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

Mar 18, 2026 - Introduction California operates the nation ’s largest public school system, comprising 937 school districts, 1,257 charter schools, and 58 county offices of education. This year, these local agencies will educate nearly 5.8  million students, employ around 700,000 teachers and staff, and spend nearly $150  billion.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

The 2022-23 Budget: Update on K-12 Student Attendance

May 11, 2022 - As Figure  4 shows, 55 of the 58 counties in California have experienced ADA declines during the pandemic. Of these 55  counties, 36 experienced two ‑year declines between 5  percent and 10  percent.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4595

The 2024-25 Budget: The Governor’s Proposition 98 Funding Maneuver

Feb 15, 2024 - We estimate the administration addressed a $58  billion budget problem in the Governor ’s budget. Despite this significant deficit, there is a good chance that the administration ’s revenue projections are too low and the state will face an even larger budget problem in May.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4840

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: Proposition 98 Guarantee and K-12 Spending Plan

Feb 4, 2026 - The Proposition  98 reserve is particularly powerful because it (1)  can be accessed relatively quickly, (2)  can support any school or community college activities, and (3)  avoids disrupting district cash flow (unlike payment deferrals).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5110

Assessing a Shift to Enrollment-Based School Funding

Jan 6, 2026 - Assessing a Shift to Enrollment-Based School Funding Share of Increase Coming From Base 80% — 36% Alternatives 2 and 3 Provide More Targeted Funding to Support High ‑Needs Students. As Figure   18 shows, compared to enrollment ‑based funding and alternative 1, alternatives 2  and  3 provide more of the funding increases through grants targeted for English learners, low ‑income students, and foster youth.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5100

The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Proposition 98 and K-12 Education

Nov 10, 2025 - The grant size is based on a school ’s TK-3 enrollment, with a minimum grant of $450,000. The remaining $15  million will be awarded to a COE to provide training to literacy coaches throughout the state.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5087

The 2023-24 Budget: Transitional Kindergarten and State Preschool Proposals

Feb 14, 2023 - The majority of districts (67  percent) report they are offering full ‑day TK (exceeds four hours) and 61  percent report that TK is offered at all elementary school sites. (The reports for charter schools were  similar.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4682

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

Nov 19, 2025 - These estimates are above the historical average of about 3  percent per year. The cost of covering the COLA in these years would be $3.9  billion, $4.3  billion, and $4.7  billion, respectively. These projections should be interpreted with caution, as the final rates often differ significantly from the initial estimates.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5093

The 2025-26 Budget: Proposition 98 Guarantee and K-12 Spending Plan [Publication Details]

Mar 5, 2025 - Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 3 on Education Finance
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Detail/5004