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 Community Colleges

Mar 5, 2026 - Underlying Costs Tend to Grow Over Time. As with apportionments, statute does not require the state to provide a COLA for any CCC  categorical program. Nonetheless, categorical programs tend to experience cost increases over time.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5150

The 2026-27 Budget: California State University

Feb 24, 2026 - CSU ’s overall core budget also generally increased over this period, such that debt service as a share of total core funding hovered around 4  percent. Proposals Governor Proposes Base Increases for CSU.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5142

The 2026-27 Budget: California Education Learning Lab

Mar 25, 2026 - Learning Lab ’s Funding Has Been Reduced Over Time. When originally created, Learning Lab was placed in the Governor ’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR). The 2018-19 budget provided OPR with $10  million ongoing General Fund for Learning Lab.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5171

The 2026-27 Budget: Community College Facilities

Mar 17, 2026 - On the other hand, allocating less funding now would leave more available for high-priority projects (including life safety projects) that could emerge over the next year or two. Scoring System Used to Select Projects Has Some Positive Aspects.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5159

The 2026-27 Budget: Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education

Mar 25, 2026 - The 2022-23 budget then provided BPPE with $24  million one-time General Fund over three years to repay this loan and cover its operational costs while BPPE developed a proposal for a new fee structure.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5169

The 2026-27 Budget: Higher Education Overview

Feb 5, 2026 - After accounting for these adjustments, Cal Grant costs grow each year over the budget window, averaging 12   percent —reflecting historically high annual growth. Rising Cal Grant costs are largely attributable to several policy changes adopted over the past several years.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5112

The 2026-27 Budget: California Student Aid Commission

Feb 17, 2026 - The state appropriated approximately $100  million annually over this period. In 2024 ‑25 (three years into the revamped program), the program gave awards to more than 350,000 recipients —about a seven ‑fold increase.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5127

Assessment of the Strong Workforce Program

Dec 10, 2025 - While districts generally have broad discretion over apportionment spending, a state requirement known as the “50  percent law ” specifies that at least half of these funds must go toward the salaries and benefits of classroom  instructors.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5098

Assessment of CSU’s Graduation Initiative 2025

Dec 10, 2025 - Over the past year, CSU has been working on developing its next graduation initiative. To develop the framework of the new initiative, CSU gathered feedback from faculty, students, campus leaders, staff, alumni, and community partners.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5099