The 2026-27 Budget: Re-Envisioning State Education Governance

Mar 18, 2026 - Considering Adding Legislative Appointees to the SBE. The Legislature could consider adding two legislative appointees to the SBE. These appointees could enable greater legislative oversight of the new governance system and ensure the SBE ’s policies are consistent with legislative intent.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

The 2026-27 Budget: K-12 Proposals

Feb 19, 2026 - In our view, unless the state has a compelling reason to the contrary, the state should allocate ongoing funding through LCFF so that LEAs have greater flexibility to allocate their funding to address their student needs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5131

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposition 98 Guarantee and K-12 Spending Plan

Feb 4, 2026 - The proposal effectively shifts that cost from this year to future budgets —helping address the current budget problem on a one ‑time basis, but adding to the large budget deficits the state is projecting over the next several years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5110

The 2025-26 Budget: Educator Workforce

Mar 7, 2025 - In our view, enhanced efforts to address the state ’s poor math and reading outcomes are warranted. Furthermore, various studies suggest that math and literacy coaches can be an effective way to improve student test scores.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5012

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

May 6, 2019 - In our view, California could benefit significantly from an integrated education data system. Each year, the state provides billions of dollars for education. Over the years, it also has made major policy changes.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4026

The 2025-26 Budget: California State University

Feb 25, 2025 - Though the number of students shifted from self‑ to state‑supported courses is smaller in 2024‑25 compared to 2023‑24 (745 FTE students shifted in summer 2024 compared to 4,705 FTE students shifted the previous summer), the effect is still not adding new students but adding new state costs from shifting students formerly in self‑supported courses into state‑supported ones.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4989

The 2025-26 Budget: School Nutrition

Mar 4, 2025 - However, in our view, it is unlikely that the number of meals served will remain flat in 2025 ‑26 as the administration assumes. Based on our analysis of recent meal growth trends, we estimate the state will serve 967  million meals, or 46  million (5  percent) above the administration ’s estimate in the budget year.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5001

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

May 15, 2019 - If Authorizing New Positions, Consider Adding Provisional Language and Reporting Requirements . The Legislature could authorize the new positions proposed in the May Revision without adding funding, effectively encouraging the Chancellor ’s Office to fill the unspecified staff positions funded last year with the specific positions requested this year.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4048

The 2025-26 Budget: Transitional Kindergarten Multilingual Learner Screeners

Feb 26, 2025 - Under either approach, the Legislature may want to ensure that the level of funding provided is aligned with any service requirements added in statute. Subscribe | California State Legislature | Online Voter Registration | Privacy Policy | Accessibility Legislative Analyst's Office | The California Legislature's Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor 925 L Street, Suite 1000 Sacramento, CA 95814 | (916) 445-4656
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4990

The 2023-24 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2023 - (That is, in our view, these costs would not have occurred absent legislative action and as a result do not contribute to the budget problem the Legislature faces today.) Comparison to LAO November Outlook.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4662