Prop 28 has created a major opportunity for California schools to expand access to arts and music education. But for school administrators, successful implementation starts long before the first class begins.
Before the school year starts, school leaders need a clear plan for staffing, scheduling, student access, materials, documentation, and program outcomes. Without those pieces in place, Prop 28 funding can become difficult to use effectively, especially for schools trying to launch or expand music programs across multiple grade levels or sites.
A strong Prop 28 plan helps administrators avoid rushed hiring, scheduling conflicts, incomplete documentation, and inconsistent student experiences.
Below is a practical Prop 28 planning checklist for school leaders preparing for the new school year.
1. Confirm Your School’s Prop 28 Funding Allocation
The first step is understanding how much funding is available and how it is allocated across school sites.
Prop 28 funding is distributed to local educational agencies and calculated at the school site level. The California Department of Education publishes funding information and provides guidance related to apportionment, reporting, and audit requirements.
Before the school year begins, administrators should confirm:
- The school or district’s Prop 28 allocation
- Whether funds are being planned at the district level, site level, or both
- Which school sites will receive programming
- How much funding is available for staffing, materials, training, and partnerships
- Any district-specific approval steps or spending deadlines
- Internal processes for purchase orders, contracts, and vendor approvals
This gives administrators a clear starting point before making program decisions.
2. Define the Program Goals
Before hiring instructors or purchasing materials, schools should clarify what they want the Prop 28 program to accomplish.
Some schools may want to introduce general music instruction. Others may want to expand instrumental music, choir, percussion, mariachi, guitar, keyboard, music production, or performance-based enrichment.
Administrators should ask:
- What grade levels will the program serve?
- Will the program support beginners, intermediate students, or mixed skill levels?
- Is the goal exposure, skill-building, performance, enrichment, or a longer-term music pathway?
- Will the program happen during the school day, after school, or both?
- Will students have opportunities to perform or showcase their learning?
- How will the program support school culture, student engagement, and belonging?
Clear goals make it easier to choose the right instructors, schedule, materials, and program model.
3. Build a Staffing Plan Early
One of the biggest challenges with Prop 28 implementation is staffing.
Schools should not wait until the beginning of the school year to figure out who will teach the program. Qualified music instructors, arts educators, and enrichment providers can book up quickly, especially when multiple districts are trying to expand arts programs at the same time.
Before the school year starts, administrators should determine:
- Whether the school will hire internal staff or work with an outside provider
- What qualifications or experience instructors need
- Whether instructors can support the desired grade levels and class sizes
- Whether the program requires qualified music instructors, classified staff, contractors, or a provider model
- How substitute coverage or instructor absences will be handled
- Who will supervise or coordinate the program at the school site
- How communication will work between instructors, administrators, and support staff
A strong staffing plan helps prevent disruptions once the program begins.
4. Decide Whether You Need a Turnkey Program Partner
For some schools, hiring individual instructors may work well. For others, especially those launching new programs or managing multiple sites, a turnkey music education partner may be more practical.
A program partner can often help with:
- Instructor staffing
- Curriculum planning
- Scheduling support
- Materials recommendations
- Student engagement strategies
- Performance preparation
- Multi-site coordination
- Program documentation
- Communication with school teams
This can reduce the administrative burden on principals, expanded learning teams, and district staff.
When evaluating a partner, school leaders should ask whether the organization has experience working in school environments, understands student supervision expectations, and can deliver consistent programming throughout the year.
5. Create a Schedule Before the Year Begins
Scheduling should be handled early because music programs need time, space, and consistency.
Administrators should decide whether the program will take place during the instructional day, after school, during expanded learning time, or as part of enrichment blocks.
Before finalizing the schedule, consider:
- Bell schedules
- Minimum days
- Testing windows
- Classroom availability
- Multi-purpose room or performance space availability
- Grade-level rotations
- After-school program schedules
- Student pickup and supervision
- Instructor travel time between sites
- Instrument setup and cleanup time
Music instruction works best when students have consistent access. A predictable schedule helps students build skills over time and helps instructors plan meaningful lessons.
6. Identify Space and Equipment Needs
A successful music program needs the right environment.
Before the school year starts, administrators should identify where instruction will happen and what materials are needed.
Depending on the program, schools may need:
- Instruments
- Music stands
- Keyboards
- Percussion equipment
- Storage space
- Audio equipment
- Chairs or risers
- Classroom space
- Outdoor practice space
- Performance space
- Cleaning and maintenance supplies
- Printed or digital lesson materials
Schools should also plan for how equipment will be stored, shared, maintained, and tracked.
If instruments or materials are not available before the program begins, instruction may be delayed or limited. Planning early helps prevent unnecessary setbacks.
7. Prepare Documentation and Reporting Systems
Prop 28 funds come with accountability expectations, so schools should plan documentation from the beginning.
The California Department of Education notes that Prop 28 funds are subject to reporting and audit processes, and LEAs are expected to track how funds are used.
Administrators should have a system for documenting:
- Program schedules
- Instructor assignments
- Student participation
- Lesson topics or curriculum focus
- Materials purchased
- Staff time or services provided
- Performances or showcases
- Site-level implementation notes
- Program outcomes
- Invoices, contracts, or purchase records
Strong documentation makes reporting easier and helps school leaders demonstrate how Prop 28 funds are supporting student access to arts and music education.
8. Align the Program With Student Access and Equity
Prop 28 planning should include a clear student access strategy.
Administrators should consider which students will participate, how students will be invited or enrolled, and whether the program is accessible across grade levels, campuses, and student groups.
Questions to ask include:
- Will all students have access, or will the program serve specific grade levels?
- Will participation require sign-ups, referrals, rotations, or open enrollment?
- Are beginner students able to participate?
- Are instruments or materials provided?
- Are there barriers related to transportation, cost, language, or schedule?
- How will the school encourage students who may not already see themselves as “musical”?
- How will families learn about the program?
The strongest Prop 28 programs are not only available to students who already have music experience. They create access for students who may be discovering music for the first time.
9. Plan for Family and Community Engagement
Music programs are powerful because they create visible moments of student growth.
Before the school year starts, schools should think about how students will share what they are learning with families and the broader school community.
This could include:
- Classroom showcases
- School assemblies
- Family nights
- Community performances
- Cultural celebrations
- End-of-semester performances
- Student demonstrations
- Video or photo highlights, when approved
Performance opportunities help students build confidence and give families a meaningful way to connect with the school.
They also help administrators show the impact of arts and music education in a way that is easy for families, district leaders, and community partners to understand.
10. Connect Prop 28 With Other School Priorities
Prop 28 music programs can support more than arts access.
A well-designed music program can also support student engagement, social-emotional learning, school connectedness, attendance motivation, teamwork, and confidence.
Administrators may want to connect Prop 28 planning with broader school goals such as:
- Expanded learning
- ELOP programming
- Student enrichment
- School climate
- Family engagement
- Attendance improvement
- Cultural celebration
- Whole-child learning
- Student leadership
- College and career readiness
When Prop 28 programs are connected to broader school priorities, they become easier to sustain and easier to communicate.
11. Review Compliance and Spending Requirements
Before the school year begins, administrators should review the latest Prop 28 guidance from the California Department of Education and any district-level requirements.
Important areas to review may include:
- Allowable uses of funds
- Staffing requirements
- Reporting expectations
- Annual audit considerations
- Supplement-not-supplant requirements
- Expenditure timelines
- Site-level planning expectations
- Documentation needed for compliance
Because requirements and guidance may be updated, administrators should rely on official CDE resources and district business office guidance when making final decisions.
12. Create a Yearlong Implementation Timeline
A Prop 28 program should not be planned one month at a time.
Before school starts, administrators should map out the full year as much as possible.
A simple planning timeline may include:
Before School Starts
- Confirm funding
- Choose program model
- Hire instructors or select provider
- Finalize schedule
- Identify space and materials
- Set documentation process
- Communicate program plan to staff
First Month of School
- Launch classes
- Confirm student rosters
- Track attendance or participation
- Adjust schedule if needed
- Communicate with families
Mid-Year
- Review student engagement
- Check documentation
- Plan showcase or performance
- Review staffing consistency
- Adjust programming based on student needs
End of Year
- Hold final showcase or student demonstration
- Collect program highlights
- Review outcomes
- Organize documentation
- Plan improvements for the following year
A timeline helps administrators move from reactive planning to strategic implementation.
Prop 28 Planning Checklist for Administrators
Before the school year starts, school leaders should have the following in place:
- Confirmed Prop 28 funding allocation
- Clear program goals
- Staffing or provider plan
- Grade levels and student groups identified
- Program schedule
- Instructional space
- Instrument and material needs
- Documentation system
- Compliance review process
- Family communication plan
- Performance or showcase plan
- Yearlong implementation timeline
- Point person for program coordination
- Process for evaluating program success
Having these items in place can help schools launch stronger, more consistent music programs from the beginning of the year.
Need Support Planning Your Prop 28 Music Program?
After School Music Academy partners with California schools and districts to provide structured, school-based music programs that support Prop 28, ELOP, and student enrichment goals.
Our team helps schools plan and deliver engaging music programs with qualified instructors, age-appropriate curriculum, scheduling support, performance opportunities, and a turnkey approach designed for school communities.
Whether your school is launching a new music program or expanding an existing one, ASMA can help create a program that is organized, student-centered, and ready for the school year.
Contact After School Music Academy to start planning a Prop 28 music program for your school or district.