The 2026-27 Budget: K-12 Proposals

Feb 19, 2026 - Set More Specific Time Lines Around Accreditation Process. In addition to setting an earlier date for when accreditation would begin, we recommend establishing time lines for key milestones associated with the development of the accreditation process.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5131

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

Mar 18, 2026 - This change would promote greater coherence in policymaking, including clearer lines of accountability and better alignment between policy development and administration. This change also could result in clearer direction and support for school districts.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5165

The 2026-27 Budget: Child Care and State Preschool

Mar 19, 2026 - The administration has yet to provide key details, such as grant amounts, the allowable uses of funding, and time lines for when funding would be awarded. We recommend the Legislature request additional information from the administration regarding key elements of the infrastructure grant proposal.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5168

The 2025-26 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 13, 2025 - On a net basis, these items slightly improve the budget’s bottom line. Neither our November estimates nor the administration ’s estimates included any costs associated with the devastating wildfires in Southern California, as both were developed before those wildfires began.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4951

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

Feb 4, 2026 - (General Fund tax increases would increase the state’s constitutional requirements further, eroding some of the benefit to the budget’s bottom line.) These additional solutions would entail difficult decisions amidst an already tight budget.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5110

Assessing a Shift to Enrollment-Based School Funding

Jan 6, 2026 - The  Legislature also could consider maintaining the existing reporting time lines, where districts must submit data three times a year. Consistent with current practices related to ADA, we recommend any new enrollment count be subject to annual  audits.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5100

The 2024-25 California Spending Plan: Child Care and State Preschool

Sep 26, 2024 - If the new rates do not take effect by this date, DSS must provide the Legislature with a time line for transition. Specifies that the new reimbursement rates shall not be reduced from the rates previously in effect, including the one-time cost of care plus rates that were part of the most recent collectively bargained and parity agreement.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4932

The 2025-26 Budget: Transitional Kindergarten Multilingual Learner Screeners

Feb 26, 2025 - The ELPAC assesses English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in line with the English language development standards for each grade level adopted by the State Board of Education (SBE).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4990

Update on the Progress of the CalSTRS Funding Plan

Nov 18, 2021 - In line with the CalSTRS funding plan and board policy, each year CalSTRS sets the state ’s contribution rate (within its statutory authority) based on what contribution level is required to pay down the state ’s share of UAO by 2046.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4475

The 2021-22 Budget: Overview of the Governor's Budget

Jan 10, 2021 - It also is unclear whether state and local public health agencies have the capacity to support schools on such a short time line. The Legislature will want t o consider whether the proposal provides sufficient time for planning and whether the schools and public health agencies have the capacity to effectively implement the requirements under the time lines specified.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4309