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: K-12 Proposals

Feb 19, 2026 - In 2002, voters approved Proposition  49, which requires the state to provide at least $550  million annually to the ASES program. The 21st Century program is primarily federally funded. In 2021 ‑22, the state created the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP) with plans to ramp up funding through 2025 ‑26.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5131