Education

The 2020-21 Budget: Cal Grant Cost Estimates

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November 21, 2019 - This post describes the key factors driving recent spending increases on Cal Grants, the state’s main form of student financial aid. It also discusses our Cal Grant spending estimates through 2023-24.

In addition to this report, you can find the main California's Fiscal Outlook report along with a collection of other fiscal outlook material on our fiscal outlook budget page.

The 2019-20 Budget: California Spending Plan—Education

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October 17, 2019 - This post summarizes the state’s 2019-20 spending package for education programs. It is part of our Spending Plan series. The post describes changes in the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee and changes in overall Proposition 98 spending. The post also describes changes in spending for each education segment—from preschool through the universities. The post concludes with a section on crosscutting education initiatives.

Overview of University and Financial Aid Issues

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May 30, 2019 - Presented to: Budget Conference Committee

K-14 Pension Rate Relief Proposals

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May 30, 2019 - Presented to: Budget Conference Committee

The 2019-20 May Revision: K-12 Cal Grant Mandate

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May 28, 2019 - In this web post, we analyze the 2019-20 May Revision proposal to fund a new mandate relating to the Cal Grant program. We provide background on the mandate, discuss the Governor’s proposal, share our assessment, and provide an associated recommendation. This post fulfills a requirement for our office to analyze new mandates, as specified in Section 17562 of the Government Code.

The 2019-20 May Revision: Analysis of the May Revision Education Proposals

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May 15, 2019 - The May Revision contains more than 100 proposed changes to education programs. The changes range from large new policy proposals, to major modifications of January proposals, to small adjustments relating to revised student attendance estimates. In this post, we focus on the first two categories of proposals. The post has six sections. The first section provides an overview of the proposals. The next four sections cover specific proposals relating to (1) early education, (2) K-14 education, (3) the universities, and (4) financial aid. The last section covers library-related proposals and a crosscutting proposal relating to education innovation.

The 2019-20 Budget: Assessing the Governor’s Primary Care Physician Residency Proposals

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May 9, 2019 - To obtain a license to practice medicine, California law requires all medical school graduates to complete three years of postgraduate training. Most physician‑trainees fulfill this requirement by completing a residency program. The state currently funds two initiatives to support residency programs for primary care physicians. The first initiative is named after its legislative authors, Song‑Brown, and is administered by the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD). The second initiative is authorized by Proposition 56 and is administered by the University of California (UC). The Governor proposes making certain limited‑term funding for these initiatives ongoing. In this brief, we provide background on residency programs, describe the Governor’s two associated budget proposals, assess those proposals, and make associated recommendations.

The 2019-20 Budget: Immigrant Legal Services at the Public Higher Education Segments

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May 8, 2019 - In this post, we (1) provide background on immigrant residents in California and state funding for immigrant legal services, including for students and employees at the California Community Colleges (CCC), California State University (CSU), and University of California (UC); (2) describe the Governor’s proposals to provide funding for legal services at the three higher education segments; (3) provide an update on implementation of legal service programs at each segment; and (4) make recommendations on the Governor’s budget proposals.

The 2019-20 Budget: Creating an Integrated Education Data System

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May 6, 2019 - In this brief, we provide (1) background on the state’s education data systems and past efforts to connect them, (2) describe the Governor’s proposal to develop an integrated education data system, (3) assess the proposal, and (4) make associated recommendations.

Overview of Cal Grants

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May 2, 2019 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education

The 2019-20 Budget: Community College Student Success Awareness Initiative

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April 25, 2019 - In this post, we analyze the Governor’s proposal to fund more student outreach regarding college affordability, career pathways, and transfer options at the California Community Colleges (CCC). Below, we (1) provide background on existing CCC programs related to these topics, (2) describe the Governor’s funding proposal and the CCC Chancellor’s Office’s plan to use the funds, (3) assess the proposal and spending plan, and (4) make an associated recommendation.

Overview of College Savings Accounts

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April 25, 2019 - Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education

The 2019-20 Budget: Student Food and Housing Insecurity at the University of California

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April 25, 2019 - The Governor proposes to provide the University of California (UC) with ongoing funding to address student food and housing insecurity. UC indicates it would use the proposed funds either to augment student financial aid or support specific food and housing initiatives. In this brief, we provide background, then describe the Governor’s proposal. Next, we offer issues to consider and provide associated recommendations.

The 2019-20 Budget: California State Library Local Assistance Proposals

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April 25, 2019 - In this brief, we analyze the Governor’s proposals to provide one‑time General Fund for two local library initiatives—the Zip Books program and Lunch at the Library. We begin with an overview of the State Library and local libraries in California. We then describe and assess each proposal and offer associated recommendations.

The 2019-20 Budget: California Student Aid Commission's Grant Delivery System Modernization Project

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April 24, 2019 - In this post, we analyze the Governor’s proposal to provide $6.2 million for the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) to continue its Grant Delivery System Modernization project. Below, we (1) provide background on the project and the state’s information technology (IT) oversight process, (2) describe the Governor’s proposal to fund the second year of the project, (3) assess that proposal, and (4) make an associated recommendation.