California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk

Jan 23, 2026 - California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk Search In Fiscal Perspectives , the Legislative Analyst periodically offers the Legislature his views on fiscal matters facing California. California’s Strong Revenue Trends Mask Looming Budget Risk January 23, 2026 Tweet Gabriel PetekLegislative Analyst History suggests that fiscal risks can build during times when they are easiest to ignore.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5104

^[PDF] Improving High Schools: A Strategic Approach

This limited success also suggests that there are few other incentives com- pelling secondary and postsecondary vocational education to coordinate. An evaluation of the Tech-Prep program published in 2004 supports this conclusion.
https://lao.ca.gov/2005/high_schools/improving_hs_050905.pdf

2001 Budget Analysis: K-12 Databases

One way this could be accomplished is by providing funding to FCMAT to offer CSIS readiness assessments for school districts and develop multiyear implementation plans for those districts. We recomm end that FCMAT report at budget hearings on the potential values and costs of offering school districts a CSIS readiness assessment.
https://lao.ca.gov/analysis_2001/education/ed_12_Databases_anl01.htm

LAO 2007 Budget Analysis: Soledad Enrichment Action Charter School

In addition, because virtually none of the students counted in SEA’s 2005 API were also included in the school’s 2004 API, growth in this measure does not represent a meaningful indicator of SEA’s effectiveness in promoting student learning.
https://lao.ca.gov/analysis_2007/education/ed_12_anl07.aspx

Next Steps for Improving State Accountability for Alternative Schools

Statute indicates that struggling districts must be offered support once they are identified as underperforming. Support includes the assignment of an academic expert or assistance from the new state agency created to advise and assist in improving school performance.
https://lao.ca.gov/reports/2015/edu/alt-ed/improving-accountability-051615.aspx

LAO 2003-04 Budget Analysis: Education, Assessments

LAO 2003-04 Budget Analysis: Education, Assessments 73% 15% a API = Academic Performance Index. The norm-reference test (NRT) for 2001 and 2002 was the Stanford 9. The NRT for 2003 is the CAT/6. CST = California Standards Test and CAHSEE = California High School Exit Exam. b Test not available for particular subject or not included in API.
https://lao.ca.gov/analysis_2003/education/ed_10_assessments_anl03.htm

The 2026-27 Budget: California's Fiscal Outlook

Nov 19, 2025 - For California, the dot ‑com era —when stocks rose and then fell precipitously in response to widespread adoption of the internet —offers the most salient example. The internet has proven to be a transformative technology and, yet, the stock market ’s initial reaction was clearly overly exuberant.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5091

2001 Budget Analysis: School Accountability

The state is offering bonuses that can exceed $25,00 0 per individual for success measured by that test. Or should they teach what is expected under the academic content standards for which the state has invested $1 billion for new textbooks, the Governor is proposing $335 million for staff development, and upon which the HSEE is based?
https://lao.ca.gov/analysis_2001/education/ed_10_sch_acct_anl01.htm

LAO 2004 Budget Analysis: Student Aid Commission (7980)

The greatest amount of loan forgiveness ($19,000), for example, is offered to individuals teaching mathematics, science, or special education in a sch ool ranked in the bottom two deciles of the Academic Performance Index (API).
https://lao.ca.gov/analysis_2004/education/highered_10_7980_SAC_anl04.htm

^[PDF] LAO 2001 Budget Analysis: Education Chapter

By com- parison, 34 percent of the reviewed instruction was graded as low quality for German classrooms, and 11 percent for Japanese classrooms. The study also found that new teachers in the U.S received less on-the-job training, less mentoring, and less preparation time than teachers in Germany or Japan.
https://lao.ca.gov/analysis_2001/education/ed_anl01.pdf