Staff
- Jackie Barocio
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(916) 319-8333
Child Care, Expanded Learning, School Facilities, and Teachers - Sara Cortez
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(916) 319-8348
Special Education, Preschool, and Child Nutrition - 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 State University, Student Financial Aid - Paul Steenhausen
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(916) 319-8303
California Community Colleges - Ian Klein
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(916) 319-8336
University of California; College of the Law, San Francisco; California State Library - Michael Alferes
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(916) 319-8338
Local Control Funding Formula, Charter Schools, Alternative Schools, High School Career Technical Education - 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
Publications
Education
To browse all LAO publications, visit our Publications page.
Student Fee Policy Needed
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February 20, 2002 - We recommend that the Legislature enact in statute a consistent fee policy that provides for an appropriate sharing of educational costs between students and the state, and which preserves student access to higher education.
Accountability and Low-Performing Schools
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February 20, 2002 - We discuss the state's school accountability system, with emphasis on aspects of the system concerned with improving performance at so-called "low-performing" schools. We also discuss challenges posed for the state's accountability efforts by recent changes in federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization.
Instructional, Library, and Science Materials
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February 20, 2002 - We recommend that the Legislature (1) redirect $625 million requested for the "Instructional Materials Realignment Initiative" to our recommended Academic Improvement Block Grant and (2) deny requested advance appropriations totaling $1.95 billion for fiscal years 2003-04 through 2006-07.
Reforming Categorical Program Funding
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February 20, 2002 - We recommend that the Legislature consolidate 51 K-12 programs into five categorical block grants, because greater local flexibility should lead to increased efficiency and effectiveness in meeting specified educational needs.
Discretionary Funds
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February 20, 2002 - We recommend that, to the extent funds are available, the Legislature provide budget-year funding to continue revenue limit equalization ($42 million) and a reduced Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) offset to revenue limits ($36 million) because these programs (1) provide general purpose funds to local education agencies (LEAs) and (2) meet important legislative priorities.
Teacher Support and Development
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February 20, 2002 - We recommend the Legislature consolidate 18 existing programs and create a new formula-based block grant to increase local flexibility and effectiveness is supporting teacher development. The block grant would provide a total of $722 million of Proposition 98 funds that school districts could use for teacher support and professional development activities.
Proposition 98 Mandates
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February 20, 2002 - We discuss the implications of the proposal in the Governor's Budget to delay reimbursement of the $66.7 million budget-year appropriation for the School Bus Safety II mandate and suspend six other education mandates.
Public Employees' Retirement System Deferral
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February 20, 2002 - The Legislature's action regarding the budget's proposal to defer employer contributions to the Public Employees' Retirement System (PERS) has important implications for the Legislature's efforts to craft a K-14 education budget.
K-14 Education Priorities Proposition 98
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February 20, 2002 - A crucial issue is posed for the Legislature by a potential General Fund increase needed for Proposition 98 of about $825 million. We discuss ways for the Legislature to act strategically in response to this challenge, in order to minimize impacts on non-Proposition 98 programs, yet still meet important K-14 education priorities.
Funding Higher Education Capital Outlay
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February 20, 2002 - We recommend the Legislature provide funding for higher education capital outlay based on statewide priorities and criteria, using reasonable construction cost guidelines, and based on year-round operation. We also recommend the Legislature consider the extent to which existing buildings at a campus are underutilized when making capital outlay funding decisions, and consider UC research revenue as a primary source of funding for UC research facilities.
Building Standards in Higher Education
January 31, 2002 - We find that three key types of building standards are not being used uniformly by the three segments of higher education. This has resulted in construction costs that are higher than necessary and possible over-statement of facilities needs. As a result, we recommend various improvements to make standards more useful to the Legislature.
Letter on the General Fund's Projected Condition
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May 9, 2001 - We estimate that General Fund revenues will be $3.4 billion less than estimated by the Governor for the current and budget years combined. In addition, we discuss the amount of one-time and ongoing spending reductions that would be needed to keep the budget in balance and the fiscal implications of funding Proposition 98 under our updated estimates.
A New Blueprint for California School Facility Finance
May 1, 2001 - When the state issues a bond to pay part of the cost of constructing and remodeling schools, school districts are unsure when and how much funding will be available, or what rules will govern eligibility. We recommend that the state identify the average cost of providing educational facilities and provide a share of this amount to every school district as an annual, per-pupil, facilities grant.