Education

Update on Changes to School Accountability System

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February 15, 2017 - Presented to Senate Education Committee and Assembly Education Committee

The 2017-18 Budget: County Offices of Education and The Minimum State Aid Provision

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February 10, 2017 - Our 2016-17 Proposition 98 Education Analysis provided an in-depth analysis of the county office of education “minimum state aid” provision. In this analysis, we provide an update on the escalating cost of the provision and recommend the Legislature repeal the provision.

The 2017-18 Budget: Proposition 98 Education Analysis

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February 9, 2017 - An analysis of the Governor’s overall 2017-18 Proposition 98 budget package as well as his specific spending proposals for K‑12 education, including a summary of our recommendations.

Overview of School Facilities Program

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February 8, 2017 - Presented to: Assembly Committee on Education

Volatility of the Personal Income Tax Base

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February 8, 2017 - From 1990 to 2014, personal income in California grew fairly consistently, with limited volatility. On the other hand, California's personal income tax (PIT) base was much more volatile. This is because (1) some of the more stable pieces of personal income are not taxed under California's PIT and (2) the PIT tax base includes capital gains, which are extremely volatile and are not counted as part of personal income in federal statistics. This brief examines the volatility of the PIT tax base, one important element of the PIT's overall volatility in California. (This brief does not focus on other reasons for PIT volatility, such as California's PIT rate structure, in which high-income Californians pay a bigger fraction of their income than lower- and middle-income Californians.)

Re-Envisioning County Offices of Education: A Study of Their Mission and Funding

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February 6, 2017 - In 2013-14, the state created the Local Control Funding Formula (LCFF) for county offices of education (COEs). With this funding, COEs are required to (1) provide alternative education to certain at-risk students and (2) oversee school districts’ budgets and academic plans. COEs may use any funding available after completing these tasks on optional activities that reflect their own priorities. We have concerns that providing funding directly to COEs for alternative education and optional activities detaches school districts from the decision making process of how to best serve their students. To address these concerns, we recommend the Legislature shift that funding to districts and allow them to contract with COEs (or other providers) for services. Because oversight of school districts’ budgets and academic plans likely is both more effective and efficient when performed at the regional rather than state level, we recommend the Legislature fund COEs directly for these activities. Because our recommendations signify major changes in the way the state funds COEs, we recommend the Legislature phase in the new funding model over several years.

(2/17/17 -- Corrected district services funding for district in county on figure 5.)

Creating a Debt Free College Program

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January 31, 2017 - The Supplemental Report of the 2016-17 Budget Act directs our office to estimate the cost of a new state financial aid program intended to eliminate the need for students to take on college debt. We estimate such a program for resident undergraduate students attending public colleges in California would cost $3.3 billion annually, on top of all existing gift aid. Adding certain eligibility requirements to the program could reduce these costs notably. For several reasons, the new program likely would reduce but not eliminate student loan debt. Additionally, the new program could create behavioral changes not factored into our estimate.

Assessing UC and CSU Enrollment and Capacity

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January 19, 2017 - Chapter 22 of 2015 (SB 81, Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review) requires our office to assess whether the state should construct new University of California (UC) or California State University (CSU) campuses, taking a statewide perspective for UC and a regional perspective for CSU. In making our assessment, the legislation requires our office to consider a variety factors, including enrollment demand and capacity. We project university enrollment over the next eight years based on existing state policy and growth in the state's public high school graduates. In 2024-25, we project UC will enroll 11,000 more resident students (5 percent) than in 2016-17. We find the system could accommodate at least triple that amount of growth by increasing use of its existing facilities and constructing new facilities according to its already developed long-range plans. We project CSU enrollment in 11 regions across the state, with projected growth totaling 15,000 students (a 4 percent increase) in 2024-25 over 2016-17 levels. We find the system could accommodate more than 200,000 additional students by increasing use of its existing facilities and constructing new facilities according to already developed long-range plans. Given UC and every CSU region could accommodate projected enrollment through current or planned capacity, we conclude that new campuses are not warranted at this time.

A Historical Review of Proposition 98

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January 18, 2017 - Approved by the voters in 1988, Proposition 98 established certain formulas for calculating a minimum annual funding level for K-14 education. The state commonly refers to this level as the minimum guarantee. This report reviews the state’s more-than-quarter-century experience with Proposition 98.

The 2017-18 Budget: Overview of the Governor’s Proposition 98 Budget Package

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January 13, 2017 - On January 10, 2017, the Governor presented his Proposition 98 budget package to the Legislature. In this post, we provide an overview and initial assessment of the package.

EdBudget Tables (January 2017)

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January 13, 2017 - At key times during the state's budget cycle, we post tables containing important information about the education parts of the budget. This initial January posting reflects the 2017-18 Governor's Budget proposals. The tables cover Proposition 98, K-12 education, child care and preschool, higher education, and student financial aid. We will publish additional tables as we have them available.

Evaluation of CSU's Doctor of Nursing Practice Pilot Program

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January 5, 2017 - To increase capacity in its nursing programs during the nursing shortage in the late 1990's, the California State University (CSU) cited a need to increase the number of nursing faculty holding a doctoral degree (required for tenured/tenure-track positions) and expressed interest in establishing its own Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program to prepare such faculty. In response, the state enacted Chapter 416 of 2010 which temporarily allows CSU to offer an independent DNP on a pilot basis. Related legislation requires our office to evaluate the pilot program and make a recommendation regarding its extension. For a variety of reasons, we recommend the Legislature allow the CSU DNP pilot to sunset.

California Community Colleges: Evaluation of Intersession Extension Pilot Program

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December 14, 2016 - During the state's last fiscal downturn, reductions to community college funding resulted in many students being unable to access taxpayer-subsidized courses. As a response, the state enacted Chapter 710 of 2013 (AB 955, Williams), which permitted select colleges to offer, on a pilot basis, fully fee-supported credit-bearing courses during winter and summer intersessions. Long Beach City College (LBCC)—the sole participant in the pilot—offered eight Chapter 710 courses in 2014, enrolling nearly 200 students. Our review finds that students who took these courses generally mirrored the broader LBCC student population. We also find that student outcomes for these courses were comparable to or better than outcomes for taxpayer-subsidized courses. Although the pilot was small, the results suggest that fully fee-supported intersession programs could serve as one viable means for colleges to maintain or expand access during tight budget times. Based on these encouraging results, we recommend the Legislature extend Chapter 710's sunset date and open up the program to any community college that meets specified criteria.

California's Fiscal Outlook: CSBA Presentation

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December 5, 2016 - Presented to: California School Boards Association

California's Fiscal Outlook (CASBO Presentation)

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November 17, 2016 - Presented to: California Association of School Business Officials