so computed shall not be more than the actual salary paid by the district for the services of the reading specialist. 54142. Any school district which receives allowances for programs authorized pursuant to this article may utilize the allowances in kindergarten or any of grades 1 through 6. However, in order to carry out the intent of the Miller-Unruh reading program as a supplementary specialized preventive and corrective program, the reading specialist shall first fully service pupils enrolled in kindergarten and grades 1 through 3 prior to serving pupils in grades 4 through 6, as provided in Section 54123. 54145. Allowances under this article shall be made by the Superintendent of Public Instruction from funds appropriated therefor by the Legislature. The superintendent shall make no allowances in any year in excess of the amount appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of this chapter.