The 2025-26 California Spending Plan: Child Care and State Preschool

Nov 14, 2025 - Beginning 2026-27, the budget package sets a new policy to fund direct contrac t providers based on the lesser of (1)  the maximum reimbursable amount in their contract, (2)  the contractor ’s reimbursable program costs, or (3)  the contract rate per child day of enrollment.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5088

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

Jan 13, 2025 - (On a technical basis, under the administration ’s estimates, we estimate the balance of the Special Fund for Economic Uncertainties [SFEU] would be about $3  billion before the Governor ’s proposals.)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4951

The 2020-21 Budget: CalWORKs Child Care Outlook

Nov 21, 2019 - Attrition Rate in Stages 2 and 3 Down From Prior Years. The eligibility changes enacted in 2017 ‑18 resulted in families exiting Stages 2 and 3 at much lower rates compared to previous years. In 2018 ‑19, the attrition rates were 2.4  percent in Stage 2 and 1.4  percent in Stage 3.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4115

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

Jan 13, 2023 - The Governor ’s budget includes nearly $3  billion in reductions, the largest of which is withdrawing a discretionary principal payment on state ’s unemployment insurance loan (which otherwise is paid by employers ’ payroll taxes).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4662

The 2025-26 Budget: Child Care and State Preschool

Mar 28, 2025 - Prior to the pandemic, the specific amount that a contractor would be reimbursed was based on the lesser of (1)  the maximum reimbursable amount; (2)  the contractor ’s reimbursable program costs; or (3)  the contract rate per child day of enrollment, multiplied by the attendance rate of its children.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5024

COVID-19: Federal and State Actions Affecting K-12 Education and Child Care

May 14, 2020 - Chapter  3 made several statutory changes for this purpose. Most notably, Chapter  3 waives penalties in existing law that reduce funding for schools that do not meet the minimum instructional days or minutes requirements.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4231

The 2024-25 Budget: State Preschool

Apr 16, 2024 - Figure 3 Comparing the Governor ’s Budget and LAO Recommendation Proposition 98 (In Millions)
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4894

The 2019-20 Budget: Early Education Analysis

Mar 4, 2019 - State Made Two Changes That Significantly Increased Stages  2 and 3 Caseload. In 2017 ‑18, the state made changes to income eligibility criteria and a key family reporting requirement. These changes significantly increased Stages  2 and 3 c aseload.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/3956

The 2021-22 Budget: Child Care Proposals

Feb 11, 2021 - Governor ’s Proposal Shifts $3   Billion in Local Assistance Funds for Child Care and Nutrition Programs. Consistent with the actions taken last June as part of the 2020 ‑ 21 b udget package, the Governor ’s budget proposes to shift $ 3   b illion in local assistance from CDE to DSS.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4363

The 2020-21 Spending Plan: Early Education

Oct 26, 2020 - The programs shifting to DSS include CalWORKs Stages 2 and 3, AP, General Child Care, Migrant Child Care, Care for Children with Severe Disabilities, the Child and Adult Care Food Program, and the Head Start State Collaboration Office.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4289