California Proposition 28 • Arts & Music in Schools
More music.
More students.
More possibility.
Make your approved instrument budget go further with B.A.C. Work directly with the manufacturer to put high-quality, repairable instruments into more students’ hands.
For California band directors, arts leaders, and school purchasing teams.
The opportunity
What is
Proposition 28?
A lasting investment in arts education—and an opportunity to welcome more students into music.
Approved by California voters in 2022, Proposition 28 created the Arts and Music in Schools (AMS) Funding Guarantee and Accountability Act. It provides ongoing annual funding to expand arts learning in eligible public schools, including charter schools and qualifying public preschool programs.
Music is one part of this broader investment, alongside dance, theatre, visual arts, and media arts. Your school’s plan determines how instruments support that expanded instruction.
Sources: California Education Code §8820 · CDE FAQs
Approximately $1,060,951,000 is available for 2026–27. This is statewide arts funding; your school’s instrument budget is only the eligible portion approved locally.
The formula allocates 70% by enrollment and 30% by economically disadvantaged enrollment. School amounts vary.
CDE allocates funds automatically through local educational agencies (LEAs). Start with your district or charter school’s arts and business offices to confirm your allocation and available balance.
The B.A.C. difference
A shorter path from your budget to their first note.
Manufacturer→Your school.
Your musicians.
Why work directly with B.A.C.?
Give every instrument dollar
more work to do.
Traditional dealer markups add cost between the maker and the music room. Our factory-direct model removes that layer, bringing your program closer to the instruments, the expertise, and the people who support them.
Put more of your budget into instruments.
Receive a school quote built around your actual needs. Compare models, quantities, included equipment, and the total delivered cost to see what your budget can accomplish.
Think beyond the first purchase.
Repairability matters when an instrument will serve student after student. Talk with our team about care, service, warranty coverage, and the practical needs of your inventory.
Work with people who know your program.
Bring us your wish list, the gaps in your ensemble, and your timeline. We’ll help you explore instrument options that fit the players you teach and the program you want to build.
Who we are
Building a community
through music.
An instrument is an invitation—to belong, to create, and to discover what a student can do.
That belief drives B.A.C. Musical Instruments. From our Kansas City roots to the classrooms we serve nationwide, our mission is to make music more accessible through quality instruments, meaningful relationships, and support that lasts.
Founder Mike Corrigan’s background in instrument repair and craftsmanship shapes our commitment to instruments that can be maintained and played for years. Our Kansas City craftspeople handcraft professional trumpets and trombones, alongside a broader catalog serving student, intermediate, and advanced musicians.
Meet the mission behind the instruments →A program that keeps growing
Today’s investment.
Tomorrow’s musicians.
Proposition 28 can help expand opportunity now. We also help schools think about access beyond a single purchasing cycle.
Our family includes B.A.C. Musical Instruments, 825 Marching, RentMyInstrument, and Virtual Booster Club—connecting school purchasing, family rentals, and additional ways to support music programs.
Ask how eligible family rentals through Virtual Booster Club can generate reward credits for your school. This is a separate program with its own terms; it is not a Proposition 28 match or an automatic benefit of an AMS-funded purchase.
Explore Virtual Booster Club →Outfit the music you teach
From the first rehearsal
to the field.
Brass & woodwinds
Build access for beginning players and support developing ensembles with instruments selected for your students’ level and your instructional goals.
Explore B.A.C. instruments →Concert percussion
Plan the percussion resources your expanded music program needs, with a coordinated instrument list and a clear picture of your priorities.
Explore percussion →825 Marching
Explore marching brass, battery percussion, and front ensemble equipment for your school’s eligible music education plans.
Meet 825 Marching →Product availability does not establish funding eligibility. Your LEA must confirm that each proposed purchase supports its compliant arts education plan.
Before you build your instrument list
Know what your funds can do.
Instruction comes first.
For LEAs with 500 or more students, at least 80% of AMS expenditures must support certificated or classified employees providing arts instruction, unless CDE grants a waiver. The remainder may support training, supplies, materials, and arts partnerships.
Instruments may fit within eligible supplies and materials when they support expanded arts instruction. The remaining share is shared with other eligible costs—it is not an automatic instrument allowance.
Plan with your business office.
The staffing requirement applies to the LEA as a whole, not separately to every campus. LEAs below 500 students are exempt from that staffing percentage, but other AMS requirements still apply.
Confirm your school-site plan, available instrument budget, allocation year, purchasing process, and delivery timeline before placing an order.
Sources: CDE FAQs, including LEA requirements · CDE financial and audit guidance
A clear next step
Bring your goals.
We’ll help build the instrument plan.
What would help more students play?
Share your school, program needs, instrument list, approved budget or planning range, and target date. An early-stage wish list is welcome.
See what buying direct can change.
Discuss models, quantities, priorities, and availability with B.A.C. Request an itemized quote that makes the options easy to compare.
Move forward with clarity.
Review the quote with your purchasing team, confirm funding eligibility and approvals, and coordinate the order around your instructional timeline.
Questions from California schools
Proposition 28, made clearer.
Can we use Proposition 28 funding to buy instruments?
Potentially, when the instruments support expanded arts education and fit the applicable supplies-and-materials budget. Your LEA must review the purchase against its spending plan, staffing obligations, and procurement requirements. B.A.C. can help with instrument selection and quotes; funding approval stays with your LEA.
How long do we have to use an allocation?
Each allocation is available for up to three fiscal years. CDE’s example gives the 2023–24 allocation a June 30, 2026 spending deadline, with unspent funds reportable by October 1, 2026. Check the specific allocation year with your business office; a new annual allocation does not restart an older allocation’s clock.
Can a small campus spend more on instruments?
Campus size alone does not determine the staffing exemption. The relevant enrollment is the entire LEA. A school with fewer than 500 students within a larger district still falls under that district’s overall compliance requirements.
What if our LEA needs a staffing waiver?
CDE considers LEA requests for good cause. Requests are allocation-specific and submitted through the AMS Portal. Approval is not automatic. Coordinate with your LEA and current CDE guidance before budgeting on the assumption that a waiver will be granted.
Do we need a finished list before contacting B.A.C.?
No. Start with the students you want to serve and the gaps you want to address. We can discuss options while you confirm your budget, and prepare a quote when your purchasing team is ready.
What should we compare beyond the price?
Compare instrument specifications, quantities, cases and accessories, shipping, taxes, availability, warranty terms, repair support, and the total delivered cost. The right comparison shows what your program receives and how it will support students over time.
Funding answers draw on CDE FAQs and financial and audit guidance. Reviewed September 10, 2026.
Let’s make more music possible
What could your
instrument budget become?
Tell us what your program needs. We’ll help you explore how working directly with B.A.C. can turn your approved funds into more musical opportunity.
Start with a conversation or send your instrument list for a quote. You don’t need every answer to take the first step.
Talk with our school team.
Helpful details to include:
- Your name, school or district, and California city
- Instrument needs and approximate quantities
- Approved budget or planning range, if known
- Your purchasing timeline and questions
Institutional sales: mickey@bacmusic.com
Call (816) 945-9133
Go straight to the source.
General planning information, reviewed September 10, 2026. B.A.C. is an instrument manufacturer, not a state agency or funding administrator. Your LEA is responsible for expenditure eligibility, compliance, and purchasing approvals. Consult current CDE guidance for official requirements.