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

Mar 18, 2026 - Their research typically involved (1)  interviewing state and local officials, (2)  reviewing the state ’s experience with its governance model, (3)  examining theories of governance, (4)  studying governance in other states, (5)  analyzing the political and fiscal incentives of the main governance entities, and (6)  gathering public  feedback.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

The 2026-27 Budget: Child Care and State Preschool

Mar 19, 2026 - Funding increases for State Preschool in 2021‑22 and 2022‑23 were primarily due to rate increases. In 2023‑24 and 2024‑25, the state made one‑time reductions to the program in recognition that funding provided exceeded the amount necessary to fund all State Preschool contracts.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5168

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

Feb 4, 2026 - Figure  6 summarizes the usual schedule for these revisions and settle ‑up payments. From an accounting perspective, settle ‑up payments are always scored to the year in which the guarantee increased, rather than to the year the state disburses the payment to schools.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5110

The 2026-27 Budget: K-12 Proposals

Feb 19, 2026 - From 2022 ‑23 through 2024 ‑25, the state appropriation remained at $4  billion annually, while the Tier 1 rate and overall Tier 1 TK ‑6 attendance increased. As a result, funding available for Tier 2 rates decreased.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5131

Assessing a Shift to Enrollment-Based School Funding

Jan 6, 2026 - Assessing a Shift to Enrollment-Based School Funding Share of Increase Coming From Base 80% — 36% Alternatives 2 and 3 Provide More Targeted Funding to Support High ‑Needs Students. As Figure   18 shows, compared to enrollment ‑based funding and alternative 1, alternatives 2  and  3 provide more of the funding increases through grants targeted for English learners, low ‑income students, and foster youth.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5100