The 2023-24 Budget: Fiscal Outlook for Schools and Community Colleges

Nov 16, 2022 - The Education Budget in Context Tighter Outlook Follows Two Years of Extraordinary Growth. Although our outlook estimates a drop in the guarantee in 2022 ‑23 and slow growth in 2023 ‑24, these changes build upon two previous years of historic growth.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4648

The 2025‑26 Budget: Fiscal Outlook for Schools and Community Colleges

Nov 20, 2024 - Finally, we compare the funding available under the guarantee with the cost of existing education programs and identify some issues for the Legislature to consider in the coming year. ( The2025‑26 Budget: California’s Fiscal Outlook contains our outlook for the overall state budget.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4940

The 2023-24 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2023 - Comparison to LAO November Outlook. In  our Fiscal Outlook released in November 2022, we anticipated the state would face a $24 billion budget problem, somewhat higher than the $18 billion budget problem we estimate the Governor addressed.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4662

The 2026-27 Budget: California Student Aid Commission

Feb 17, 2026 - Given the state ’s fiscal outlook, the Legislature likely will need to consider not only this MCS proposal but many other budget ‑balancing proposals over the next couple of years. Given the MCS program has significant overlap with the Cal Grant program, is less targeted to lower ‑income students, and is more complex to convey and administer than other financial aid programs, reducing MCS award coverage could be among the least disruptive choices the Legislature  faces.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5127

Update on Community College Reserves

Jan 27, 2021 - Outlook Has Improved but Monitoring Colleges ’ Fiscal Health Remains Important. Systemwide, community college reserves grew somewhat from June 2019 through June 2020. Since June 2020, the state ’s fiscal outlook, as well as the Proposition  98 outlook for school and community college funding, has improved.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4323

The 2026-27 Budget: University of California

Feb 26, 2026 - Given this context, if the Legislature wishes to continue providing base increases to UC despite the challenging budget outlook, it could consider approving smaller increases that are more closely aligned with current inflationary benchmarks —such as the 2.41  percent base increase proposed for community colleges.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5143

The 2023-24 Budget: Higher Education Overview

Jan 31, 2023 - The method the state selects for financing projects could depend in part upon its relative near ‑term and long ‑term fiscal outlook, with borrowing more preferable if the near ‑term situation is poor but the long ‑term outlook is strong.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4664

The 2021-22 Budget: Hastings College of the Law

Feb 22, 2021 - Overall Budget Outlook Is Improved, but Target Reserve Level Could Be Reconsidered. Hastings ’ budget is in better shape this year than in any of the past five years, with the school projecting a surplus rather than deficits for the first time over this period.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4383

The 2022-23 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2022 - Consistent with our Fiscal Outlook forecast, the Governor ’s budget reflects a dramatic upward adjustment to revenues. Despite this, the administration ’s revenue estimates remain meaningfully below our Fiscal Outlook for 2021 ‑22.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4492

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

May 17, 2021 - For additional discussion on revenues, see our related post The 2021‑22 Budget: May Revenue Outlook . Constitutionally Required Spending Higher by $16  Billion. The constitution requires the state to spend minimum annual amounts on schools and community colleges (under Proposition  98) and budget reserves and debt payments (under Proposition  2).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4432