A nearly $10 billion education rainy day fund and districts' own reserves would protect schools according to state analysts. At issue is how much funding Newsom and the Legislature should to commit to ongoing spending.
This week: Chancellor Tim White explains why the CSU's 23 campuses will be all online this fall ,and EdSource reporters review education cuts in Gov. Gavin Newsom's bad news budget.
Cutting more than 20 percent in state funding would compound the pandemic's impact on schools; educators hope Newsom recognizes the harm and won't cut that much.
Newsom would increase spending for education from early to higher ed, including a path to full-day preschool for every low-income child and full-day kindergarten for all 5-year olds. A surprise for K-12 districts — pension-cost relief — would free up money to spend as they want.
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.