Staff
Sara Cortez
(916) 319-8348
Special Education, Preschool, and Child Nutrition
Kenneth Kapphahn
(916) 319-8339
Proposition 98, School District Budgets, School Transportation
Lisa Qing
(916) 319-8306
California Community Colleges
Michael Alferes
(916) 319-8338
Local Control Funding Formula, Charter Schools, Alternative Schools, High School Career Technical Education
Ian Klein
(916) 319-8336
University of California; College of the Law, San Francisco; California State Library
Natalie Gonzalez
(916) 319-8362
California State University, Student Financial Aid
Edgar Cabral
(916) 319-8343
Deputy Legislative Analyst: K-12 Education
Jennifer Pacella
(916) 319-8332
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Higher Education


Publications

Education

To browse all LAO publications, visit our Publications page.



Handout

The State’s Role in Physical Education

September 27, 2024 - Presented to: Senate Committee on Education


Post

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Child Care and State Preschool

September 26, 2024 - This post summarizes the state’s 2024-25 spending package for child care and state preschool.


Post

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Proposition 98 and K-12 Education

September 16, 2024 - This post summarizes Proposition 98 funding and K-12 education spending in the 2024-25 budget package.


Post

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Higher Education

September 11, 2024 - This post summarizes the state’s 2024-25 spending package for higher education. It is part of our Spending Plan series. In this post, we provide a short overview of the state’s higher education spending package, then cover spending for the California Community Colleges (CCC), California State University (CSU), University of California (UC), student financial aid, and California State Library. The EdBudget part of our website contains many tables providing more detail about the 2024-25 education budget.


Report

Assessing Community College Programs at State Prisons

July 1, 2024 - Due to legislation enacted a decade ago, the availability of postsecondary courses at state prisons has expanded significantly. In this report, we focus on California Community College programs at state prisons. After providing background on these programs, we cover trends in student outcomes and explain how these programs are funded. We then assess the strengths and weaknesses of these programs and make several recommendations aimed at improving them.


Handout

The 2024-25 Budget: Proposition 98 and K-12 Funding in the May Revision

May 16, 2024 - Proposition 98 and K-12 Funding in the May Revision


Brief

Trends in Higher Education: Finance

May 9, 2024 - This brief is the fourth of a six-part series covering higher education trends in California. The fourth brief focuses on higher education finance and how it has changed over the past few decades. The brief also raises key issues for the Legislature to consider as it makes related policy and budget decisions.


Brief

Update on Student Housing Assistance

May 7, 2024 - This brief provides background on student housing insecurity at the higher education segments, provides an implementation update on the housing assistance provided through the segments’ rapid rehousing and basic needs programs, and recommends changes to statutory reporting requirements for these programs.


Brief

Trends in Higher Education: Student Outcomes

April 18, 2024 - This brief is the third of a six-part series covering higher education trends in California. The third brief focuses on student outcomes and how they have changed over the past few decades. The brief also raises key issues for the Legislature to consider as it makes related policy and budget decisions.


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: State Preschool

April 16, 2024 - This post analyzes 2024-25 Governor’s budget proposal related to State Preschool.


Brief

Trends in Higher Education: College Affordability

March 14, 2024 - This brief is the second of a six-part series covering higher education trends in California. The second brief focuses on college affordability. It covers changes in cost of attendance and student financial aid over the past few decades.


Brief

Increasing Transparency of County Office of Education Spending

March 14, 2024 - This report, prepared at the request of the Legislature, makes recommendations primarily intended to increase transparency of operations and activities at county offices of education.


Post

The 2024-25 Budget: California State Library

March 13, 2024 - This post analyzes the Governor’s January budget proposals for the State Library. The post first provides background on the State Library, then provides an update on the implementation of recent local assistance initiatives. Next, it discusses the Governor’s budget proposals and concludes by providing associated recommendations.


Brief

The 2024-25 Budget: College of the Law, San Francisco

March 5, 2024 - This brief analyzes the Governor’s January budget proposal for the College of the Law, San Francisco (CLSF). The brief first provides background on the law school. It then describes the Governor’s budget proposal and the school’s corresponding plans for 2024‑25. The brief concludes by providing an associated recommendation.


Report

Review of the Funding Determination Process for Nonclassroom-Based Charter Schools

February 29, 2024 - In this report, we analyze the funding determination process for nonclassroom-based charter schools and make recommendations to improve the process. In addition, we highlight several key issues related to oversight of charter schools and provide recommendations for the Legislature to consider. This report is in response to a request of the Legislature. Chapter 48 of 2023 (SB 114, Committee on Budget and Fiscal Review) required the Legislative Analyst’s Office and the Fiscal Crisis and Management Assistance Team to identify and make recommendations to improve the funding determination process for nonclassroom-based charter schools, including recommendations for enhancing oversight and reducing fraud, waste, and abuse.

Update (3/1/24): Figure 6 updated to correct number of districts that are between one and ten times the district's ADA.