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: K-12 Proposals

Feb 19, 2026 - (These are known as Tier 2 rates.) 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

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

Feb 4, 2026 - For any given year, the relationship between revenues and the guarantee depends on which Proposition  98 test is operative and whether another test could become operative with different inputs. In 2025 ‑26 and 2026 ‑27, Test 1 is likely to remain operative even if revenues or other inputs vary significantly from the Governor ’s budget estimates.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5110

The 2026-27 Budget: Child Care and State Preschool

Mar 19, 2026 - Figure 2 shows the total number of subsidized child care slots, as well as total funding, since 2018‑19. Statutory intent language associated with the multiyear agreement would require an additional 44,000 slots in 2026‑27 and 33,000 in 2027‑28.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5168

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

Mar 18, 2026 - These studies recommended that the SBE (1)  become an advisory body or sounding board for the Governor and the head of CDE, and (2)  perform limited policymaking duties when explicitly directed by the Legislature.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165