The 2026-27 Budget: University of California

Feb 26, 2026 - UC Spending Has Outpaced Inflation Over Past Ten Years. As Figure   7 shows, UC ’s core spending has grown faster than inflation over the past ten years. Over this period, core spending grew at an average annual rate of 4.3   percent compared to an average annual inflation rate of 3.3   percent over the same period.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5143

The 2026-27 Budget: California State University

Feb 24, 2026 - The state pays costs for the employer contribution associated with CSU’s 2013‑14 payroll level. CSU pays the employer contribution for any payroll growth above that level. The state adopted this arrangement in 2013‑14 to provide CSU with a stronger fiscal incentive to contain staffing costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5142

The 2026-27 Budget: California Community Colleges

Mar 5, 2026 - Staffing Levels Have Rebounded Since Pandemic. At the start of the pandemic, community college districts decreased their staffing levels in response to steep enrollment declines. Over the past three years, however, staffing has gradually rebounded.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5150

The 2026-27 Budget: Higher Education Overview

Feb 5, 2026 - Of this increase, the Governor ’s budget includes $716   million for approximately 7   percent base increases ($366   million at CSU and $351   million at UC). These augmentations reflect a proposed year ‑five compact increase of 5  percent, along with a delayed partial year ‑four compact increase of 2  percent.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5112

The 2026-27 Budget: California Student Aid Commission

Feb 17, 2026 - (For the past three years, the state has supported the program using a mix of ongoing and one ‑time General Fund.) The Governor ’s budget maintains the new budgetary approach of funding MCS awards one year in arrears.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5127

The 2026-27 Budget: Community College Facilities

Mar 17, 2026 - Of the project proposals that districts submitted for 2026-27, 7 out of 27 eligible modernization projects (26  percent) are included in the Governor ’s budget, compared to 3 out of 8 eligible growth projects (38  percent).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5159

The 2026-27 Budget: California Education Learning Lab

Mar 25, 2026 - Faculty teams test ways to improve learning outcomes in college-level lower division courses, including by using adaptive learning technology. Be yond awarding grants, Learning Lab undertakes various other activities, including hosting webinars and podcasts, curating a public resource library, and facilitating higher education convenings.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5171