The 2026-27 Budget: Child Care and State Preschool

Mar 19, 2026 - As a result of the pandemic, State Preschool enrollment experienced a significant decline of roughly 65,000 students in 2020 (Figure 3). While enrollment has increased since 2020, it remains significantly below pre‑pandemic levels.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5168

The 2026-27 Budget: Fiscal Outlook for Schools and Community Colleges

Nov 19, 2025 - Specifically, it exceeds the one ‑time funding we have projected in all previous outlooks, except for November 2020 ($13.7  billion) and November 2021 ($10.2  billion). This funding offers the Legislature a significant opportunity to advance its priorities.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5093

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

Mar 18, 2026 - The office would consist of the SPI and up to 11 other staff. Of these 11 staff, at least 4 would be nominated by the SPI and appointed by the SBE as required by the Constitution. The Governor ’s budget does not include additional funding for the Office of the SPI.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

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

Feb 4, 2026 - The state allocates 89  percent of this grant to schools based on average daily attendance and 11  percent to community colleges based on full ‑time ‑equivalent enrollment. The law requires the State Controller to disburse this grant automatically according to a schedule determined by the Director of the Department of Finance, potentially over multiple years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5110

The 2023-24 Budget: State and Federal One-Time K-12 Funding

Mar 10, 2023 - Based on expenditure reports that cover spending through December 31, 2022, roughly $11  billion (55  percent) of ESSER funding from the second and third rounds remains unspent. This reflects roughly $1.4  billion available from ESSER II (available until September 2023) and $9.5  billion from ESSER III (available until September 2024).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4734

The 2021-22 Budget: Educator Workforce Proposals

Feb 19, 2021 - This is an increase of 9. 8  p ercent over the 2010 ‑ 11 l evel (the low point during the Great Recession). Coupled with the effects of declining student enrollment, the statewide student ‑to ‑teacher ratio, in turn, has dropped every year since its peak in 2010 ‑11 (23:1).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4381

The 2021-22 Budget: Initial Comments on the Governor’s May Revision

May 17, 2021 - (In addition, the Constitution requires the state to set aside $11  billion for reserves and debt payments. We also describe those below.) One-Time Spending The Governor proposes spending $25  billion of General Fund surplus monies on a one-time or temporary basis.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4432

Overview of Federal Relief for K-12 Education and Child Care

Apr 29, 2021 - The ARP was signed into law on March  11, 2021 and provides the largest round of funding, totaling $168.1  billion for K-12 and higher education and $39.6  billion for child care. In contrast to the first two federal relief packages, ARP makes notable changes to both the grants to schools and funds available for statewide emergency needs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4419

The 2025-26 Budget: Transitional Kindergarten

Feb 18, 2025 - As Figure  2 shows, TK enrollment declined during 2020 ‑21 due to the pandemic, then started to increase more quickly in the expansion years. TK Funded Through LCFF. Similar to all other K ‑12 students, eligible TK students generate attendance ‑based funding through LCFF.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4968

The 2022-23 Budget: Educator Workforce Proposals

Feb 23, 2022 - This  is an increase of 9.8  percent over the 2010 ‑11 level (the low point during the Great Recession). Coupled with the effects of statewide declining student enrollment, the statewide student ‑to ‑teacher ratio, in turn, has dropped every year since its peak in 2010 ‑11  when it was 23:1.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4556