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

Mar 18, 2026 - Introduction California operates the nation ’s largest public school system, comprising 937 school districts, 1,257 charter schools, and 58 county offices of education. This year, these local agencies will educate nearly 5.8  million students, employ around 700,000 teachers and staff, and spend nearly $150  billion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

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

Feb 4, 2026 - It made an initial payment of $300  million but did not schedule any future payments. It paid the remaining amount over the 2015 ‑16 through 2018 ‑19 period. Most recently, the June 2025 budget recognized an increase in the 2024 ‑25 guarantee but set school funding $1.9  billion below the revised estimate.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5110