Education

EdBudget Tables (May 2016)

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May 17, 2016 - At key times during the state’s budget cycle, we post tables containing important information about the education parts of the budget. This May posting reflects the 2016-17 May Revision proposals. The tables cover Proposition 98, K-12 education, child care and preschool, higher education, and student financial aid.

Overview of May Revision Proposals For Higher Education

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May 16, 2016 - Notable new higher education proposals in the May Revision include a $75 million increase for community college general purpose apportionments, a $26 million increase for two initiatives to improve California State University (CSU) graduation rates, and a $4 million increase to expand the University of California’s (UC’s) online A-G course offerings. We recommend adopting the proposal for community college apportionments in order to provide colleges with more flexible funding. We recommend rejecting the Governor’s proposals for UC and CSU, largely due to insufficient information about why the funding increases are needed. In this report, we also assess and make recommendations on various other higher education May Revision proposals.

The 2016-17 Budget: Analysis of the Proposition 98 May Revision Budget Package

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May 16, 2016 - In this brief, we analyze the Governor’s Proposition 98 May Revision budget package. In the first section, we focus on changes in the overall Proposition 98 funding level under the May Revision compared to the Governor’s January budget. In the next three sections, we describe and assess the major changes in specific Proposition 98 proposals for K-12 education, early education, and the California Community Colleges (CCC), respectively.

Teacher Workforce Trends

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April 26, 2016 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance

State Budget Update (CASBO Presentation)

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April 14, 2016 - Presented to: California Association of School Business Officers

The 2016-17 Budget: Analysis of Child Care and Preschool Proposals

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April 12, 2016 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance

The 2015-16 Budget: California Community Colleges

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April 7, 2016 - Presented to Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education

Options for Modifying the State Child Care Tax Credit

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April 7, 2016 - The Child and Dependent Care Expenses Credit (“child care tax credit” or “credit”) is a provision of the state income tax code that allows filers with income below $100,000 to reduce their tax liability by a percentage of their eligible child care expenses. The 2015–16 Budget Act required our office to prepare a report providing options to extend the credit to low– and middle–income families not currently receiving child care subsidies. This report provides an analysis of the costs, benefits, and trade–offs associated with these options.

A Required Report on Student Fee Transparency and Accountability

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April 6, 2016 -

Chapter 620 of 2012 (AB 970, Fong) requires the University of California (UC) and the California State University (CSU) to fulfill the following three requirements related to systemwide tuition and fee increases:

• Tuition and Fee Policies. The legislation requires UC and CSU to develop a list of factors to consider when recommending an increase in mandatory systemwide tuition and fees for resident students.
• Notification and Consultation Procedures. The legislation requires UC and CSU to follow prescribed public notice and student consultation procedures before adopting an increase.
• Reporting Provisions. The legislation requires UC and CSU to provide the Legislature with annual reports on tuition and fees, financial aid, and the total cost of attendance. In addition, the legislation requires our office to report on UC’s and CSU’s compliance with Chapter 620.

As detailed below, our review found UC was not in compliance with several provisions of Chapter 620. Though the legislation deems its provisions to be required for UC, UC believes it is not legally obligated to comply because of its constitutional autonomy. We found CSU complied with all Chapter 620 provisions except for one reporting requirement.

The 2015-16 Budget: California Community Colleges

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April 5, 2016 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance

CCC Budget and Policy Update

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April 4, 2016 - Presented to: California Community College (CCC) Financial Aid Directors, April 4, 2016.

Teacher Workforce Trends

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March 30, 2016 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education

The 2015-16 Budget: CCC Workforce Education

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March 29, 2016 - Presented to: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance

The 2016-17 Budget: Local Government Mandates--Reasonable Reimbursement Methodology

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March 17, 2016 - Through a complex, often convoluted, process that has engendered much discussion and disagreement over the years, the state must reimburse local governments for their activities to implement certain state mandates. State law requires the Commission on State Mandates (CSM) to determine whether new state laws, executive orders, or regulations affecting local governments create state-reimbursable mandates. Generally, local governments may submit claims for state mandate payment based on one of two methods: (1) claiming of actual costs or (2) a reasonable reimbursement methodology (RRM). A budget trailer bill proposal from the administration would change the requirements for developing an RRM. We recommend the Legislature reject this proposal and perhaps consider targeted alternatives.

The 2016-17 Budget: Assessing the Governor’s Zero-Textbook-Cost Proposal

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March 14, 2016 - This brief is intended to assist the Legislature in reviewing the Governor’s proposal for zero-textbook-cost degrees. We provide background on open educational resources (OER), describe California efforts to encourage their use, and highlight zero–textbook–cost degree initiatives currently underway in other states. We then describe the Governor’s proposal and provide our associated assessment and recommendations.