Districts’ average payments to pension funds CalSTRS and CalPERS doubled to about $1,000 per student in 2017-18. But contributions varied among districts and will continue to rise for at least two more years.
Gov. Newsom signs bill requiring more transparency from charter schools but makes no commitment for further restrictions; state Supreme Court issues decision on public employee pensions, and we discuss the implications.
Supreme Court reaffirms pension reform law's elimination of one benefit but larger challenge to modify pensions of teachers and other public employees will await a future decision.
The state will absorb $700 million of school districts' additional payments to CalSTRS for the final two years of the higher payments required to restore the pension fund's financial health.
Place your bets: curbs on charter schools, passage of universal preschool, more money for K-12, more teacher strikes and the resignation of Betsy DeVos; an untested governor and volatile president may affect the odds.
The Legislative Analyst's Office projects that a 3.1 percent increase would cover little more than inflation, but early education advocates see potential opportunities elsewhere in the state budget.
The governor wants California Supreme Court to give public agencies, like school districts, the ability to change pension benefits for current workers in hard times.
