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

Mar 18, 2026 - Despite these calls for reform, the state continues to operate with the same basic structure it established more than 100 years ago. The Governor ’s proposal provides an opportunity to consider structural changes that would address some of these longstanding critiques.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

The 2026-27 Budget: Child Care and State Preschool

Mar 19, 2026 - For example, the 2025‑26 budget provided $30 million to support the transition to paying providers prospectively. (Currently, the state pays providers after they have submitted timesheets demonstrating they have provided care.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5168

The 2026-27 Budget: Computer Science Supplementary Authorization

Mar 6, 2026 - The current deadline for CTC to commit these funds is June 30, 2026. Any uncommitted funds would revert to the state. Governor ’s Proposal Governor ’s Budget Extends Encumbrance Deadline, Increases Grant Size, and Reduces Match Requirement.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5153

The 2026-27 Budget: K-12 Proposals

Feb 19, 2026 - Requirements for New Grantees Begin in 2029 ‑30. LEAs receiving funding would be required to annually report and publicly present their community school plans. For new community schools grantees, the administration indicates annual reporting requirements would begin in 2029 ‑30, when they will be required to submit an implementation plan by December 31, 2029.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5131

Assessing a Shift to Enrollment-Based School Funding

Jan 6, 2026 - Second, Test 2 or Test 3 would have to be the applicable test. Our  November 2025 fiscal outlook, however, projects Test 1 will likely remain operative through the end of our forecast in 2029 ‑30. This projection is mainly related to declines in births and reductions in the school ‑age population —trends that are unlikely to reverse  quickly or change in response to enrollment ‑based funding.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5100

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

Feb 4, 2026 - The Proposition  98 reserve is particularly powerful because it (1)  can be accessed relatively quickly, (2)  can support any school or community college activities, and (3)  avoids disrupting district cash flow (unlike payment deferrals).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5110