January 29, 2002
Dear Attorney General Lockyer:
Pursuant to Elections Code Section 9005, we have reviewed the proposed initiative relating to the Correctional Education Board (File No. SA2001RF0049, Amdt. #1-S).
The proposed initiative would establish the Correctional Education Board within the California Department of Corrections (CDC) to manage prison education programs. The board, comprised of 15 representatives from various academic and nonacademic institutions, would be responsible for ensuring that prison education programs meet certain minimum standards. The measure also requires the board to provide every inmate with the opportunity to achieve functional literacy, the equivalent of a high school education, and college-level academic programs for some. The measure further requires that inmates have improved access to vocational training programs.
The proposed measure would authorize the board to approve education plans, adopt rules and regulations, enter into agreements with public or private entities for the provision of education programs, prepare the budget, and authorize and allocate funds for education programs administered by CDC. The board would be required to develop a five-year comprehensive plan for a unified correctional school system by June 1, 2006.
This initiative requires that every inmate, who has an expectation of release and the learning ability, be provided certain educational services. This would result in the need for additional staff—primarily teachers—and additional classroom space. The CDC estimates they would need approximately 2,600 additional teachers, which would cost about $200 million annually. The one-time capital outlay costs associated with providing additional classroom space is unknown, but potentially up to several hundreds of millions of dollars depending on the siting and the types of classroom facilities required. There would be minor additional state costs for the expenses of the board. The measure would not result in costs to local government.
To the extent that enhanced prison education programs reduce the likelihood that an inmate will return to prison upon being released, the state cost of this measure could potentially be partially offset by unknown incarceration savings.
The proposed measure would result in ongoing state costs of approximately $200 million annually for additional teaching staff, and unknown one-time capital outlay costs potentially up to several hundreds of millions of dollars for additional classroom space. There would also be minor state costs for the expenses of the board. These costs could potentially be partially offset by unknown incarceration savings.