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November 29, 2018 - Presented to: California School Boards Association Annual Education Conference
November 14, 2018 - In this report, we examine how the minimum guarantee might change over the next several years and discuss the factors likely to be driving those changes. We then examine key aspects of district budgets—focusing on the main cost pressures facing districts over the next several years.
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.
July 19, 2018 - In May 2018, the California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS) released an update on the financial position of the pension system, which was largely in line with expectations. This post summarizes the update, which contains the latest estimates of the unfunded liability and contribution rates required for districts, employees, and the state.
May 31, 2018 - To be presented to: 2018-19 Budget Conference Committee
May 14, 2018 - In this report, we analyze the 2018-19 May Revision education proposals. We first provide an overview of Proposition 98 funding and then focus on the Governor’s major proposals for K‑12 education, child care and preschool, community colleges, universities, and student financial aid. In the pages that follow, we offer many specific recommendations for the Legislature to consider. Our package of recommendations includes adopting some proposals, modifying others in certain ways, rejecting others but inviting better proposals next year, and rejecting some proposals in their entirety.
May 8, 2018 - Presented to: Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
May 7, 2018 - This post provides an update on the key factors affecting estimates of the Proposition 98 minimum guarantee for 2017-18 and 2018-19 and describes how the guarantee could change relative to estimates in the Governor’s January budget. The post is intended as a planning guide to help the Legislature understand the relationship between changing inputs and the minimum guarantee over the coming year.
May 3, 2018 - This post provides an overview of the state’s funding of school facilities, describes the Governor’s school facility bond sales proposal, assesses this proposal, and provides alternatives for the Legislature to consider.
May 3, 2018 - Presented to: Senate Budget and Fiscal Review Subcommittee No. 1 on Education Finance
May 1, 2018 - In this post, we provide background on how the Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) stores credential records and describe the Governor’s proposal to provide $1.5 million onetime (special funds) to digitize the records of teachers issued credentials prior to 1989. We find that the proposal is not cost-effective and recommend the Legislature reject it.
April 30, 2018 - In this post, we provide an overview of how the state reviews teacher misconduct cases, track the backlog of cases, describe the actions the state has taken to reduce the backlog, and assess progress made to date. We encourage the Legislature to continue monitoring progress toward reducing the backlog closely over the coming year.
April 30, 2018 - On April 27, 2018, the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis released updated information that affects the cost-of-living adjustment for certain school and community college programs. In this post, we describe the new information and its implications for school funding.
April 24, 2018 - Presented to Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 2 on Education Finance
April 23, 2018 - The Governor’s budget proposes a $28 million (25 percent) augmentation to the Charter School Facility Grant Program along with several notable changes to the program in trailer bill language. In this post, we provide background on the program, describe the Governor’s proposal, and offer associated recommendations.
April 16, 2018 - In early March of 2018, we received data from the California Department of Education (CDE) on student attendance for the first half of the 2017-18 school year. In this post, we describe how the state tracks attendance and discuss the implications for Proposition 98 and school funding.