Implementing California’s Child Welfare Prevention Services Program

Jan 28, 2026 - Other Challenges Staffing Challenges. Nearly all counties noted in their CPPs and during conversations that they struggle to recruit and retain child welfare social workers (and oftentimes local service providers face similar challenges).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5106

The 2026-27 Budget: How to Use One-Time Revenue Improvements

Feb 20, 2026 - Instead, using one-time resources to improve budget resilience would help the state meet its coming fiscal challenges. Figure 1 The State ’s New Wall of Debt (In Billions)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5133

The 2026-27 Budget: California Education Learning Lab

Mar 25, 2026 - For example, CSU ’s Artificial Intelligence Educational Innovations Challenge ​ supports faculty-led projects that test new teaching methods that incorporate AI, including projects focused on STEM courses.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5171

The 2026-27 Budget: Office of Emergency Services Next Generation 911 System

Feb 27, 2026 - This evaluation should include a clear identification of the challenges with the system as currently built and a discrete set of options to address those challenges, as well as defined cost and operational trade ‑offs for each option.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5145

The 2026-27 Budget: Proposed Zero-Emission Vehicle Incentive

Feb 24, 2026 - However, given the number of existing programs and policies aimed at incentivizing ZEVs, a potential for duplication exists, which would create challenges. As we discuss in our December 2018 report, Assessing California’s Climate Policies—Transportation , such challenges can include (1) program interactions that can affect cost‑effectiveness, (2) difficulty evaluating programs,(3) potential lack of program coordination, and (4) increased administrative costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5140

The 2026-27 Budget: K-12 Proposals

Feb 19, 2026 - For example, the 2025 annual formative evaluation cites the lack of staff training as a key challenge to implementing the community schools model. It also cited several other challenges, including organizational silos within the LEA and resistance among staff to changing long ‑held processes and procedures.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5131

Addressing Chronic Vacancies in Prison Mental Health Care

Feb 23, 2026 - Therefore, having a report that explores the feasibility and costs of concentrating the mental health population in the easiest to recruit prisons would better position the state and the Legislature to know what the challenges of such an approach are.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5134

The 2026-27 Budget: California Student Aid Commission

Feb 17, 2026 - Funding Program in Arrears Could Put State in Challenging Budget Situation. Under the new budgetary approach for the program, the state is providing MCS awards to students in one year but paying for those awards a year later.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5127

The 2026-27 Budget: California Highway Patrol Proposals

Mar 6, 2026 - Moreover, given the scale of the state’s projected budget shortfall in the coming years, the option of relying upon the General Fund or other special funds to help cover the MVA expenditures will be challenging.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5152

The 2026-27 Budget: County Administration and H.R. 1 Implementation

Mar 5, 2026 - One common challenge with HHS administration budgeting methodologies is that estimated unit costs and other assumptions can become outdated because of inflation or changes in processes or program requirements.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5149