The 2022-23 Budget: Middle Class Scholarship Program

Mar 30, 2022 - (Whereas the access award covered roughly 15  percent of the living costs of a student living off campus in 2001 ‑02, it covers an estimated 7  percent today.) Under the revamped MCS program, the state will cover a larger share of students ’ living costs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4581

Trends in Higher Education: Student Access

Jan 23, 2024 - Much of that guide remains relevant today and can assist those who are looking for more basic information on education policy and fiscal matters in California. California's Higher Education System California ’s public higher education sector consists of the California Community Colleges (CCC), California State University (CSU), and University of California (UC).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4828

An Analysis of the University of California’s Agricultural and Natural Resource Programs

Jan 6, 2022 - As a result of these and many other changes, land grant universities today manage large and varied portfolios of research and outreach activities covering many national, state, and local issues. UC Has Developed Goals for These Programs.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4490

The 2026-27 Budget: Higher Education Overview

Feb 5, 2026 - MCS = Middle Class Scholarships and COLA = cost-of-living adjustment. Cal Grant Spending Continues to Grow at Historically High Rate. The Cal Grant program is the state ’s largest and longest ‑standing financial aid program.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/5112

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

Jan 13, 2023 - (That is, in our view, these costs would not have occurred absent legislative action and as a result do not contribute to the budget problem the Legislature faces today.) Comparison to LAO November Outlook.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4662

UC Merced at 20: Campus Developments and Key State-Level Takeaways

Nov 7, 2024 - Nearly all of the students living on campus are undergraduates, with fewer than 20 graduate students living on campus. As of spring 2023, UC  Merced housed a larger share of its students than the average of the other UC general campuses (38  percent).
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4937

The 2023-24 Budget: California Community Colleges

Feb 22, 2023 - Per ‑Student Funding Is Much Higher Today Than Before the Pandemic. We believe most community college districts likely could manage a smaller apportionment COLA without notable fiscal difficulty. Not only are staffing levels down, along with accompanying staffing costs, but budgeted per ‑student Proposition  98 funding is at an all ‑time high.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4695

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

Jan 13, 2025 - The underlying budget dynamics today are particularly challenging for three reasons. First, revenues have not caught up with expenditures. Second, under our estimates, expenditure growth exceeds estimated revenue growth.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4951

The 2021-22 Budget: California Student Aid Commission

Feb 8, 2021 - Changing living arrangements in this way reduces a student ’s cost of attendance, and, in turn, their financial need. As a result, some students who otherwise would have qualified for Cal Grant A no longer meet the financial need threshold.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4355

The 2024-25 Budget: California Community Colleges

Feb 21, 2024 - Proposition   98 Funding Per Student Is Much Higher Today Than Before the Pandemic.  As a result of these apportionments increases —as well as funding increases for numerous categorical programs in recent years —budgeted per ‑student Proposition  98 funding is at an all ‑time high.
https://lao.ca.gov/Publications/Report/4853