Staff
- Sara Cortez
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(916) 319-8348
Special Education, Preschool, Child Nutrition, and Facilities - Kenneth Kapphahn
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(916) 319-8339
Proposition 98, School District Budgets, School Transportation - Lisa Qing
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(916) 319-8306
California Community Colleges - Michael Alferes
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(916) 319-8338
Local Control Funding Formula, Charter Schools, Alternative Schools, High School Career Technical Education - Natalie Gonzalez
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(916) 319-8320
California State University, Student Financial Aid - Dylan Hawksworth-Lutzow
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(916) 319-8308
Child Care, Expanded Learning, Teachers, and Education Technology - Edgar Cabral
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(916) 319-8343
Deputy Legislative Analyst: K-12 Education - Jennifer Pacella
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(916) 319-8332
Deputy Legislative Analyst: Higher Education - Florence Bouvet
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(916) 319-8310
University of California; College of the Law, San Francisco; California State Library
Publications
Education
To browse all LAO publications, visit our Publications page.
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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- HTML
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
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.
Overview of Adult Education
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March 10, 2016 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education
Education Mandates
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March 10, 2016 - Presented to Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education
Overview of Local Control Funding Formula and New State Accountability System
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March 8, 2016 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
Overview of Proposition 98 Budget Proposals
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March 3, 2016 - Presented to: Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 1 on Education
California’s Child Care and Preschool Programs
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February 29, 2016 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Committee
The 2016-17 Budget: Higher Education Analysis
February 26, 2016 - In this report, we provide background on three key areas of higher education in California: enrollment, tuition and financial aid, and institutional performance. We then analyze specific budget proposals for the University of California, California State University, California Community Colleges, Hastings College of the Law, and California Student Aid Commission, making corresponding recommendations for the Legislature's consideration.
School Accountability: Changes to State and Federal Systems
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February 24, 2016 - Presented to Senate Education Committee
The 2016-17 Budget: Analysis of Child Care and Preschool Proposals
February 24, 2016 - In this report, we analyze the Governor’s child care and preschool proposals. The report includes (1) a high-level overview of the proposed child care and preschool budget, and (2) an assessment of the Governor's proposals to restructure California's child care and preschool programs. At the end of the report, we provide a summary of our recommendations.
Overview of Proposition 98 Budget Proposals
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February 23, 2016 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
Budget Outlook (Presentation)
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- PowerPoint
February 19, 2016 - California County Superintendents Educational Services Association-February 19, 2016
The 2016-17 Budget: Proposition 98 Education Analysis
February 18, 2016 - In this report, we cover the Governor's estimates of the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee, his overall Proposition 98 spending package, and his specific Proposition 98 proposals. We also provide in-depth analysis of the Governor's proposals for the Local Control Funding Formula, preschool, education mandates, special education, county offices of education, and the High Speed Network. In addition, we include an analysis of teacher workforce trends and we highlight several issues for the Legislature to consider when exploring potentially new workforce policies.
The 2016-17 Budget: Review of UC’s Merced Campus Expansion Proposal
February 10, 2016 - In November 2015, the Regents of the University of California (UC) approved a proposal to enter into a public–private partnership to double the physical size of the Merced campus. Under the plan, enrollment on the Merced campus would grow from 6,000 to 10,000 full–time equivalent (FTE) students by 2020. This brief is intended to assist the Legislature in reviewing this proposal. In it, we provide background on the Merced campus and the state process for approving capital outlay projects at UC, describe key aspects of the proposed project, and raise four key issues for the Legislature to consider.