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: 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 2026-27 Budget: K-12 Proposals

Feb 19, 2026 - Establishing a New Ongoing Categorial Program Disadvantages to Creating a New Ongoing Categorical Program. In 2013, the state created LCFF and eliminated dozens of programs that provided funding for restricted or targeted purposes, also known as categorical programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5131

The 2026-27 Budget: Computer Science Supplementary Authorization

Mar 6, 2026 - The 2026-27 Budget: Computer Science Supplementary Authorization Computer Science Supplementary Authorization Background Computer Science Supplementary Authorization Incentive Grants Created in 2021-22 Budget.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5153

Assessing a Shift to Enrollment-Based School Funding

Jan 6, 2026 - If the state shifts to enrollment ‑based funding, the Legislature may want to consider creating a new definition that does not use ADA. For example, it could create a definition based on the proportion of a school ’s instruction that is provided in the classroom and the proportion provided through independent study.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5100

The 2025-26 Budget: Proposition 98 Guarantee and K-12 Spending Plan

Feb 13, 2025 - New Requirements Added in 2024 ‑25 Following a Legal Settlement. In late 2020, the families of several students living in Oakland and Los Angeles filed a lawsuit alleging the state had failed to ensure that schools provided adequate instruction during the pandemic ( Cayla  J.  
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4963

The 2025‑26 Budget: Fiscal Outlook for Schools and Community Colleges

Nov 20, 2024 - Outside of government and health care, the state has added no jobs over the past 18 months. Similarly, the number of Californians who are unemployed is 25  percent higher than during the strong labor markets of 2019 and 2022.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4940

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

May 6, 2019 - Eventually, the state might consider adding even more data sources, such as from corrections and private schools. Each phase of expansion, however, is likely to come with new challe nges and risks. Specify Expectation for JPA to Create Data Warehouse and Adopt Certain Policies.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4026

The 2026-27 Budget: Fiscal Outlook for Schools and Community Colleges

Nov 19, 2025 - Whereas a deferral provides up ‑front state savings but creates future costs and weakens district cash flow, the advance payment is an up ‑front state cost that allows future savings and improves district cash flow.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5093

The 2025-26 Budget: Educator Workforce

Mar 7, 2025 - In 2022 ‑23, the state created the Literacy Coach and Reading Specialist (LCRS) program and provided one ‑time Proposition  98 General Fund for the program. These funds can be used for elementary schools with the highest shares of EL/LI students to develop school literacy programs, employ and train literacy coaches, and create and implement targeted reading interventions for students in transitional kindergarten through third grade.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5012