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 - Dylan Hawksworth-Lutzow
-
(916) 319-8308
Child Care, Expanded Learning, Teachers, and Education Technology - 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.
Maintaining the Master Plan's Commitment to College Access
February 13, 2004 - The expressed goal in current law is that all Californians should be afforded the opportunity to receive a college education. The Master Plan for Higher Education, originally adopted by the Legislature in 1960, has served as the state's higher education roadmap. This report describes the state's admissions policies and practices, and assesses how they relate to the Master Plan. While we conclude that the Master Plan's commitment to access can be maintained even in the current fiscal environment, this will require some adjustments in current policies and practices.
Overview of Outreach Programs and Funding
- Format:
January 7, 2004 - Presented to Senate Select Committee on College and University Admissions and Outreach, Senate Education Committee, and Assembly Higher Education Committee.
Flexible Facility Utilization Standards: Higher Education
November 12, 2003 - Current state standards for utilization of higher education instructional facilities can be simplified and made more flexible. We recommend restating these standards on the basis of "annual hours of station use per year." This would both simplify the standards and accommodate year-round operation.
Funding Higher Education Capital Outlay
February 19, 2003 - As in the past, we recommend the Legislature fund higher education capital outlay based on year-round operation, statewide priorities and criteria, reasonable construction cost guidelines, and appropriate utilization of existing facilities.
California Community Colleges Fees
February 19, 2003 - We believe that the level of the proposed CCC fee--which would remain the lowest in the nation--is reasonable. However, the Governor's proposal misses an opportunity to significantly increase federal financial aid to needy students. This could be achieved by increasing the proposed fee by $1 per unit.
Higher Education Financial Aid
February 19, 2003 - The Governor's budget would increase campus-specific financial aid programs at UC and CSU by about 60 percent. We recommend that the state instead provide additional funding for statewide financial aid programs that are open to all students, irrespective of the particular campus or system they select.
Higher Education Enrollment Growth
February 19, 2003 - We believe the Governor's proposed enrollment increase at UC and CSU far exceeds any reasonable projection of demand. We therefore recommend that budgeted enrollment at UC and CSU be increased by 4 percent rather than 7 percent. We recommend that the Legislature consider increasing enrollment funding at CCC by up to $100 million.
Higher Education Student Fees
February 19, 2003 - The Governor's budget assumes student fees will increase for the average full-time undergraduate student by $1,065 at UC, $468 at CSU, and $338 at CCC in 2003-04. We recommend increases that are about 40 percent smaller at UC and CSU. We also recommend the Legislature adopt an explicit fee policy requiring annual adjustments that are gradual and predictable.
LAO Alternative Higher Education Budget Proposal
February 19, 2003 - The Governor proposes a 9.8% General Fund saving in higher education. We outline the main features of an alternative that accomplishes this for the University of California, the California State University, and the Student Aid Commission.
CPEC: A Review of Its Mission And Responsibilities
- Format:
January 1, 2003 - Supplemental report language (SRL) of the 2002-03 Budget Act directed the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) to convene a working group to (a) reexamine the California Postsecondary Education Commission’s (CPEC) statutory responsibilities; (b) identify ways that the commission can effectively perform its responsibilities within its budgeted resources; and (c) consider recommendations put forth by the Joint Committee to Develop a Master Plan for Education related to current CPEC functions and the development of a successor agency. This report presents the primary issues identified by the working group and the relevant findings and policy options discussed.
Partnership for Excellence
- Format:
- HTML
February 20, 2002 - We recommend that the Legislature either end or modify the Partnership for Excellence (PFE) experiment, which provides supplementary funding to community colleges in exchange for their commitment to improve certain student outcomes.