The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2025 - We suggest the Legislature take heed of these risks and avoid putting too much stock in the recent revenue rebound until it is accompanied by clear improvements in California ’s broader economy. Governor ’s Use of Reserves Remains Reasonable.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4951

The 2023-24 California Spending Plan: Child Care and State Preschool

Nov 17, 2023 - Since 2021 ‑22, the state has added about 146,000 new slots, which more than doubled the number of subsidized child care slots in the state. As of April 2023, about 30  percent of the recently added slots have been filled.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4817

The 2023-24 Budget: Child Care Proposals

Feb 9, 2023 - The Governor’s proposal to delay the slot expansion plan by not adding additional child care slots in 2023‑24 would save $134 million General Fund. The proposed delay in the slot expansion plan seems reasonable given state’s budget problem.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4672

The 2020-21 Budget: CalWORKs Child Care Outlook

Nov 21, 2019 - (Increasing the income threshold likely had a much smaller effect, as the income of most CalWORKs families is significantly below the threshold.) Costs for Stages 2 and 3 Have Increased Over the Past Five Years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4115

The 2019-20 Budget: Governor's Proposals for Infants and Toddlers With Special Needs

Feb 28, 2019 - Depending on how such a strategy was structured, it too may increase state costs by tens of millions of dollars. We recommend the Legislature consider these costs when constructing its overall budget.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3954

The 2020-21 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2020 - Specifically, we recommend the Legislature set enrollment expectations for each segment, decide how much to provide for graduation and other core student support initiatives, and determine how much to provide for compensation increases and other operating costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4135

Recent Congressional Action on the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP)

Jan 23, 2018 - CHIP is a joint federal-state program that provides health insurance coverage to children in low-income families, but with incomes too high to qualify for Medicaid. The state and federal governments share the cost of CHIP.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3734

A Review of Child Care and Preschool Program Flexibilities in Certain Counties

May 13, 2021 - The state determines many programmatic aspects, such as who is eligible for the programs and how much providers receive for reimbursement. For example, state law specifies that, to be eligible for subsidized child care, children must be under the age of 13 and from a family with an income at or below 85  percent of the state median income ($73,885 for a family of three).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4431

The 2020-21 Budget: Early Education Analysis

Feb 21, 2020 - Since it is too early to know the level of interest in the Kindergarten Facility Grant Program, we recommend the Legislature reject the Governor ’s proposal to reduce funding for the program in 2020 ‑21.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4167

The 2019-20 Budget: Early Education Analysis

Mar 4, 2019 - The Legislature could go further and fund all State Preschool for all providers from one fund source, thereby offering more flexibility for LEAs too. Over Coming Year, State Could Design One Program That Better Met Two Core Goals.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3956