2015-16 state education budget by the numbers

The $115.4 billion state budget that Gov. Jerry Brown signed on June 24 and takes effect July 1 is full of numbers – big ones when it comes to record high spending for K-12 schools and community colleges. Here are some of the key dollar amounts, including funding for new programs, for 2015-16.

$68.4 billion: The projected minimum guarantee in 2015-16 for Proposition 98, the primary source of funding for K-12 schools, community colleges and state preschool.

  •  $7.6 billion: Increase in Prop. 98 minimum guarantee in 2015-16 budget  compared with minimum guarantee in 2014-15 budget.
  • $13.6 billion: Total increase in ongoing and one-time Prop. 98 funding in 2015-16 because of surging revenue since adoption of 2014-15 budget.

$75.9 billion: Total budgeted spending in 2015-16 for K-12, including federal funds, school construction bonds and non-Prop. 98 contributions to school employee pensions. (Update: When additional local school revenues, including parcel taxes, property sales. some federal funds paid directly to districts and transportation fees are included, the total rises to $83 billion, according to the Department of Finance.)

$59.5 billion: Portion of Prop. 98 in 2015-16 going to K-12.

  • $9,942: 98 average per-student funding in 2015-16. Under the Local Control Funding Formula, district averages could be several thousand dollars per student above or below the statewide average.
  • $1,011: 98 average per-student funding increase (11 percent) over 2014-15 budget. Amounts will vary from district to district.

$7.9 billion: Portion of Prop. 98 in 2015-16 going to community colleges.

  • $6,379: Community college funding per full-time equivalent student in 2015-16.
  • $626: Increase in community college funding per full-time equivalent student (11 percent) over 2014-15 budget.

K-12 one-time spending

  • $3.2 billion: Reimbursement to schools for unfunded state mandates.
  • $897 million: Final payoff of deferrals, which are late payments to school districts; many had to borrow money to balance their books in recent years.
  • $900 million: Three-year competitive grant program for high quality career technical education partnerships with businesses and the community. The program will allocate $400 million in 2015-16 to small, medium and large partnerships.
  • $490 million: Teacher training and support block grant to be spent over three years for professional development and help for new and struggling teachers.
  • $40 million: Additional dollars to county offices of education intended to be used to oversee districts’ Local Control and Accountability Plans (LCAPs); the money will be distributed based on the number of districts in a county.

K-12 ongoing spending

  • $6 billion: Increase in the Local Control Funding Formula, bringing school districts to an estimated 70 percent of full funding of the formula.
  • $500 million: New total for adult education funding, with $375 million for existing programs and the rest to support new regional consortia.
  • $67 million ($52 million ongoing, $15 million one-time): Amount for programs carrying out recommendations of task force on special education, with most to expand services for infants, toddlers and preschoolers with disabilities

Community colleges

  • $267 million: Increase that districts can use for any educational or operational purpose.
  • $157 million: Amount provided for 3 percent enrollment growth.
  • $200 million: Increase for the Student Success and Support Program, including $100 million for assessment, placement, orientation, and counseling services and $85 million to improve access and outcomes for disadvantaged groups.

State preschool

  • $220 million: Increase in preschool funding under Prop. 98 – enough to fund 9,530 new slots and substantially increase reimbursement rates to providers. This includes $145 million that was shifted into Prop. 98 from the General Fund that was not new preschool funding
  • $885 million: What the state will spend on preschool under Prop. 98 in 2015-16.

Remaining debt to K-12 schools after 2015-16

  • $1.2 billion: Amount for unfunded mandates yet to be paid to districts.
  • $772 million: Amount still owed to school districts for past years’ minimum guarantee under Prop. 98, called the maintenance factor.

Sources: Legislative Analyst’s Office, California Department of Finance, Assembly Bill 104 (trailer bill).

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