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California's Education System:
A 2019 Guide

Staff
Sara Cortez
(916) 319-8348
Special Education, Preschool, Child Nutrition, and Facilities
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) 319-8320
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.

Brief

The 2025‑26 Budget: Fiscal Outlook for Schools and Community Colleges

November 20, 2024 - In this report, we provide our estimates of the guarantee and analyze the implications for school and community college budgeting.

Report

UC Merced at 20: Campus Developments and Key State-Level Takeaways

November 7, 2024 - Beginning operations 20 years ago, the University of California (UC) Merced has grown to a campus of approximately 9,100 students and 2,500 faculty, staff, and student employees. In this report, we explore major campus developments related to UC Merced's enrollment, student outcomes, faculty and staff, facilities, and finance. We then assess the extent to which UC Merced has fulfilled certain key objectives, including raising educational and economic outcomes in the San Joaquin Valley. We conclude the report by identifying key state-level takeaways from the UC Merced experience that could help inform the Legislature as it undertakes future higher education planning.

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.